Of angels and men.

In our human pride, it is easy to forget that there is another race of intelligent beings working on this earth and elsewhere in God’s creation. They are angels, and like humans, they can be divided rather easily. With humans, we have the lost and the saved. But with angels, we have the fallen and the holy.

And I was thinking a few moments earlier about those two different classes of angels. Those angels which sinned, God did not give a chance for repentance or salvation. They were consigned to Hell and reserved for punishment, but Jesus did not take on Himself the nature of an angel to provide salvation for them (Hebrews 2:16, NASB).

Likewise, the holy angels have been sealed so that they may never fall. And so both classes of angels, regarding their eternal destinies, have no free will. This seems to be the common position held by most of the teachers, preachers, and authors I have heard speak of the matter. This is accepted teaching regarding angels.

BUT… What happens when a similar situation happens with humans? God spared not the angels that sinned, but all humans have sinned. What do we have then? Should we not expect God to be consistent by sending every person to Hell as a result of their sin? Indeed, that would be just and fair.

Just as He sealed the portion of angels which didn’t sin so that they could no longer sin, so has God chosen a specific group of people to save from sin. Admittedly, the process of saving a sinner was a bit more complex than preventing the holy from sinning. The Son of God had to die to bring salvation to God’s chosen humans, who are His sheep and His friends.

On both sides of the coin we have a group which is set aside permanently for God and another group which were not.

And no actions of either angel or human can change which group he belongs to, any more than a leopard could change its own spots. Such changes of nature can only be produced by the Creator.

Yet, why is it so easy to accept that God could so control the destinies of angels while demanding from Him free will to control our own? Are we not being hypocritical? Have we forgotten that we are but man? Sinful man?

How wonderful is the thought that God would seal holy angels unto Himself, but how much more wonderful is it to think that God would look down into the cesspool which is humanity and choose for Himself vile sinners to become the Bride of His Son! Praise God, what mercy and grace He has shown!

Humanity is so unworthy to be saved. And that thought is so important. Not a one of us, left to our own, does good, seeks God, or understands truth. Not a one of us can bring anything good to offer God, least of all a faith produced by an all-deceitful heart! Unworthy!

If we as unworthy sinners could produce a faith which is accepted by God, then our depravity is only partial, it fails to affect our faith. It is only after the Lord regenerates us and grants us faith and repentance that we may exercise those things and have them be accepted by the Lord.

If He really is the Author and Finisher of our faith, let us rob Him no glory by claiming our faith is our own, that we were able to understand God enough to seek after Him. Oh no… No until He has sought and found us may we find Him.

Angels and men. And God is sovereign over both. May we ever give Him the glory for our salvation, our rebirth… our lives!, for we had no say in any of them.