Scripture Readings:

Day 

1. Col. 1:16; Ps. 104:4; Matt. 22:30; Matt. 25:31

2 II Sam. 14:17; Matt. 24:36; II Thess. 1:7; Ps.. 103:20_21

3 II Peter 2:4; Gen. 1:27; Gen. 2:7; Gen. 2:22

4 Gen. 2:7; Job 35:11; Eccl. 12:7; Matt. 10:28; Luke 23:43

5 Gen. 1:27; Col. 3:10;Eph. 4:24; Rom. 2:14_15

6 Eccl. 7:29; Gen. 1:28; Gen. 3:6; Eccl. 7:29

__________

Angels have always captured the imagination of man and volumes have been written about them. However, there isn’t that much disclosed about them in the Holy Writ that is not covered in this statement. John Calvin taught that there were some things that God had not disclosed, and to enter into speculation about such matters was unlawful for man and sin. Paul makes a similar statement when he speaks of being snatched away to the third heaven where he heard things that were not lawful for man to utter. Paul spoke these words in the context of visions and revelations of the Lord (2 Corinthians 12:4). So it is I think we need to tread lightly concerning angels in general and where Scripture remains silent, let us not enter into vain superstitions and speculations.

One of the things that caught my eye on first reading was that the angels are subject to change. When speaking of mankind, the choice of word is subject to fall. This is one of the places one could wish to have sat with the reformers as these two words were discussed. I see no indication here that it is impossible for there to be a future rebellion in the heavenly host and other angels by reason of sin be transformed from angels of light to those of darkness. Yet, this doesn’t seem to fit the whole of Scripture and we need more light to understand what the reformers were saying in this question.

The same term of "election" is applied to both angels and men in Reformed theology. We could in a sense then even claim that the "Unconditional Election" of the TULIP applied to angels. Can we find other points that transcend these two areas of creation? I don’t think it is much of a reach to see the bright hues of the fifth petal shining over both realms, and those whom God has "elected" both of angels and men resting safely in the decrees of God. As we begin to look at this question in the light of the TULIP, I think we can get a glimmer of why the choice of change for angels and fall for men. If petals two and five apply, what of the other three. We see the fourth petal fade when moved to the heavenly abode of angels, for there is no offer of grace to "changed" angels as there is to fallen man. We also see that without the "archetypical" representative having fallen into sin, that the First petal cannot be applied as it is with man who is conceived and born in sin. The difference? All angels are of immediate creation and have not a "federal" representative from which sin can be imputed. Haven fallen from the holy estate in which they were created, there is no offer of a savior and thus the third petal too grows dim when trying to transcend the spiritual realm of God’s angels. (The idea of a federal representative and the imputation of sin will be discussed under the heading of sin, and touched upon somewhat in the section on Christology.)

While this isn’t exactly a precise nor orthodox method, I think when we will look at the Scriptures and doctrines derived there from in the light of the TULIP we will see much understanding of doctrines that on the surface appear to have no connection to the classic points of Calvinism. As long as we don’t have to stretch nor twist Scripture in the process, using the TULIP as a hermeneutic will help us stay on solid ground theologically. For as we develop one doctrine it cannot contradict nor diminish another part of the whole. As Scripture itself is most beautiful and majestic in part because of its unity from cover to cover, so our total theology must have the same unity. If we accept then, the five points of Calvinism as the heart of Reformed theology, we must at least see if we cannot harm this vital organ of our faith as we develop individual tenets of this theology.

What then we can know for sure about angels that is of any import to us is contained in this statement of the reformers containing only twenty-seven words. While there are other areas or duties we can find support for in Scripture, I find this statement most complete and sufficient to be taught as doctrine of the Church. We can rest assured that the reformers were well aware of Calvin’s words concerning angels, and though Calvin ventures a Sabbath’s day journey further so to speak, he too limits conclusions about this heavenly host to a very short segment of his "Institutes." Less we wander into some strange place, I think we do well to emulate these fathers of the Reformed faith. One then can wonder where such volumes of work concerning the angels, and the myriad of icons depicting these unseen citizens of heaven come from. While I would hesitate to go so far as declare them satanic in origin, they are at best the vain rambling of uncontrolled imaginations of men. Such to be guarded against, lest we too fall into idolatry as some of our ancient fathers did, when venturing beyond the revelation of the Scriptures.

