"We shall judge angels" reconsidered

[3 Resurrections]

"Aggelos" and "malak" - the Greek and Hebrew indicating EITHER human OR celestial messengers

It had been my belief for most of my life that our "judging angels" meant that humanity would be judging celestial angels in the next life. Sort of like giving our individual guardian angels either praise or censure depending on how well they protected us while on earth in this life. Or perhaps humanity judging the wicked angels in the next life depending on how much evil they had caused in this world.

Not anymore. These former beliefs have gone in the dumpster. After giving more careful attention to the entire context wrapped around this statement by Paul in 1 Corinthians 6:3, I am convinced that the believers "judging angels" in the next life would be the members of a congregation giving testimony pro or con as to how well their human messenger (aggelos) as a minister had performed their duty in caring for and instructing them as God's flock while on earth.

This concept of the ministers of God being held accountable for how well they executed their charge is found in Hebrews 13:17. "Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you." (ESV).

The leaders of the church "giving account" of their ministry would take place in the next life in a judgment before God's throne. This comports perfectly with the context of Paul's message to the Corinthian church in 1 Corinthians 6:1-8. In this passage, Paul was scolding the believers for going to law in the civil courts against each other with their internal disputes among themselves. This was putting the name of Christ to shame before the unbelieving world.

Instead, Paul instructed that the very "least esteemed" among the church should be set up to judge "things pertaining to this life" between its members. It didn't even need the church's leader to do this judging; even the lowliest, "least esteemed" among them should have been able to figure out how to settle disputes between fellow members of the assembly, if they were humble enough with each other. They were turning the "smallest matters" of division between them into something that was bringing shame on the church before the unbelievers.

Paul reminded these members of the Corinthian church that they were going to "judge angels" (human messengers) in the next life, so why should those same church leaders or the pagan courts of the day have to be the ones to settle the disputes among them? This was arguing from the greater to the lesser. If the church's members were going to judge even their own ministers in the next life for how well they carried out their ministry, then at the very least those members should have been able to judge the "smallest matters" between themselves without their own church leader or the pagan courts having to get involved.

We know that Revelation 2 and 3 speaks of the 7 "angels" of the 7 churches who were being evaluated as to their leadership of those various assemblies. The "angels" in this case were the ministers of the flock being either commended or censured for their pastoral performance. This agrees with the idea of the minister of a flock being held accountable for that leadership in Hebrews 13:17 - and also the context of 1 Corinthians 6:3 where the saints were to "judge angels" (human messengers).

 

[com7fy8]

I offer I get what you are saying. And you have used scripture. But still there can be discussion about what each scripture really means, and where there is a connection or not.

I would tend to think we would not judge God's holy angels. And we also . . . likewise . . . would not judge leaders who have been greater than us.

Anyone worthy mainly to be criticized, I would say, would not be a leader, but an impostor; and so if I were to stay with such a person, may be I would be the one Jesus would criticize for staying with the person, and maybe for not removing the person if I had the authority to do so.

So, that leaves Satan's angels . . . I consider.

But possibly, when leaders appear before Jesus, He might call us as witnesses about the leader being judged. But I consider, that if we obey Jesus by submitting to His real leaders, we will have good things to say about the leaders who have had Jesus Christ's approval to pastor us.

 

[3 Resurrections]

I would tend to think we would not judge God's holy angels. And we also . . . likewise . . . would not judge leaders who have been greater than us

Correct on the holy angels not being judged by us. Since the elect angels are preserved sinless by God, then there is nothing to judge with respect to them.

But I would not categorize church leaders as being "greater than us". Christ once said that those who would be greatest among us would be the servant of all (Mark 9:35).

There was an established protocol given by Paul to Timothy as to just how the church leaders were to be corrected should they fall into sin. Any accusation against them was to be brought by at least two witnesses. Those who were found guilty of sin were to be rebuked before all, so that other ministers tempted to sin would fear the consequences of committing sin while a leader of the congregation (1 Timothy 5:19-20). So, church leaders were not immune to being judged, even while here on earth during this life.

 

[Maria Billingsley]

"Aggelos" and "malak" - the Greek and Hebrew indicating EITHER human OR celestial messengers

It had been my belief for most of my life that our "judging angels" meant that humanity would be judging celestial angels in the next life. Sort of like giving our individual guardian angels either praise or censure depending on how well they protected us while on earth in this life. Or perhaps humanity judging the wicked angels in the next life depending on how much evil they had caused in this world.

Not anymore. These former beliefs have gone in the dumpster. After giving more careful attention to the entire context wrapped around this statement by Paul in 1 Corinthians 6:3, I am convinced that the believers "judging angels" in the next life would be the members of a congregation giving testimony pro or con as to how well their human messenger (aggelos) as a minister had performed their duty in caring for and instructing them as God's flock while on earth.

This concept of the ministers of God being held accountable for how well they executed their charge is found in Hebrews 13:17. "Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you." (ESV).

The leaders of the church "giving account" of their ministry would take place in the next life in a judgment before God's throne. This comports perfectly with the context of Paul's message to the Corinthian church in 1 Corinthians 6:1-8. In this passage, Paul was scolding the believers for going to law in the civil courts against each other with their internal disputes among themselves. This was putting the name of Christ to shame before the unbelieving world.

Instead, Paul instructed that the very "least esteemed" among the church should be set up to judge "things pertaining to this life" between its members. It didn't even need the church's leader to do this judging; even the lowliest, "least esteemed" among them should have been able to figure out how to settle disputes between fellow members of the assembly, if they were humble enough with each other. They were turning the "smallest matters" of division between them into something that was bringing shame on the church before the unbelievers.

Paul reminded these members of the Corinthian church that they were going to "judge angels" (human messengers) in the next life, so why should those same church leaders or the pagan courts of the day have to be the ones to settle the disputes among them? This was arguing from the greater to the lesser. If the church's members were going to judge even their own ministers in the next life for how well they carried out their ministry, then at the very least those members should have been able to judge the "smallest matters" between themselves without their own church leader or the pagan courts having to get involved.

We know that Revelation 2 and 3 speaks of the 7 "angels" of the 7 churches who were being evaluated as to their leadership of those various assemblies. The "angels" in this case were the ministers of the flock being either commended or censured for their pastoral performance. This agrees with the idea of the minister of a flock being held accountable for that leadership in Hebrews 13:17 - and also the context of 1 Corinthians 6:3 where the saints were to "judge angels" (human messengers).

It is merely a hyperbole, to stress a point. The only judge is God Himself.
Blessings.

 

[com7fy8]

But I would not categorize church leaders as being "greater than us". Christ once said that those who would be greatest among us would be the servant of all (Mark 9:35).

Even so . . . if a leader is being a good example to the flock and the leader is servant of all . . . that pastor is greater, or should I say greatest. But yes you are right that what I might have meant by greater would be wrong! It is not merely about position and status and recognition. So . . . thank you