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DOCTRINAL STATEMENT – ANGELOLOGY

I believe that angels are spiritual beings created by God (; ). They have emotions (; ), will (; ) and intellect (; ). Unlike humans, they probably do not reproduce (Mt. 2:28-30), exist as spirit beings (; ) and are immortal (). Occasionally they take on bodily form for the sake of communication (; ). Angels possess great power (; ) and engender great fear and awe in human beings (; ).

I believe there are an unknown but number of angels (; ). The angels are [apparently] organized by rank and possibly power (; ; ). Angels appear to have great diversity based on function. Some are named, including Michael the warrior (; ), Gabriel the messenger (; ) and Satan/Lucifer (; ). Other types of angels include Seraphim () and Cherubim. The latter are unlike other angels because they not only proclaim, but protect God’s presence and character (; ).

I believe that some elect angels () remain morally good and holy (). However, others left their originally blameless estate (Ez. 28:15), fell and became evil (; ). All elect angels function to worship God and proclaim the greatness of His character and works (; ), serve God () and deliver God’s messages (; ). Angels observe believers (), are intrigued with human salvation () and worship Christ with humans (). Angels serve believers as messengers of divine revelation (; ), give guidance (), protect/deliver (; ), provide (), encourage (; ), answer prayer (; ) and minister to believers at their death (). They also serve as messengers of divine judgment (; ), execute judgment on the wicked (; ) and in the future, will assist in the final judgments of God ().

I believe that Satan is also a spiritual being, created by God (Ez. 28:15) in an original state of greatness (Ez. 28:12) and perfection (Ez. 28:15). Satan fell through pride and rejection of his ordained position () and is inherently and completely evil (). He rules over the fallen angels (), also called ‘demons’ (). His work among the human race is to oppose (; ), slander (), accuse (), deceive (; ) and create destruction (). In unbelievers, Satan can blind them to the gospel and cause them to oppose it (). He can also lead unbelievers to carry out his evil will and plans (; ). Through his demons, he may possess unbelievers () and promote false religions (). Satan can attack believers by promoting dissension (), temptation to sin (), persecution (), distortion of the truth (), opposing ministry () and accusing believers before God (; ).

I believe that Satan is temporary ruler of the world () and has power over the air (). Satan has limited power (), but unlike God, does not have all power (omnipotence) (). Satan has already been defeated through the Cross (; ). During the tribulation, which will mark the end times, Satan will miraculously empower the antichrist and the false prophet (). Midway through this period, Satan will be cast out of heaven (), pour out his wrath on Israel () and unleash his demons to torment the human race (). At the end of the tribulation, Satan will amass his demons armies at Armageddon for a final battle (). He will lose, and at the beginning of the millennium, Satan will be bound and cast into the pit for a thousand years (). At the end of the millennium, Satan will be released for one final rebellion (), be defeated by fire and thrown into the Lake of Fire, for eternity ().

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I believe God created angels as spiritual beings at some point during the original creation (; ). There are a vast number of angels (; ). They do not propagate (; ), but each is a personal creature with will (; ), intellect (; ), and the ability to express emotions (; ). They live eternally and are not subject to death (). They are supernatural, spiritual beings able to take on bodily form (, ; ; ; ), but their abilities are still limited (; ). I also believe they were originally created good and holy ().

Holy (Unfallen) Angels

Among those angels that still serve God today, several play significant roles in Scripture. Michael serves as an archangel, or “one of the chief princes,” which obviously is one of the highest of his kind (). He appears in a dispute with Satan over the body of Moses () and also again as the protector of the nation of Israel (; ). Michael will ultimately engage in waging war against Satan and his [fallen] angels (). Gabriel served as God’s messenger to explain visions to Daniel (; ) and to foretell the birth of both John the Baptist () and Jesus (). Other angels serve as messengers (; ; ), and are engaged solely in the worship of God. Cherubim, one type or class of angel, are always closely associated with the glory of God (; ) and appear to be protectors of God’s presence and character (; ). Seraphim, another type or class of angel, seem to surround God’s throne and eternally proclaim His holiness ().

I believe angels are also active in the lives of believers as God’s ministering spirits (). Although their presence is often imperceptible, Scripture records that at times they bring answers to prayer (), protect from danger (; ) and even encourage () and guide (). They also accompany believers at their death (). One day, they will act as God’s agents in bringing judgment on the world ().

Satan

I believe Satan (Lucifer) is also one of God’s created angels. Originally without sin, like all of God’s creation, he evidently functioned in a unique position above the other angels in leading the worship of God (). However, sometime prior to the Fall of man, pride entered into his heart, and he led a rebellion for which he was cast out of heaven (; ). Through Satan, sin was introduced to the earth as he tempted Eve in the form of a serpent (). After Adam and Eve sinned, God placed a curse on Satan, predicting his ultimate destruction (). During the tribulation he will war against God and His people (). He will then be bound in the abyss during the Millennium () and afterward be released one final time to lead the nations against God (). Following this, he will be thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone where he will be tormented forever and ever along with his demons (). I believe Satan is active today as the great adversary of Christ and His followers (; ). In Scripture he is called the evil one (), the great red dragon, who commits warfare and destruction (), and Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons (). I also believe he is the god of this age who blinds unbelievers (), controlling them so they continue to disobey God (). He is the father of lies () and the Devil, constantly accusing and slandering believers (; ). He also tempts people to sin (), but ultimately flees when believers resist Him with God’s Word (; ; ).

Fallen Angels

I believe when Satan sinned a great number of angels followed him in his rebellion (; ). He now rules over them (; ; ). These demons are also referred to as unclean spirits () and spiritual forces of wickedness (). They are indeed powerful () and intelligent spirit beings (; ), at times even causing sickness (), and yet they are neither omnipresent () nor omniscient (). While they can possess unsaved people (; ), they cannot possess believers, since the Holy Spirit lives in them (). Demons actively seek to snatch away the seed of God’s Word () and propagate false doctrine (). At times they may seek to entice God’s children () whose refuge is to bring their thoughts into subjection to Christ (; ), because God is greater than all (). I believe some fallen angels may today be in permanent confinement () and others under a more temporary confinement (; ), but they all await final judgment ().