angels – Ministry of Grace Church

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Romans 8:38 – No One and Nothing

Posted on May 3, 2018 by Will

For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come,

Truth to Learn

Our salvation is secure!

Behind the Words

The word translated “persuaded” is the Greek word peithō, meaning “to persuade or convince someone.” This word is in the perfect tense implying past completed action with a continuing result, but with the emphasis on the result. So, Paul is not saying that this may be true, or that he thinks it is possible, rather he is saying that he has been persuaded and he is now absolutely convinced that this is true.

“Death” is from the Greek word thanatos. It can refer to physical death (the death of our physical bodies) or spiritual death (exclusion from the presence and favor of God). The base meaning of this word implies separation. Regarding physical death, it is the separation of the soul and spirit from the body. With respect to spiritual death is the separation of the soul and spirit from the presence and favor of God.

The word “life” is from dzoē, which refers to “human life.” It can refer to our physical life or to eternal life.

“Angels” is a transliteration of angelos, meaning “messenger.” It is used in reference to any of God’s created spirit beings.

The word “principalities” is from archē, which literally refers to “the beginning point.” Metaphorically, it is used to refer to the highest in position or power of the angelic beings.

“Powers” is from dunamis (from which we get our English word dynamite), meaning “a powerful force.” It is used here as a reference to other powerful angels.

The word translated “things present” is enistēmi, meaning “something that exists now.” And “things to come” is from mellō, meaning “something that is about to be or to happen.”

Meaning Explained

Back in verse thirty-five Paul asked the question, “What will separate us from the love of Christ, tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?” We told you at that time that Paul would answer the question in a few verses. Well, here it is. This is the final explosion in his volcanic eruption of the glorious benefits of being an adopted child of God; in fact, there is so much here that it is spread out over two verses.

Paul starts out this verse with “For I am persuaded.” And what is it that he is absolutely convinced is true? That nothing can separate us from the love of God! You will notice that this list starts out with life and death. We cannot be separated by life or by death. The three words angelos, archē, and dunamis represent all of the angelic host, including faithful angels as well as fallen angels. It even includes Satan. Hence, no angelic being can separate us from God’s love in Christ Jesus. The list includes things that exist as well as things that have not yet come into being but shall exist some day.

Application

We are saved by God and by God alone, and once we have been declared righteous (saved) by God, it cannot be undone!

In God's service, for His glory,

2 Peter 2:11 – Lord, or Just Savior

Posted on April 27, 2017 by Will

whereas angels, being greater in strength and power, do not bring slanderous accusations against them in the presence of the Lord.

Truth to Learn

We all need to recognize what spiritual authority we are under.

Behind the Words

“Angels” is a transliteration of the Greek word angelos, meaning “a messenger.”

The word translated “slanderous” is blasphēmos, which means “to be abusive, to revile, or to slander a person’s good name. It is the word from which we get our English word blasphemy.

“Accusations” is from krisis, meaning “an accusation” or “a condemning judgment.”

Meaning Explained

Lest we forget, the people that Peter is now talking about are those false teachers who despise the ones in authority, especially those who are in spiritual authority over them. These false teachers were not afraid of the principalities and powers, and they even spoke evil of them. Peter now contrasts that with the attitude of the spirit beings themselves, the angels.

Let’s look at these spirit beings for a minute. There are differing ranks among the angels. There are those who are simply called “angels,” like those who appeared to the shepherds announcing the birth of Christ; there are a few, like Michael, who are called archangels, having a superior position to the others; and there are cherubs and seraphs that seem to have special functions around the throne of God. There are also those angels referred to as “principalities,” translated from the Greek archai, meaning “those who are chiefs among the rest.”

Peter says that even angels, who are greater in power and might than the false teachers who freely blaspheme higher powers, do not bring a slanderous accusation against those with spiritual dominion over them. Peter may be referring to an incident that is mentioned in the book of Jude. Jude also talks about false teachers who have crept into the church and who have spread destructive heresies. Also, like Peter, he talks about how these false teachers do not respect the spiritual hierarchy.

Satan (the Devil) was once one of the top angelic beings and he was described as “full of wisdom and perfect in beauty” (Ezekiel 28:12) before his fall, and he remains a powerful force among the spirit beings, higher and more powerful than even Michael the archangel. Jude speaks of Michael’s encounter with Satan regarding the body of Moses.

But Michael the archangel, when he disputed with the devil and argued about the body of Moses, did not dare pronounce against him a railing judgment, but said, "The Lord rebuke you!" (Jude 9)

Michael, though he is a powerful and mighty archangel, would not bring an accusation against Satan who is more powerful, and mightier. Instead, he left the rebuking up to the even more powerful God.

Angels will not bring a reproaching accusation against another angel, but these false teachers will freely blaspheme them before the Lord. These false teachers don’t understand the very things they claim to have mastery over. Instead, as Peter will say in a later verse, they are “speaking out arrogant words of vanity…” and God will judge them for it!

