FBCD_FaithEssentials_June_FlipBook

Faith Essentials

reason to believe they have not continued to do what the Bible tells us throughout history. In heaven, in addition to their ongoing praise of God, the Bible tells us, “There is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents (Luke 15:10). With people being saved on a regular basis, around the clock, throughout the world, we know that keeps them busy. That’s all well and good one might say, but what about their activity on earth? A very reputable and influential man in my young adult life told me of an angel that appeared at the foot of his bed to deliver a word of encouragement at a pivotal point in his life. I’ve never had that happen and likely you haven’t either. Yet, similar reports from around the world surface on a regular basis. Mining deeper into this question, let’s contrast and compare the role of angels to that of the Holy Spirit. “Some people confuse angels with the Holy Spirit, yet their makeup and job description differ greatly. The over-arching contrast is that the Holy Spirit is Creator and angels are created. Whereas the Holy Spirit indwells people, angels do not. Possessing the attributes of God, the Holy Spirit can be everywhere at once and should be an object of our worship. “Angels are mightier than men, but they are not gods and do not possess the attributes of the Godhead.” 8 They can only be one place at a time and should not be an object worship. Obviously, both the Holy Spirit and angels help carry out God’s perfect plans. There are times when you won’t know whether an angel or the Spirit is at work. You “Can be sure, however, that there is no contradiction or competition between God the Holy Spirit and God’s command of the angelic hosts.” 9 In a general sense, working omnipotently, the Holy Spirit works as a restrainer of evil in our world. The Bible tells of a time, before the Second Coming of Christ, when this restrainer is removed and the anti-Christ is revealed (2 Thessalonians 2:7,8). Angels perform a similar function, battling demons in spiritual warfare. According to Scripture, “Our struggle is not against

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