What About Angels?

[Bob Estey]

Then we're in agreement that we can indeed obey God's word, and that God's word indicates we are able to receive Christ's righteousness even while we're sinners?

Explaining what this looks like is simply a matter of looking into the life of any Christian who knows how to hear God's word. It is the voice God speaks within our conscience so that whatever we do, we do it in the name of the Lord Jesus.

We can indeed do this, but we find that we are always having to correct our unloving tendencies. At least that's my experience.

I'm walking a fine line here. I think the object is to obey God's Word. I find I need his help sometimes to do that.

 

[Randy Kluth]

I'm walking a fine line here. I think the object is to obey God's Word. I find I need his help sometimes to do that.

I'm not sure why this is a "fine line" for you, but in my view, we *always* need God's help to obey His Word. Always! Unless we're connected to the vine, we cannot bear fruit. And even those in the pagan world who follow their conscience are at least connecting, unconsciously, to God's word in order to produce something good. It's just not connecting with God in the same way Christians do, who embrace Christ's nature along with his virtue to do good.

Some Christians get confused about what God's word is, thinking it is the Scriptures primarily. But this is not even remotely true. God's word is the message God delivers directly to the hearts of men in order that they can live as God created them to live, in the image of God. So God's word is accessible by all men, even though many are not aware that it is God's word they are drawing upon when they listen to their conscience.

But it is vastly more important to embrace not just God's word to do good, but rather, the nature of God as revealed in Christ. When we embrace not just his commandments but his *nature,* we are then able to be like Christ, and not just do good deeds. We adopt his own nature, and become "born again." This is what Salvation consists of, embracing the nature of Christ so that together with him we can both do good and live in eternal fellowship with him.

 

[Bob Estey]

I'm not sure why this is a "fine line" for you, but in my view, we *always* need God's help to obey His Word. Always! Unless we're connected to the vine, we cannot bear fruit. And even those in the pagan world who follow their conscience are at least connecting, unconsciously, to God's word in order to produce something good. It's just not connecting with God in the same way Christians do, who embrace Christ's nature along with his virtue to do good.

Some Christians get confused about what God's word is, thinking it is the Scriptures primarily. But this is not even remotely true. God's word is the message God delivers directly to the hearts of men in order that they can live as God created them to live, in the image of God. So God's word is accessible by all men, even though many are not aware that it is God's word they are drawing upon when they listen to their conscience.

But it is vastly more important to embrace not just God's word to do good, but rather, the nature of God as revealed in Christ. When we embrace not just his commandments but his *nature,* we are then able to be like Christ, and not just do good deeds. We adopt his own nature, and become "born again." This is what Salvation consists of, embracing the nature of Christ so that together with him we can both do good and live in eternal fellowship with him.

I would define God's Word as being the words spoken when God and Jesus are quoted in the Bible.

I agree with you that the important thing is that we walk with God. Paul tells us to pray constantly (1 Thessalonians 5:17).

 

[Randy Kluth]

I would define God's Word as being the words spoken when God and Jesus are quoted in the Bible.

I agree with you that the important thing is that we walk with God. Paul tells us to pray constantly (1 Thessalonians 5:17).

While it is true that God's word includes words spoken of by God and Jesus when recorded in the Bible, I absolutely cannot say that defines what "God's Word" is! Don't you believe God spoke the word "light," and there was light? And if so, wouldn't you say that this was true whether it was recorded in the Bible or not? Wouldn't you say it was true well before it was ever recorded in the Bible?

Don't you believe that God speaks to our conscience, and shows us the way in which we should walk? The Apostle John called it "walking in the light." The light infers that God's word is being revealed to us in the nature of Christ and in the will of Christ that we walk as he walked.

1 John 1.5 This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

 

[Bob Estey]

While it is true that God's word includes words spoken of by God and Jesus when recorded in the Bible, I absolutely cannot say that defines what "God's Word" is! Don't you believe God spoke the word "light," and there was light? And if so, wouldn't you say that this was true whether it was recorded in the Bible or not? Wouldn't you say it was true well before it was ever recorded in the Bible?

Don't you believe that God speaks to our conscience, and shows us the way in which we should walk? The Apostle John called in "walking in the light." The light infers that God's word is being revealed to us in the nature of Christ and in the will of Christ that we walk as he walked.

1 John 1.5 This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

God has spoken very much which isn't recorded in the Bible. He speaks to each of us. But as far as the entire Bible being the Word of God, I think the Word of the Lord contained in the Bible are those instances God and Jesus are directly quoted.

 

[Randy Kluth]

God has spoken very much which isn't recorded in the Bible. He speaks to each of us. But as far as the entire Bible being the Word of God, I think the Word of the Lord contained in the Bible are those instances God and Jesus are directly quoted.

Yes, that is clearly evidence, within the Scriptures themselves, that God spoke. We often refer to the Scriptures as "the Word of God" because many of us believe God in a sense commissioned the book to be written, whether it was the account of Satan before God's throne in the book of Job or the account of Ruth's marriage to Boaz, setting up the genealogical line of King David.

But my point is, as you said, that the "word of God" is more than just the Scriptural accounts of such. As I said, the word of God more importantly is God being the light to our pathway, so that we can see God's way before us, guiding us in our decision-making. Thanks for your agreement on this. I do not, however, see any "fine line" in this? So I'm not sure of what you're speaking?

 

[BeyondET]

Angels can be human or spirits. It is a vague term used. They can be good or evil. The bible says to entertain strangers because some of them are angels of God. And they would have a body if that is the case and eating with you.

Hebrews 13:2 Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels.

Hmm a stranger and a angel are different. Could there be angels looking upon some people and the angels be entertained of coarse but that doesn't make the stranger an angel.

 

[BeyondET]

This "non-earth created angelic beings" is what I wonder about. Is it possible that all angels were originally human beings? It makes more sense to me that heaven consists of God and people, rather than God, people, and angels.

Flesh can't enter heaven, people have souls.

 

[Bob Estey]

Yes, that is clearly evidence, within the Scriptures themselves, that God spoke. We often refer to the Scriptures as "the Word of God" because many of us believe God in a sense commissioned the book to be written, whether it was the account of Satan before God's throne in the book of Job or the account of Ruth's marriage to Boaz, setting up the genealogical line of King David.

But my point is, as you said, that the "word of God" is more than just the Scriptural accounts of such. As I said, the word of God more importantly is God being the light to our pathway, so that we can see God's way before us, guiding us in our decision-making. Thanks for your agreement on this. I do not, however, see any "fine line" in this? So I'm not sure of what you're speaking?

Back to the fine line - if I haven't lost my train of thought. I believe we won't be entirely happy until we have repented of our sin. That isn't to say we can do it without God's help.

 

[Bob Estey]

Flesh can't enter heaven, people have souls.

It seems to me heaven isn't a place to enter. It seems to me heaven is what our lives become when we repent of our sin (Matthew 4:17).

 

[Randy Kluth]

Back to the fine line - if I haven't lost my train of thought. I believe we won't be entirely happy until we have repented of our sin. That isn't to say we can do it without God's help.

I believe that God is always there to help Man. And in an even better way He is there to help Christians be like Christ. But yes, we need help because our lower nature gravitates away form doing the right thing. It takes spiritual muscle to choose to go the way we should go and even want to go. Yes, if my train of thought was like an actual train, it would've left the tracks a long time ago! ;)