The reformers lay before us the whole of the doctrine of man. There may be a pet point some would want included, but here is the divine truth. We may be given to wonder where all this came from if we to think of the creation account alone when considering this answer. Here the reformers have laid before us that which is clear, and leaves no room for the folly of speculating about what remains with God from the whole of the Holy Writ.

I think the first thing that caught my attention was that humankind was the last thing God created. Most view man as the capstone of God’s creation, being in His own image. I choose to think that God began the revelation of Himself to man in this positioning his place in creation at the close of the sixth day. We see here two truths emerge about God: (1) God shows His nature of Love, making sure all man needs for life, and that eternal have been furnished, before breathing into him life temporal and eternal. (2) This truth is like unto the first in that God provided for man all that he needed to live and prosper, and that God would ever require of Him from the beginning. I am reminded of the New Testament passage where in we read ". . . be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?" (James 2:16) God commands man to procreate and have dominion over the earth, to tend the garden; and provided the means to accomplish this, before giving the command. Whereby, with the exception of woman, all provided for man before God required it of Him, in the perfect revelation of God’s love. Woman I believe God created after man had looked at the world without this help meet, so he would appreciate her place in his dominion when God did create her, just for this special relationship with man. That and God does not require man to return to Him in any sense the woman given. That is in keeping with the first part of this, God gave all required, before making the requirement, there was no such requirement then or ever revealed in Scripture. In this sense woman too is a special creation, having been formed rather than spoken into being. The notion of man as head then becomes one of order and not connected to ability. A woman "can" do, it isn’t expedient to her because God has ordered things differently. (We shall tackle this issue in another place and at length.)

Some have made much of the fact woman was created from man’s rib and many a flowery sermon I have heard about why this was so. Such may tickle the ears, and I condemn not such prose; yet divine truth is here revealed and God’s perfect wisdom and foreknowledge are first revealed to us. For none debate God knew the trials that lay ahead, and there in the garden sin would give birth to her first offspring (The devil being the originator in heavenly courts). Because of the sin to come and the curse to be placed on the relationship God had so perfectly created for man and woman, as feminism was also birthed that day, God created the relationship between the sexes in His choice of how each was created differently, yet equal. Whereby, the first words we hear man utter are "This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called woman, because she was taken out of man. (Gen 2:23). We see these very words repeated in the New Testament and man told to love his wife as himself, for none ever hated himself.

The bias between the sexes was thus here in the creation, foreseen by God, and the means to continue despite the handicap provided in this close relationship that was created at the same time man and woman came to be. Some would argue that woman was never created to be equal with man; I believe this is an error, and indeed both were created equal, even as the Holy Trinity being equals, show subordination in the economy of their operation. The inequality came with the curse, wherein God told women they would desire to dominate man, but man would rule over them. Many equate the desire in this verse (Gen. 3:16) with sexuality, I think this is error and the two are not related. The pain of childbirth being part one and the desire to be the head part two of the curse, as this is an unnatural desire that will never be fulfilled. We see Christ refer to the removal of this curse in the New Testament wherein He says "there are neither male nor female" referring to that glorified life to come for both men and women. Egalitarianism (equality in all things between the genders) existed before the fall and shall after the coming of Christ in Glory. I forget not that Scripture in another place refers to the order of creation, but the subordination of this temporal world cannot arise from the order of creation for Adam was neither first nor last in creation. Though of different means were they created, it was essentially of the same material in that woman was of man who was formed of the dust. Of all creation, only humankind was so molded, the rest being spoken into existence from nothing.

Why so form man of the dust of the earth? Would any other substance served as well? To set man apart from the rest of creation, and to differentiate from the immediate creation of angels, God chose to form man. God chose dust, the most abundant and least useful substance in His creation, whereby through the least of His creation, God even in the beginning showed His power. The most common of the created universe, dust, God used for the highest purpose, in the creation of mankind for His own glory. We see this divine principle taught by David and then again by Paul, that from the weak and foolish God ordains strength. In the revelation of His history of redemption, over and over in the trials of the nation of Israel, we see God take the weakest to show forth His power, and declare His sovereignty over all.

