Sermon Central
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Believers Judging Angels? Series
Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Apr 27, 2006 (message contributor)
Summary: We are made lower than the angels today, but redeemed mankind will be elevated above the angels in the kingdom. We can glean much to help us today by studying what will be our role "someday". Link included to formatted text and PowerPoint Presentation.
Believers Judging Angels?
I Cor. 6:1-3
When Paul wrote this letter to the church at Corinth, it was having problems. That’s actually an understatement. One of the problems was Christians fighting and feuding and fussing w/ one another, and it got so bad they were actually taking one another to court! Now that’s disgraceful…and it always is disgraceful when Christians cannot get along w/ one another. No doubt the world looks upon that situation and laughs and says, “that’s why I don’t go to church!” And they go back to the Elks Lodge where everyone loves each other.
Paul is rebuking them, and challenging them to find some Godly people to help them settle their disputes in Christian love. In doing so, Paul makes an interesting statement in v. 3…judging angels.
The word judge does not mean “condemn” in this verse. Here it means “to distinguing or decide”. For example, a wife may ask her husband to look at some wallpaper for the bathroom and help her “judge” which is best for them.
This is not about the unholy demonic angels…they have already had their judgment pronounced and their future is already written out. But during the millennium we will rule and reign over the heavenly angels. We will be in our resurrected glorified bodies which the Bible says will be better than the angels.
Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.
In rank and position we will be higher than the angels. That’s amazing, isn’t it?! From being lost, sinful, alienated humans who rejected God to being higher than these angels which have remained loyal! It’s the precious blood of Jesus that makes the difference! We have been redeemed at a higher price than was ever paid for any angel. And God’s amazing grace will again be demonstrated to us in our elevation to another height we are most unworthy of attaining!
In your job you may feel like you answer to everyone else. But there’s coming a day when you will be over angels! Up until I was 14 I thought my name was “Fetch Firewood”! But someday I will judge angels!
I. God’s Government Established
In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
Ours is a God of order and organization. Whether you look thru a microscope or a telescope, it’s evident! And He created not only the heaven and the earth, but set up a government of beings.
Col. 1:16
For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
There’s the ranks and levels of the angelic host which make up God’s government.
II. Satan’s Rebellion Against God’s Government
For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: [This was evidently an actual physical location in heaven where angels met and were called into accountability] [14] I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.
Lucifer attempted a hostile takeover of God’s government.
As a result, Satan began to advertise his plan among the angelic host.
Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffick; therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee.
Satan was the original salesman / recruiter. And it’s a proven fact that those who rebel are never satisfied w/ rebelling alone…they MUST take others with them to help validate their wicked cause.
That’s why the Bible says in…
Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil; neither shalt thou speak in a cause to decline after many to wrest judgment:
My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.
Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men.
So, 1/3rd of the angels followed Satan in his rebellion.
Rev. 12:4
And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth…
God stopped the rebellion by creating the awful place of judgment we know as “hell”.
Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
Hell wasn’t originally created for people. Humans in hell will be intruders…they were not meant to be there, but many insist. Most people now follow the devil to that place of judgment…but I say we should do all we can just as Jesus did all He could in order to keep it a private party for those wicked, rebellious creatures. Well, it’s too late for multitudes, but not for many more today!
