Angels

  • Christian Chat is a moderated online Christian community allowing Christians around the world to fellowship with each other in real time chat via webcam, voice, and text, with the Christian Chat app. You can also start or participate in a Bible-based discussion here in the Christian Chat Forums, where members can also share with each other their own videos, pictures, or favorite Christian music.

    If you are a Christian and need encouragement and fellowship, we're here for you! If you are not a Christian but interested in knowing more about Jesus our Lord, you're also welcome! Want to know what the Bible says, and how you can apply it to your life? Join us!

    To make new Christian friends now around the world, click here to join Christian Chat.
Nov 14, 2024
138
45
28
Kansas
#1
"Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation" (Hebrews 1:14).

This post is to show the role of spiritual beings in the lives of people, both christians and non-christians.
 

DRobinson

Well-known member
Aug 23, 2023
574
295
63
#2
"Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation" (Hebrews 1:14).

This post is to show the role of spiritual beings in the lives of people, both christians and non-christians.
Non Christians are not heirs of salvation, so you are wrong.
 

Magenta

Senior Member
Jul 3, 2015
61,133
30,266
113
#3

Psalm 34:7 Hebrews 1:14 The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear Him, and he delivers them. Are not the angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?
 
Nov 1, 2024
1,192
383
83
#5
Non Christians are not heirs of salvation, so you are wrong.
What about those whose names were written in the book of life before the foundation of the world and who are foreknown by God, yet have not yet come into a faith in Christ? Would angels not minister to these in order to protect them and help bring them into faith?
 

Magenta

Senior Member
Jul 3, 2015
61,133
30,266
113
#6
What about those whose names were written in the book of life before the foundation of the world and who are foreknown by God, yet have not yet come into a faith in Christ? Would angels not minister to these in order to protect them and help bring them into faith?
I can look back many years before I became Christian and have a sense of God protecting me
in certain situations. Some of the circumstances would have no other explanation, either, really.
 

birdie

Senior Member
Sep 16, 2014
535
104
43
#7
"Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation" (Hebrews 1:14).

This post is to show the role of spiritual beings in the lives of people, both christians and non-christians.
Thanks ValleyAnt. I like your name. I see Christians as being the ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation. I also see the Angel of the Lord as being Jesus the deliverer of the saints. Some might say that that cannot be, since Christians have a flesh body, and so did Jesus as well, but I believe the scripture is talking about those persons from the perspective that they are spiritual beings at their core. There are plenty of other scriptures that point to angels as being God's human messengers, with Jesus being the chief messenger. The word 'angel' is a word that means 'messenger'. That is what Christians are.
 

Dino246

Senior Member
Jun 30, 2015
25,599
13,861
113
#8
Non Christians are not heirs of salvation, so you are wrong.
I'm not sure what you have against VA or his post, but you made an unwarranted jump to an unsupported conclusion. Spiritual beings work in the lives of both Christians and non-Christians. He didn't specify "angels".

The unfortunate reality is that the spiritual enemies of God are also at work... to undermine His purposes and waylay His people. They deceive the unbelievers (and many believers also). Meanwhile, God's faithful servants (whom we generally call "angels") are also at work protecting His people and bringing messages from God. Indeed, the very word "angel" means "messenger"; it's a role, not a species.
 
Nov 1, 2024
1,192
383
83
#9
Hebrews 1:14 does refer to spiritual beings, not humans, because they are called ministering spirits. Humans have a spirit, but they are not spirits
 

glf

Active member
Mar 18, 2023
307
130
43
70
#10
Thanks ValleyAnt. I like your name. I see Christians as being the ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation. I also see the Angel of the Lord as being Jesus the deliverer of the saints. Some might say that that cannot be, since Christians have a flesh body, and so did Jesus as well, but I believe the scripture is talking about those persons from the perspective that they are spiritual beings at their core. There are plenty of other scriptures that point to angels as being God's human messengers, with Jesus being the chief messenger. The word 'angel' is a word that means 'messenger'. That is what Christians are.


Heb 1: 2-8:
Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son? And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him. And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire. But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.
Heb 1: 13:
But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool?
 

Mem

Senior Member
Sep 23, 2014
7,230
2,207
113
#12
I suffer from an incurable care of etymologitis. I have to see how words develop into what they are today. I usually start at wiki to get a general idea of the conversation on any particular topic and go from there if I'm especially interested in following the citations provided. And, according to wiki, in regard to the etymology of 'angel', "The word arrives in modern English from Old English engel (with a hard g) and Old French engele. Both of these derive from Late Latin angelus, which in turn is borrowed from Late Greek, angelos (literally "messenger")...According to a Dutch linguist R.S.P. Beaks, angelos itself may be "an Oriental loan, like... (angaros, "Persian mounted courier")" and in regard to the Background, "The idea of angels in early Hebrew scripture as supernatural beings is absent. Instead, the Hebrew diety intervenes in human affairs...."
And, indeed, the AI overview offering of the engine search for "angel etymology hebrew" retrieved the following:

The Hebrew word for "angel" is mal'ākh (מַלְאַךְ), which is derived from the root l-'-k (ל-א-ך) meaning "to send with a message". The word is often translated as "messenger" when referring to humans, but in post-biblical Hebrew it is used exclusively for superhuman messengers.

