Entertained an angel

[ATP]

Can you think of any circumstance where you have entertained an angel without knowing it.

Heb 13:2 NIV Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.

 

[FHII]

I think I have, but no.... I don't know it. Its the one reason why I am coordial and friendly to all ppeople as much as I can.

I was once a heathen (not really, I was always a child if God), but there came a time when the light in me (which is Jesus) was manifested. I know there are other saints out there, I just don't know who they are.

As for angels.... they are out there too

This is why I conduct myself in a moral and sober minded person. Its because of the love of Christ and the saints. Not because the law if God says to.

 

[KingJ]

Apart from cute little baby visits from my wifes desperate housewives social club, no.

The only 'wierd' encounter I have had was seeing a dead friend. I was close friends with a guy that encouraged me alot in the Lord when I was younger. I was 14, he was 18. He died in his first week in the police force from an accidental gunshot. I was torn up about his loss. About six months after it I saw him when leaving a retail store. He was standing about 100 feet from me, staring at me and smiling. I turned away to grab my mother, but he was then gone. I have told myself that I was hallucinating but it doesn't make the image I saw, go away. Maybe I was, maybe I wasn't. If it was a stranger wouldn't make much sense to stare and smile at me from 100 feet away. I am not going to rule out that it could have just been a stranger. I don't want to be guilty of any heresy. I personally do not believe any dead can come back to visit us and don't see an angel imitating him. Maybe it was all my head? I don't know. What I do know is that the thought of him smiling put me at rest with him being with God. I can't believe it now, but back then I was crying for about two weeks from his loss. Today I hardly shed a tear if someone close dies.

Here in Africa we are mostly not hospitable to strangers due to violent crime. Angels must know this :).

 

[r4hnsn]

Can you think of any circumstance where you have entertained an angel without knowing it.

Heb 13:2 NIV Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.

Hi ATP, it does say we will not know it. I don,t mean all never see the messenger from God, but it's referring to those Angels that come disguised as human to maybe redirect our path. It will probably be that we think we are helping them, but cleverly they are helping us.
Maybe they exit in a way that we think, hmmm where did that hitchhiker or stranger go? I've heard of that happening.

 

[Jun2u]

To learn about a particular word in scriptures, we must first search out the Bible for the meaning and see how God uses that particular word elsewhere in scripture. Only then can we find truth (2Ti 3:16; 1Co 2:14).

The word “angel” whether in Hebrew (malek) or in Greek (angulus) mean “messenger”. Depending on the context, the word angel can point/designate to three entities: Jesus, angels (spirit being) or mankind.

JESUS – He is the “messenger” of the covenant (Mal 3:1).

ANGELS - ministering spirits sent on behalf of the believers (Heb 1:14).

MAN – commanded by Jesus to preach Gospel to the world (Great Commission).

In Genesis, God said He created everything AFTER its' kind therefore, impossible for us to see “spirit beings”.

The only logical conclusion we can arrive at is we must continue to entertain people with utmost brotherly love (especially lacking in these forums), as we are not aware whether these people are saved or not, and if not, then we have the opportunity to declare the true Gospel.

I think this is the lesson that Hebrews 13:1-2 is pointing at.

To God Be The Glory

 

[ATP]

So you think angels can take the form of flesh and speak to you and you not know it?

 

[lforrest]

So you think angels can take the form of flesh and speak to you and you not know it?

Yes

 

[StanJ]

Yes

That is pretty much what Heb13:2 says, I'm not really sure what the confusion about? If we are unaware, we are unaware. Whether in retrospect we become aware is a different issue, but at the time we are not aware.

 

[ATP]

Yes

That's so weird to think about. Why does God do that. Testing? Help in our paths?

 

[KingJ]

Hi ATP, it does say we will not know it. I don,t mean all never see the messenger from God, but it's referring to those Angels that come disguised as human to maybe redirect our path. It will probably be that we think we are helping them, but cleverly they are helping us.
Maybe they exit in a way that we think, hmmm where did that hitchhiker or stranger go? I've heard of that happening.

I think a Christian wil recognize an angel. Unsaved and saved are worlds apart. We get to see the flaws in the saved. This is why an angel with no flaws will stand out. Even if its a short encounter.

 

[KingJ]

That's so weird to think about. Why does God do that. Testing? Help in our paths?

Could be angels are just bored.

 

[StanJ]

I think a Christian wil recognize an angel. Unsaved and saved are worlds apart. We get to see the flaws in the saved. This is why an angel with no flaws will stand out. Even if its a short encounter.

So you think Luke was talking to unbelievers?

 

[KingJ]

So you think Luke was talking to unbelievers?

Luke, Paul, Jesus always spoke to the church / those in church attendance / those professing to be Christians. There are saved and unsaved in church attendance. There are believers who are unsaved ;).

 

[StanJ]

Luke, Paul, Jesus always spoke to the church / those in church attendance / those professing to be Christians. There are saved and unsaved in church attendance. There are believers who are unsaved ;).

Jesus spoke to the lost sheep of Israel, and they were all believers in God. Luke and Paul spoke to believers, and in their day believers were believers, not church goers of today, as you relate to. In the terms used in the Bible, believers are saved. There was a big difference between Jesus speaking to crowds and Luke or Paul speaking / writing to individual churches. Those who went to those churches where saved, or they would never be seen in a Christian Church given the persecution Christians had to endure in those days. Let's try to keep 21st century reality out of the reality of the 1st century church.

 

[KingJ]

There was a big difference between Jesus speaking to crowds and Luke or Paul speaking / writing to individual churches.

I don't agree. Jesus was fast being demonized by pharisees. Crowds would follow for loyalty and / or the need for a / to see a miracle. I figure this is pretty much on par with the early church as Paul and the disciples operated pretty much as Jesus did with mircales.

Just also as I think on this it is definitely also maturity. A mature Christian should be a better judge of character. Especially today when Christians stand out like sore thumbs sweet roses.

Think about it Stan. Probably 1/100 people that come your way are selfless. You telling me you will not better examine / think about this person?

 

[KingJ]

If an angel came my way I will know about it! I do a pretty good job already of identifying demons that come my way ^_^.

 

[KingJ]

Unless the encounter with the angel is limited to '''do you want a bag for your grocery items sir?''' :).

 

[ATP]

There are believers who are unsaved ;).

They believed for a while because they had no root Luke 8:13 NIV.

 

[lforrest]

Unless the encounter with the angel is limited to '''do you want a bag for your grocery items sir?''' :).

I think that would be the extent of a heavenly visitation. Your not going to find out that someone you've known for a long time is an angel.

 

[StanJ]

I don't agree. Jesus was fast being demonized by pharisees. Crowds would follow for loyalty and / or the need for a / to see a miracle. I figure this is pretty much on par with the early church as Paul and the disciples operated pretty much as Jesus did with mircales.
Just also as I think on this it is definitely also maturity. A mature Christian should be a better judge of character. Especially today when Christians stand out like sore thumbs sweet roses.

Think about it Stan. Probably 1/100 people that come your way are selfless. You telling me you will not better examine / think about this person?

You don't agree there is a big difference between Jesus vs Paul & Luke? Hmmmm.
Being demonized is not the issue, and as Jesus warned the Pharisees that doing this would be tantamount to blaspheming the Holy Spirit, obviously they knew that what he was doing was of God but just didn't want to admit it.
So you're basically saying you don't accept what Luke had to say about entertaining angels?