by Dan Hiland

Created on: June 23, 2009   Last Updated: July 06, 2009

There are certain subjects about which there is no middle-ground. Take angels, for instance.

If you ask the average person whether or not they believe such beings exist, they may say "Of course they do!" followed by an earnest explanation of why.

Or you will receive an emphatic "No! Are you kidding me?" implying that angels have nothing to do with the real world, and never have- and that you are a strange person for having asked such a ridiculous question.

As with many things of a spiritual nature, definition is everything, one's culture and ethnic background adding further layers of complexity to one's understanding of what an angel really is- or is not. And due to the many references to angelic beings in scripture, books, movies, plays, song, and even cartoons, a clear and concise answer is difficult to obtain.

Suppose you're discussing the subject with a believer, and you ask whether or not angels have wings. Some will say they do, based not on personal experience, but on their belief that paintings in chapels or museums were created based on a special dispensation granted the painter- that God gave DaVinci or Michelangelo special insight only for use in their paintings.

Another believer will say that angels sport wings, based on Biblical references.

Someone else will argue that the wings are figurative, not literal.

Then there are those more focused on personality- that angels are perfect or flawed, supportive or tempting, experts or apprentices.

Little wonder, then, that when angelic beings are spoken of in conversation, the subject is not taken seriously. Relegated to the status of trolls, fairies and leprechauns, angels are something a lot of people want to believe in, but can't. After all, who has seen one? And if someone told you they had, would you believe them, or change the subject as you head for the door?

Outside of firsthand accounts in the thousands of books on the market, the only verifiable source we have for the existence of angels is the scriptures.

In both the Old and New Testaments there are many instances of divine intervention, angels being the means by which they occur. Once one has determined which passages contain literal versus figurative accounts, the picture of what constitutes an angel becomes a little clearer.

In the literal sense, angels are human in form. Despite the many artistic renderings of winged cherubim that have been painted over the centuries, there is no proof that angels have wings. If man has been created in God's image, it stands to reason that angels of the winged variety are creatures of fantasy, not reality.

Angels have duties and responsibilities. Appointed by God, they serve in various capacities as messengers, gatherers, teachers, protectors, guardians, destroyers, and bearers of warning. In short, they serve at God's bidding, doing whatever is necessary to move the work of the Lord forward.

Sometimes angels deliver messages in person, while at other moments they are able to intrude into one's dreams. Whatever it takes to get the message across.

Angels are also assumed to be either corporeal or spirit, in form, depending on their particular mission or status.

In short, angels are real, if you believe what the scriptures say about them.

So the next time you see Tom and Jerry, the former with an angel on one shoulder and a devil on the other, wondering whether or not to eat the latter, know that somewhere deep inside you are rooting for the angel- winged or not.

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