Scripture Help... Can demons repent?

[MoreThanConquerors]

Eph 3:7 Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God's grace, which was given me by the working of his power.
Eph 3:8 To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,
Eph 3:9 and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things,
Eph 3:10 so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.

I don't understand this verse. For what reason, by spreading the gospel, is this to be made known to the angelic beings?

[wendyj]

Re: Scripture Help... Can demons repent?

Eph 3:7 Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God's grace, which was given me by the working of his power.
Eph 3:8 To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,
Eph 3:9 and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things,
Eph 3:10 so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.

I don't understand this verse. For what reason, by spreading the gospel, is this to be made known to the angelic beings?

I have always thought that demons and fallen angels cannot repent as they have profaned their position and blasphemed the Holy Spirit by sinning. I have always thought that we as the church are a witness to them that in our fallen humanity and through every trial and temptation we tell them that God will triumph and in our fallen state we cling to the grace and mercy of God through Jesus Christ . this gives God glory, even though we may fail at times we are more than conquerors through Christ--we give him the glory while they did not .

[MoreThanConquerors]

Re: Scripture Help... Can demons repent?

So, we are basically God saying.... "HA! IN YOUR FACE!!!"

[Andy]

Re: Scripture Help... Can demons repent?

What version is that?

KJV:
Ephesians 3:9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:
Ephesians 3:10 To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,

Here's how I see it:

The principalities and powers in heavenly places have an undestanding of the wisdom (mystery, hidden by God - V9) of God because of the church here on earth. This is being revealed to both man and angel through the church and how God works through us...something never seen before by anyone.

[MoreThanConquerors]

Re: Scripture Help... Can demons repent?

ESV..

[MoreThanConquerors]

Re: Scripture Help... Can demons repent?

The principalities and powers in heavenly places have an undestanding of the wisdom (mystery, hidden by God - V9) of God because of the church here on earth. This is being revealed to both man and angel through the church and how God works through us...something never seen before by anyone.

To what end though? Whats the point of showing this wisdom to angels? Both fallen and not?

Vs 11 says " Eph 3:11 This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord,"

Whats the purpose spoken of here? The wisdom being revealed to the rulers and authorities?

[Guest]

Re: Scripture Help... Can demons repent?

What version is that?

KJV:
Ephesians 3:9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:
Ephesians 3:10 To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,

Here's how I see it:

The principalities and powers in heavenly places have an undestanding of the wisdom (mystery, hidden by God - V9) of God because of the church here on earth. This is being revealed to both man and angel through the church and how God works through us...something never seen before by anyone.

I agree. But also in the first two chapters, Paul mentions that the fellowship of the mystery is the grafting in of the Gentiles unto God through Jesus the Christ. Remember that even Peter and the others were amazed about Gentiles coming to the knowledge of Christ and accepting it therefore becoming part of the Church. The Jewish mindset was that the Christ was just for them. I wonder since we can not always see God's wisdom (until it is time), maybe the heavenly places can't either until it is time.

Bluejaye

[Andy]

Re: Scripture Help... Can demons repent?

To what end though? Whats the point of showing this wisdom to angels? Both fallen and not?

Vs 11 says " Eph 3:11 This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord,"

Whats the purpose spoken of here? The wisdom being revealed to the rulers and authorities?

Had God never created mankind, and allowed him to rebel, the angels He had created would have never seen so many charactistics...grace being the biggest one. We don't know why except that God wanted to. It was always His desire to do this - from eternity past. If there was anything insufficient in God in eternity past it was that He wanted objects to lavish His love on - objects that would have a choice to love Him back, or not. Grace is love in action.

[Andy]

Re: Scripture Help... Can demons repent?

I agree. But also in the first two chapters, Paul mentions that the fellowship of the mystery is the grafting in of the Gentiles unto God through Jesus the Christ. Remember that even Peter and the others were amazed about Gentiles coming to the knowledge of Christ and accepting it therefore becoming part of the Church. The Jewish mindset was that the Christ was just for them. I wonder since we can not always see God's wisdom (until it is time), maybe the heavenly places can't either until it is time.

Bluejaye

While this is true, the verse MTC is pointing out speaks about past eternity. As such I believe this is larger than Israel vs Gentiles. The grace shown to Israel was far more than what the angels had ever seen but to see that plan of God unfold in the death/resurrection of His Son, and this ushering in the age of grace, is the ultimate demonstration.

Anyway, I could be WAY off on all this but this is what really strikes me about these verses.

[Guest]

Re: Scripture Help... Can demons repent?

MTC, I once heard a very interesting proposition about God, the Angels, Satan, etc - one that is absolutely not intuitive to me at all, but thought provoking never the less, and fits into this conversation.

The premise is that even now, Satan has access to Heaven - and God and Satan still sit together now and then, discussing how things are going in this creation that you and I know as reality, much as God and Satan discussed Job’s trials. Satan still holds out to God that the world of men (us) is by nature corrupt, and will eventually turn to worship him, because of our wicked and sinful nature. Satan holds the idea that men will eventually reject God because we really do more closely identify with him (Satan.)

God, on the other hand, knows the end of the story.

The entire drama of mankind that has gone on since the fall of Adam and Eve has, in fact, been a demonstration of God, to Satan, of a couple of things: the power of the redemptive work of Jesus Christ, and the fact that God wishes to demonstrate to Satan that mere men, with a free will, limited life span, etc. can and will do the very thing that Satan despised - and that is to turn to God in adoration and submission.

At the end of the experiment/demonstration, we men will be embraced by God, and Satan and his renegade angels will be banished.

Now, all that being said, holding to the explanation above would give credence to God allowing the angelic beings to understand the wisdom of God, as in the verse you cited.

Add - Andy's post above very eloquently sums up what I've tried to say here!

[Guest]

Re: Scripture Help... Can demons repent?

While this is true, the verse MTC is pointing out speaks about past eternity. As such I believe this is larger than Israel vs Gentiles. The grace shown to Israel was far more than what the angels had ever seen but to see that plan of God unfold in the death/resurrection of His Son, and this ushering in the age of grace, is the ultimate demonstration.

Anyway, I could be WAY off on all this but this is what really strikes me about these verses.

Agreed.