RESOURCES — SHORT ARTICLES

 

SHORT ARTICLES BY TOM ELSEROAD
	2020-08-10	Will Christians Someday Judge Angels? (1Co.6:3)
		1Co 6:1 Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unrighteous, and not before the saints? 1Co 6:2 Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world will be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters? 1Co 6:3 Do you not know that we shall judge angels? How much more, things that pertain to this life? What does Paul mean that we will judge angels? The immediate context here is whether Christians should use secular law courts to settle matters with each other. In particular, whether Christians should sue each other in secular court. Now exactly how we shall judge angels is not revealed to us. But we are not left without other Scripture helping us to understand further. It is not clear exactly which angels Paul is referring to. It would not make too much sense for us to judge sinless angels. It would make sense that demonic spirits are what is in mind here. They in some way have played a role in your life. They have tempted you, and battered you. You will become a witness against them at their final condemnation. Our witness or testimony will be for us to express how we experienced their evil assaults for our lives. Our witness would be to increase their guilt by our words of testimony. Actually there is something even greater in mind. Remember Jesus said God has given to the Son all authority to execute judgment (Jn.5:22,27). This is because He is the Son of Man. So if we have any role in judgment, it will be according to the rights of Jesus who has supreme authority. Whatever the specifics may be it appears we are elevated in status somehow. Rev 3:21 To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. What? Sit with Jesus on the throne of God! Let that sink in for a while. Rev 2:26 And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations— 2Ti 2:12 If we endure, We shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us. So the thought of judging angels as a status given to ordinary people is just inexpressible. It is somehow a part of God's plan for those who believe on His Son, Jesus. Eph 1:21 far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. Eph 1:22 And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, Eph 1:23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all. All things are under the feet of Jesus. Then it says that Jesus is the head of the church in the sense that the church is the rest of His body. So now you have a head with all authority, and a body known as the church made up of millions of bodies. Then Paul says this body is the fullness of Him who fills all in all. So the church, as the body of the Ruler of the universe, fills it all. The way Jesus fills the universe is with His rule, control, and judgment. He does this by means of His body who share in that rule, control, and judgment sitting on that throne. So the fullness of the influence and presence of the Son of Man filling the universe is the action of His people. Somehow we are positioned perfectly in every way for our greatest joy and His greatest glory. Yes, we will judge angels. And in Christ we will do so much more. Ordinary believers should be filled with a continuous sense of wonder for the future. So how could Christians with such hope for the future ever want to use secular means to judge issues is Paul's argument? Pastor Tom Elseroad

 

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