In the Bible, angels are beings that God sends to communicate his messages to humans, warning, comforting, and guiding them. They are also seen as attendants to God, similar to courtiers to an earthly king.

The word mal'ākh was translated into the Greek word angelos, which also means "messenger". In the Latin Vulgate, the word angelus was used when referring to supernatural beings, while nuntius or legatus were used when referring to human messengers. This differentiation was adopted by later translations of the Bible, and eventually by modern scholars.


And the rest is history...
And now, there is hardly anyone that feels the need to take personal responsibility since it all happens "out there."
 
Nov 1, 2024
1,192
383
83
#13
The idea of angels in early Hebrew scripture as supernatural beings is absent. Instead, the Hebrew diety intervenes in human affairs...."
Doesn't sound accurate.. There were 3 beings who visited Abraham before the destruction of Sodom; only one could have been the lord. Also, it's somewhere stated that the law was laid out for Moses on the mount by angels, plural
 

GWH

Groovy
Oct 19, 2024
1,821
446
83
#14
"Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation" (Hebrews 1:14).

This post is to show the role of spiritual beings in the lives of people, both christians and non-christians.
Frankly, the doctrine of angelology has always confused me. What do angels do that the Holy Spirit cannot do Himself? Angels seem redundant or even in the way, and I find the NT references to them lacking in rationale and specificity, including HB 1:4-2:9 & REV--and therefore confusing. I will be interested in meeting them in heaven (so I can add that info to my website :^)
 

John146

Senior Member
Jan 13, 2016
17,159
3,697
113
#15
What about those whose names were written in the book of life before the foundation of the world and who are foreknown by God, yet have not yet come into a faith in Christ? Would angels not minister to these in order to protect them and help bring them into faith?
You are starting out with a false premise. Just saying…
 
Nov 1, 2024
1,192
383
83
#16
And [Jacob] dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it. Genesis 28:12
And [Jesus] saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man. John 1:51
 

TabinRivCA

Well-known member
Oct 23, 2018
13,223
10,758
113
#17
Yes, angels have definitely helped/aided me just as the Holy Spirit has guided me countless times. One time back a while, my car died out on this long desolate stretch on the freeway. As I swerved over I saw this white station wagon in my rear view, pulling over with me. I thought 'I know why I'm pulling over but why is he?'. He came up to my window and said 'do you need help?' and I told him my car died. When he said he would take me to my home. The fact that I always pray before I get on the freeway (in 15 yrs this was the first time I had a problem) crossed my mind. I in fact pray for angels to be round about me, so by faith I said OK and he took me right to my driveway. I turned around and he was gone. Everyone says he was an angel and I believe it.
 

ocean

Active member
Oct 15, 2024
151
66
28
#19
Yes, angels have definitely helped/aided me just as the Holy Spirit has guided me countless times. One time back a while, my car died out on this long desolate stretch on the freeway. As I swerved over I saw this white station wagon in my rear view, pulling over with me. I thought 'I know why I'm pulling over but why is he?'. He came up to my window and said 'do you need help?' and I told him my car died. When he said he would take me to my home. The fact that I always pray before I get on the freeway (in 15 yrs this was the first time I had a problem) crossed my mind. I in fact pray for angels to be round about me, so by faith I said OK and he took me right to my driveway. I turned around and he was gone. Everyone says he was an angel and I believe it.
I can believe that because I would have things to relate that would also seem to be an angel intervening and even saving me. And when you look around, you don't see them or remember them being where you had looked previously.
 

daisyseesthesun

Well-known member
Aug 23, 2024
770
432
63
#20
Frankly, the doctrine of angelology has always confused me. What do angels do that the Holy Spirit cannot do Himself? Angels seem redundant or even in the way, and I find the NT references to them lacking in rationale and specificity, including HB 1:4-2:9 & REV--and therefore confusing. I will be interested in meeting them in heaven (so I can add that info to my website :^)
GWH,
Do you not believe in angels then? The Bible says a 1/3 of them fell to earth.that means there are 2/3 left with are Father and on earth protecting us. We are also given names of the Angels Gabriel and Michael so they are destinct and different from the holy spirit. I never thought of the holy spirit protecting us that way. It guides us and helps us with Satan's attacks it.
In Darlene Deibler Rose testimony she talks about an incident during ww2 where people were going to break into the bungalow but angels encamped around the house and the bandits were to scared to enter and steal from the missionaries.