GLEANINGS FROM THE SCRIPTURES THE WORSHIP OF ANGELS By Keith L. Estes Wise old Solomon said, "There's nothing new under the sun." Ever since the Church was first established there have been undermining influences working diligently to present another gospel. The Colossian church had its share of heretics and cynics who were constantly pushing their own strange philosophies under the guise of piety. Henry Ward Beecher says, "The cynic is one who never sees a good quality in a man, and never fails to see a bad one. He is the human owl, vigilant in darkness and blind to light, mousing for vermin, and never seeing noble game. The cynic puts all human actions into two classes-openly bad and secretly bad." The Colossian heresy seems to have been an admixture of Greek, Jewish and Oriental religions, a sort of "higher thought cult, parading itself under the name of "philosophy", calling for the worship of angels as intermediaries between God and man and insisting on the strict observance of certain Jewish requirements almost to the point of asceticism, [One who practices severe self-discipline] put forth in high sounding phrases of an assumed superiority: all as a part of the Gospel of Christ. The book stores are rife with various and sundry books and articles on Angels and the occult. Some espouse Angels as being our guides into the so- called real world of spiritual enlightenment. Paul warns the early Church in no uncertain terms that, "If we or an Angel of God preach unto you any other gospel than what we have preached, let him be accursed." (Eternally condemned) To accentuate that remark he repeats it again. "Let him be accursed!" These heretics claimed to have witnessed numerous revelations and visions. If their doctrine were accepted, it would rob the Colossians of their spiritual blessings. The simplicity of the gospel, trusting alone in Jesus Christ who gave his life as a ransom for all, must never be compromised by a pious and humble worshipping of Angels regardless how sincere. Jesus Christ is the head and we are to "hold" on to Him. By not holding on to the "Head" these heretics showed that they possessed no relationship with Christ; they were not therefore true Christians. As the "Head" is Christ, so the 'Body" is figuratively represented to be the church. We are complete in Him. Believers have been filled by Jesus Christ with all the spiritual blessings they need; therefore, they are "complete" and lacking nothing. This refutes the heresy that denied the sufficiency of Christ and encouraged Christians to look to other spiritual beings for help. Paul again writes, "Having spoiled (disarmed) principalities and powers, he made a show (spectacle) of them openly, triumphing over them in it." By the Cross God disarmed, or deprived, Satan and his entire demonic hoard have the power and sway with which they formerly gripped the Colossian church. By this statement Paul might well have asked the Colossians, How can you give ear to any doctrine advocating angel worship when they are all subject to God? Reference: The book of Colossians, Gal. 1:8, The Holy Bible. Return to Home Page Return to Current Edition Contact us