I’ve recently read
Gwen Shaw’s Our Ministering Angels and will be distilling some of her
notable teachings in an article or two, but am not yet ready. Meanwhile there is another author, Paul
Billheimer, in his book Destined for the Throne , p. 34, who speaks of
the gulf between angels and men in a most exciting way. Here goes.
“Created originally
in the image of God, redeemed humanity has been elevated by means of the new
birth to the highest rank of all created beings. ‘He
took not on him the nature of angels, but he took on him the seed of Abraham’ (Hebrews
2:16). However else he might manifest
himself in nature, God could not become incarnate
in angels because they were not created in the full image of God. No other created being approaches the
capacity of the human being to “contain God”.
Only human beings have a nature in which God can become incarnate. God tipped His hand, so to speak in the
incarnation. By this He dignified the
human race and elevated redeemed humanity beyond the highest ranking angelic
star in the radiant canopy of the firmament.
“Because angels were
not made in the full image of God and God could therefore not become incarnate
in them, the fallen angels cannot be redeemed.
No angel can ever become a member of the family of God. They are created, not birthed from above;
therefore, no angel can become a blood-born son of God. Angels can never be partakers of the divine
nature.
“None can ever become
a member of the Bridehood. These marks
of privilege and rank have been reserved for redeemed humanity alone.”
So, quit being
envious of the angels and learn to walk in all your redeemed state. That means to jump into the pursuit of
holiness with all your might, making absolutely no excuse for sin, being
ruthless with your flesh (the self principle), actually crucifying it
(Galatians 5:24) and then get on with the race that God has set before you
(Hebrews 12:1). Then give your angel
something to talk about!
