ABOUT ANGELS
I was at the Right-to-Life Rally in Springfield in 1992. I sat at the table with a man who couldn't stop talking about angels and how we don't use them enough. He said we should name our Guardian Angel. I had never met anyone so obsessed with angels. We had a friendly discussion and took each other's addresses so we could further bolster our beliefs. Following is my partly edited letter to him. I never heard back.
'92
I'm still waiting for your information on angels. In the meantime, I'm learning to use my new word processor. In doing that, I'll list the reasons I have a problem with putting too much emphasis on angels, other than a healthy understanding of their place in the spiritual realm.
1. Angels appear to be the latest fad. Oftentimes people who are drawn to the powers of angels are also drawn to the supernatural in general. I feel charismatics often do this.
2. Any out-of-the-ordinary attention given to angels or any other being is attention taken away from Christ. Since Jesus is the one who died for us, it is He who deserves our attention. When an opportunity presents itself to share the faith with someone, care should be taken to promote Jesus and not the angels. Time may be of the essence, and a discussion around the powers of angels takes time and focus off of the message of salvation or a message of support and encouragement to a fellow Christian, etc.
3. The angels react according to the Lord's will, not ours. For now we are lower than the angels but in eternity we will judge them. I Corinthians 6:3 - "Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?" If we are to judge angels, then we do not become angels when we die. We will be above them. As of now, we are not in a position to give orders to them. The angels do God's bidding. See Psalms l03:20. "...you, His angels who do His bidding, who obey His word." Better to ask the Lord to bid his angel(s) to help us, to bind Satan and his demons, etc. The angels' power is unleashed in part through prayer. Prayers cannot be answered without praying to the Lord.
1. Angels appear to be the latest fad. Oftentimes people who are drawn to the powers of angels are also drawn to the supernatural in general. I feel charismatics often do this.
2. Any out-of-the-ordinary attention given to angels or any other being is attention taken away from Christ. Since Jesus is the one who died for us, it is He who deserves our attention. When an opportunity presents itself to share the faith with someone, care should be taken to promote Jesus and not the angels. Time may be of the essence, and a discussion around the powers of angels takes time and focus off of the message of salvation or a message of support and encouragement to a fellow Christian, etc.
3. The angels react according to the Lord's will, not ours. For now we are lower than the angels but in eternity we will judge them. I Corinthians 6:3 - "Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?" If we are to judge angels, then we do not become angels when we die. We will be above them. As of now, we are not in a position to give orders to them. The angels do God's bidding. See Psalms l03:20. "...you, His angels who do His bidding, who obey His word." Better to ask the Lord to bid his angel(s) to help us, to bind Satan and his demons, etc. The angels' power is unleashed in part through prayer. Prayers cannot be answered without praying to the Lord.
4. Nowhere in the Bible does it say we should talk to angels or give them names or commands or ask them for help. God has surely named them already.
5. Satan is always trying to divert our attention away from Christ and the messages we need to hear, and I fear an inordinate amount of attention paid to angels is diversionary. Anytime we take our eyes off Christ and divert our attention elsewhere, Christ is left out. We may miss out on blessings, also.
6. I mentioned at our rally in Springfield, that since Christ was the one to die on the cross, He should be the one to receive the honor, attention, glory, respect, etc. His name should be on the building and His picture everywhere, His statue in yards, and His likeness on necklaces and figurines (His only) and instead of holding rosary beads saying “Hail, Mary,” it seems only right to say Hail, Christ, and to go to Him to confess our sins and ask forgiveness. Having this kind of mindset, I have the same problem giving the angels any special attention because I feel it all belongs to Christ.
7. We would be a less than believable or effective witness if we made angels the center of our conversation rather than Christ crucified for our sins, His love and mercy, etc.
8. If speaking to your angel were necessary, I'm sure God would not have allowed this requirement to go unnoticed all these years and would have made a point of it in the Bible.
I may seem like I really think I know it all, but that is not the way I mean to come across. I'm just listing my fears, observations, and understanding of scriptures. You are welcome to do the same, and maybe between the two of us we can come to a better understanding of the subject.
One other observation I made at the rally is that you have a very pleasant personality, spiritual energy, and great leadership potential. I would hate to see you fall short of your potential because of one of Satan's diversionary tactics that might make you appear weird or off-base or less solid than you really are. I'm not saying this is what is happening. I just think it's worth considering because Satan is always trying to weaken us in one way or another or to make us less believable and effective. I hope I haven't offended you in any way. I was very pleased to meet you and to make a new friend, especially a Christian one. I need all of those I can get. I am enclosing some literature from my files on the subject of angels. You may have the same information, but just in case you don't, here it is.
Sincerely,
Sincerely,
Becky Wall
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