Why did God create angels? Generally speaking the answer is found in Hebrews 1:14: “Are not all angels ministering spirits, sent forth to minister in the service of those who will inherit salvation?” Question: Who are those who will inherit salvation? Answer: Man, who, as we are told in the second chapter of Hebrews is created a little lower than the angels, needs the help of angels in order to withstand the torrent of temptations and trials loosed on him by Satan. Angels are invisible, immortal spirit beings with both intellectual and physical power far exceeding that of man (2 Pet. 2:11). Angels provide an important service in all areas of God’s earthly program. Three times (probably more) since coming to the true knowledge of God I have been awakened by an angel, once by a physical touch (I saw this angel), once by hearing my name called audibly, and more recently by a loud sound like metal striking metal. In every case I immediately “heard a voice” telling me that I was to get up and pray. I have read accounts in which men have had things happen to them and for them over which they had no control. According to the people involved, other people were healed, injury was avoided and in some cases lives were probably saved.

This is a good point at which to answer an important question: Why does God help, sometimes miraculously, those who do not believe and obey His Words? Over the years since the founding of the New Covenant Church, many religious people have received miracles from God, many of whom had not been truly converted. Let us not forget that God was miraculously providing for and protecting an entire generation of Israelites in the Sinai Desert while He was killing them off. In my case, I was in full-time ministry for years before I was converted. During those years I prayed for many people whom God healed as a result of my prayer. I cast out many devils. People in need of a touch from God came to me for help and God graciously met their needs. Following my prayers He did such things as bring a clinically dead man back to life, replace missing spinal discs and deliver a person from 33 demons.  At the time all of this was happening I was not a Christian, though I “knew” that I was because the church declared me to be.  Nevertheless the Lord worked through me in miraculous ways. Why, considering what He requires of His ministers and of those who receive miracles from Him? One Word answers the question: Grace.

From the Scriptures we learn that God commands that both the minister and the receiver of ministry 1) “keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight” (1 Jn. 3:22), and 2) have faith in His Word (Mat. 9:29). But in my case and the case of those I ministered to, neither of us knew His Word and certainly did not obey it. All of us being part of the Institutional Church System (Catholicism/ Protestantism), we knew and obeyed church doctrine which is diametrically opposed to the Word of God. Again, why did God do what He did through whom and for whom he did it? God looks on the heart/mind. He looks at one’s willingness to obey Him to see if one is doing what one believes is right. However, He will not baby sit us indefinitely. Once a person knows the Truth, or reaches the point in life where he/she should know the Truth, he/she is required to believe and obey it. If not, that person’s heaven and earth turn to brass and iron. As we are told in Hebrews 6:1-6 and 10:26,27,38,39, in order to come to and continue with God we must know His Truth (Word-Jn. 17:17), believe and obey it. If we refuse to go with what we know we “crucify Christ afresh,” “put Him to an open shame” and “draw back to perdition.” It was for this reason that I warned the readers of this website early on that they were about to learn God’s Truth and would thereafter be required to believe and obey it. For those who might not have read the warning, I issue it again at this time: “Unto whom much is given, much is required (commanded)” (Lk. 12:48). Simply put: To know to do right (God’s Word) and not do it is sin. Sin separates us from God. Some refuse to learn the Truth believing that ignorance relieves them of responsibility. The error of their thinking is revealed in this statement: “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge” (Hos. 4:6). God’s own people are dying and will miss eternal life simply because they do not know His Word. This being the case of those who are in His church, what does this say about those in the Institutional Church? To be continued. L.J.