Being in the image of God is an interesting and awesome mirror into which to look. Pages could be spent here, but let it suffice to say that the reformers here listed several attributes of God, which God chose to mirror, therefore finite as compared to His infinite Self, in His image bearer. Each of these attributes being needed for man to fulfill the creation mandate given by God. God never requires, what He has not first given. All is by the grace of God.

What of our precious TULIP in this question? By being created subject to fall, we see the first petal begin to push forth from the stem of God’s sovereignty. The fall makes the third petal an absolute necessity, for in the creation of man, God set forth the penalty of sin. With the fall likewise we see the truth of the second open into the light of God’s garden, for man was found destitute and wanting except for the unconditional choice (election) of God to extend grace. The fall having completely shattered the orderly and wise image of God within man, petal four springs forth of a necessity, as a means of God’s purpose to glorify Himself in the salvation of His creation. For in the blind stupor of sin, man would never of himself have the ability to turn toward God and see the light. I find it no stretch then, to see the truth of the last petal as our TULIP comes to full bloom here in the first garden, for the other four make a poor display indeed, if God could not hold them in place by His sovereign power over all. Were anything able to subvert the will of God in His chosen method of bringing glory to Himself, He would be no god. We then are given the full story of man’s need and provision for a savior in the beginning of his march through history, and the tool we need to share this glorious Gospel story, the TULIP bursts forth from the pages of Scripture as the only tool of evangelism needed to fulfill the last commandment given, that we today might fare better than our first parents in being obedient to God’s command. Let us then plant fields of TULIPs in every nation as indeed we go to all nations, teaching them to observe whatsoever God has commanded.

For further thought: How much of the revelation of God in nature and Scripture can you see as existing within the eternal Godhead from all eternity? For example, the voluntary submission from three who are equal as God, yet having in place "subordination" within the community whereby God is the head, then the Son, and the Holy Spirit. What parts of the ten commandments apply to the Godhead in eternity and continue as the mode of operation or law for the godhead, the holy Trinity? From our perspective with the full revelation of Scripture before us, I suggest we can see everything revealed has always been within the Godhead.

For further study: Pray about each of the five points of Calvinism. Do you agree this can be used as a tool to understand some of the more difficult passages of Scripture? Can you see the need for such a tool and the care taken not to contradict our beliefs as we construct the whole of what the Bible teaches in our own minds? Read the Westminster Confession of Faith, noting portions that seem to differ with your understanding of the Bible. You may want to keep this handy as a reference as we proceed beyond these foundational doctrines.

[1] For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: (Colossians 1:16 AV)

[2] Who maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire: (Psalms 104:4 AV)

[3] For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven. (Matthew 22:30 AV)

[4] When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: (Matthew 25:31 AV)

[5] Then thine handmaid said, The word of my lord the king shall now be comfortable: for as an angel of God, so is my lord the king to discern good and bad: therefore the LORD thy God will be with thee. {comfortable: Heb. for rest} {to discern: Heb. to hear} (2 Samuel 14:17 AV)

[6] And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, {his...: Gr. the angels of his power} (2 Thessalonians 1:7 AV)

[7] Bless the LORD, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word. {that excel...: Heb. mighty in strength} Bless ye the LORD, all ye his hosts; ye ministers of his, that do his pleasure. (Psalms 103:20-21 AV)

[8] For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment; (2 Peter 2:4 AV)

[9] So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. (Genesis 1:27 AV)

[10] And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. {of the dust...: Heb. dust of the ground} (Genesis 2:7 AV)

[11] And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. {made: Heb. builded} (Genesis 2:22 AV)

[12] Who teacheth us more than the beasts of the earth, and maketh us wiser than the fowls of heaven? (Job 35:11 AV)

Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it. (Ecclesiastes 12:7 AV)

And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. (Matthew 10:28 AV)

And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise. (Luke 23:43 AV)

[13] So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. (Genesis 1:27 AV)

[14] And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: (Colossians 3:10 AV)

[15] And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. {true...: or, holiness of truth} (Ephesians 4:24 AV)

[16] For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;) {their conscience...: or, the conscience witnessing with them} {the mean...: or, between themselves} (Romans 2:14-15 AV)

[17] Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions. (Ecclesiastes 7:29 AV)

[18] And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. {moveth: Heb. creepeth} (Genesis 1:28 AV)

[19] And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. {pleasant: Heb. a desire} (Genesis 3:6 AV)