Application

The false teachers that Peter has been talking about were not submitted to the lordship of Almighty God. They may have been great teachers. but without having been submitted to God’s authority, their teaching was empty vanity. In fact, none of us can be mightily used by God unless we’re submitted to His lordship. Is Jesus Christ your Lord, or just your Savior?

In God's service, for His glory,

Romans 8:38 – No One and Nothing

Posted on July 18, 2010 by Will

Romans 8:38 – No One and Nothing

For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come,

Truth to Learn

Our salvation is secure!

Behind the Words

The word “life” is from dzoē, which refers to “human life.” It can refer to our physical life or to eternal life.

“Angels” is a transliteration of angelos, meaning “messenger.” It is used in reference to any of God’s created spirit beings. The word “principalities” is from archē, which literally refers to “the beginning point.” Metaphorically, it is used to refer to the highest in position or power of the angelic beings. “Powers” is from dunamis (from which we get our English word dynamite), meaning “a powerful force.” It is used here as a reference to other powerful angels.

The word translated “things present” is enistēmi, meaning “something that exists now.” And “things to come” is from mellō, meaning “something that is about to be or to happen.”

Meaning Explained

Back in verse thirty-five Paul asked the question, “What shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?” We told you at that time that Paul would answer the question in a few verses. Well, here it is. This is the final explosion in his volcanic eruption of the glorious benefits of being an adopted child of God; in fact, there is so much here that it is spread out over two verses.

Application

We are saved by God and by God alone, and once we have been declared righteous (saved) by God, it cannot be undone!

In God’s service, for His glory,

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

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2 Peter 2:11 – Lord, or Just Savior

Posted on May 19, 2009 by admin

2 Peter 2:11

yet even angels, although they are stronger and more powerful, do not bring slanderous accusations against such beings in the presence of the Lord.

Truth to Learn

We all need to recognize what spiritual authority we are under.

Behind the Words

“Angels” is a transliteration of the Greek word angelos, meaning “a messenger.”

Meaning Explained

But Michael the archangel, when he disputed with the devil and argued about the body of Moses, did not dare pronounce against him a railing judgment, but said, “The Lord rebuke you!” (Jude 9)

Michael, though he is a powerful and mighty archangel, would not bring an accusation against Satan who is more powerful, and mightier. Instead, he left the rebuking up to the even more powerful God.

Application

In God’s service, for His glory,

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

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2 Peter 2:4 – Held For Judgment

Posted on May 7, 2009 by admin

2 Peter 2:4

For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell, putting them into gloomy dungeons to be held for judgment;

Truth to Learn

False teachers, like the angels who sinned, will be judged!

Behind the Words

The word “if” indicates a conditional clause. In Greek there are three (some say four) classes of conditional clauses in Greek. This one is a first class condition. A first class conditional sentence assumes that the premise (protasis) is true for the sake of argument. For this reason, some have proposed that the “if” can be translated as “since.” Whereas this is not always true, , in this case it does give us a better sense of what the Greek is saying.

“Sent them to hell” is translated from the verb tartaroō. This is based on the noun Tartaros, the name of “the subterranean abyss of Greek mythology where the gods were punished.”

Meaning Explained

Peter told us in the previous verse that the judgment of false teachers and their destruction will come. He told the early Christians this because, like today, these false teachers seemed to be prospering in spite of their selfish tactics. He now goes on to give us several examples of judgment that have already been performed upon those who thought they were getting away with their rebellion. The first of these examples is in today’s verse, the angels that sinned.

We don’t know exactly what their sin was, although Jude 6 implies that these angels left their original dwelling place and went somewhere they were not supposed to go. Some believe that this is a reference to the angels having come down to earth to cohabitate with human women, but that is really only speculation. What we do know is that they exceeded the bounds that God had set for them and they were punished.

Peter tells us that the angels are incarcerated in Tartarus in chains of darkness (gloomy dungeons) awaiting their judgment. And, by combining this verse with the end of this sentence (in verse nine), we see that Peter is saying, “If God did not spare angels when they sinned … then the Lord knows how to … hold the unrighteous for the day of judgment, while continuing their punishment.” His point is that judgment will certainly come to these spirit beings just as judgment will come to the false teachers who are selling snake oil to the people.

Since angels are each a separate creation, there can be no substitutionary payment for their sins. We, on the other hand, being procreated beings can, and do, have someone else who paid for our sins. That someone is the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who paid with His blood. The Bible tells us that if we do not accept this fact, then we too will be cast into Hell (Hades) to await the Great White Throne judgment where all unbelievers will be cast into the lake of fire for eternity.

Application

What future awaits you? The choice is yours: either the pain and suffering of Hades and the Lake of Fire, or as Peter talked about in the previous chapter:

a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

In God’s service, for His glory,

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –