What Does We Will Judge Angels Mean In 1 Corinthians 6:3?
In the context of 1 Corinthians 6:1-11, Paul is dealing with the issue of lawsuits between Christians. Paul writes a rhetorical question in the context that asked: “Do you not know that we shall judge angels?” The answer is an obvious and rhetorical “yes”. But what does it mean?
The Bible speaks of fallen angels in 2 Peter 2:4 and Jude 1:6.
2 Peter 2:4 states: “For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment;”
Jude 1:6 states: “And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day”
Both Peter and Jude are giving historical examples of those who chose to rebel against God such as Noah's contemporaries, Sodom and Gommorah, the children of Israel in the wilderness, and the fallen angels.
God created man with a purpose to rule the earth (Genesis 1:26,27). When sin came into the world (Romans 5:12), the rule of men over creation was broken and needed to be repaired. Jesus Christ, as the new Adam, came to bring restoration and repair man's proper role of ruling again (Hebrews 2:5-9). Therefore those who serve God faithfully not only reign with Christ in a sense now (Colossians 1:13), but will fully reign with Him throughout eternity (2 Timothy 2:12).
On the final day of judgment, God will judge all of mankind (Acts 17:30). Those who are “in Christ” (2 Timothy 2:10) will be vindicated (Romans 8:1) and will be ushered into the everlasting kingdom of God (2 Peter 1:11). Since Christians will be able to reign with Christ, they will, in a sense, be judging the evil spiritual powers (fallen angels) because they acted on faith in following an invisible God whom they could not see while these angels threw up their fists in defiance against a God whom they could see, but still chose to rebel.
It might be helpful to notice this point. Hebrews 11:7 states: “By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.”
How did Noah condemn the world? He followed the will of God and by default set himself up against the world. We condemn the world (and the fallen angels too) when we seek to follow the will of God and apply it to our own lives because we know that those who rebel against God will receive eternal condemnation (Matthew 25:46).
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