Angels Are Real

Artists depict angels winged like fairies or pixies. What if those depictions have nothing to do with an angel's appearance, but the power to act on God's behalf?

When people think of angels, a being with human features occurs, generally. Animal angels or bird angels possibly exist since animals exist. There may even exist winged angels who appear human outside of an artist's attempt to represent power.

Recognizing the ultimate answers to questions come through Jesus Christ, Who provides a way for all humanity to live, die, and resurrect to glory in heaven or darkness by individual choice, I bear by virtue of personal testimony of His divinity. Because of Him, the knowledge of angels is manifest to humanity. Prayerfully consider my best estimations. Depictions of winged angels with human form may seem less likely after what follows.

Life after death exists. Life before birth exists too. What does that all have to do with angels? Angels are not necessarily what traditional Western or Eastern cultures assume. There are types of angels, varieties, even--which this article relates.

Mortal angels, regular human beings seen every day and commonplace in the world, many people do not consider capable of the title of an angel. Mortal angels represent people who come from all backgrounds and faiths, even those outside of Christianity.

Moroni asserts, "whatsoever thing is good is just and true; wherefore, nothing that is good denieth the Christ, but acknowledgeth that He is." [Moroni 10:6] All good things testify of Jesus as the Christ, this ancient American prophet asserts. Jesus taught humility, service, sacrifice, and love as His way of life. Anyone who lives in this manner represents His teachings, therefore testifying of Him

Mortal angels come to the service of others in times of need through inspiration from heaven. Every good person has an angelic opportunity for service many times throughout life. Angels herald a message of peace and hope for those within their care. That angelic hope comes in the form of one messenger or an organization of messengers in mortality.

As with every class of humanity, there are groups. I write of only human angels in this case and not the entire animal kingdom, which counts as potential players in the business of angelology. The following classes of angel are up for classification:

1. Unborn: The spirits of humans who have not yet been born, pre-mortal humans.
2. Departed: The spirits of those who have passed away and have not yet been resurrected, postmortal humans.
3. Translated humans, those who live extended mortal lives without the foibles of mortality.
4. Resurrected humans, people who live as does Christ and serve at His command.
5. Embodied/Mortal spirits received attention first since that angel represents the most common divine being.

"Usually such beings are not seen," reveals modern Apostle Jeffrey R. Holland. "Sometimes they are. But seen or unseen they are always near. Sometimes their assignments are very grand and have significance for the whole world. Sometimes the messages are more private. Occasionally the angelic purpose is to warn. But most often it is to comfort, to provide some form of merciful attention, guidance in difficult times." [1[

God uses order, and He has a plan for the spirits of men and women who lived with Him before entering mortality and in a place called the Spirit world after mortality to await a resurrection.

The spirits of humans who have not yet been born, pre-mortal humans.

God only sends angels to visit this Earth assigned to live on this Earth. "There are no angels who minister to this earth but those who do belong or have belonged to it." [D&C 130:5] This is a teaching of the prophet and first president of The Church of JESUS CHRIST of Latter-day Saints, Joseph Smith, accepted as Scripture by the Church for instruction and understanding.

According to God's design, messengers who have yet to be born will deliver commands from Jesus Christ to mortals, as with Adam and Eve, for example. How did the first parents of humanity learn things? God sent angels. All humankind lived in heaven with the Father before birth. From this group of people assigned to come to this earth, un-embodied angels appear, spirits.

The spirits of those who have passed away and have not yet been resurrected, post-mortal humans.

God also uses the righteous dead to reveal His will. A deceased person can appear as they did when they died to deliver a message to a loved one but tend to appear as an adult in the prime of mortal life. Exceptions may occur in dreams or visions. On errands of the Lord, spirits both unborn and post-mortal tend to appear in full stature as they are, adults. This understanding comes from witnesses and doctrines related to the Church.

Joseph F. Smith, a late modern prophet, made an interesting observation He taught,

Apparently, there are no infants or children in the spirit world. All who reside there possess the stature of adult men and women, the same appearance they possessed prior to mortal birth. If infants or children die, their spirits immediately resume their former adult stature while in the spirit world. However, when they regain their bodies during the resurrection, they naturally come forth as children to be raised to maturity by righteous and worthy parents. [2]

All spirits are adults. Children are the consequence of mortal life. People wonder what happens to their kids when they pass away. They continue to live as they did before awaiting their resurrection through Jesus Christ. Until then, they act on His behalf as messengers to humanity in differing capacities as people willingly receive them. "Our deceased loved ones are greatly concerned about our well-being and happiness," echos Dale C. Mouritsen of President Joseph F. Smith, "and can be appointed, when there is need, to bring messages of warning, reproof, or instruction to us." [2]

Do the bad guys come back as dark angels?

No. The spirits of evil men and women are occupied with other things that consume their time--like suffering for their sins of which they failed to repent. They do not haunt or possess people or return as messengers for the Devil.

Translated beings are people who have not died due to a change occurring to the mortal body allowing it to exist until God calls the spirit home. This change does not constitute immortality but an extension of mortal life. Translated beings serve special purposes at different times in the history of the world, serving in any capacity, and in any person's life at any time for the Lord's purpose.

These beings provide physically related service on God's behalf when a resurrected being is not available. Moses, as a translated being, appeared to Jesus Christ along with Elijah to confer upon Peter, James, and John authority on the Mount of Transfiguration. "Matthew (Matt. 17:1–13), Mark (Mark 9:2–13), and Luke (Luke 9:28–36) all give an account of the event." [3] Also, translated beings perform ordinances and services that only a mortal is authorized to perform since translated beings are still mortals.

Before the resurrection translated beings gave blessings to mortals that only could be accomplished by authority from heaven called priesthood and physical contact. Heavenly Father only allows people assigned to this Earth or have lived on this Earth to administer blessings and messages--which is why He works through Jesus Christ.

Once translated, the person is above temptation because through Christ they have overcome all things in this life. Having one's calling and election made sure is not a common thing during mortality, but possible.

Examples of Translated Beings

• Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him, Gen. 5:24 (Heb. 11:5; D&C 107:48–49).

• Moses was a translated being and Lucifer argued over his body with Heaven stating that because Moses is not yet dead, he had the right to tempt him still. Adam, acting in his role as the great protector of mankind under Jesus Christ protected the body of Moses. Deut. 34:5–6 (Alma 45:19).

• Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven, 2 Kings. 2:11.

• If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee, John 21:22–23 (D&C 7:1–3).

• You shall never taste of death, 3 Ne. 28:7.

• That they might not taste of death there was a change wrought upon their bodies, 3 Ne. 28:38 (4 Ne. 1:14; Morm. 8:10–11).

• John the Beloved obtained a blessing from Jesus that he would not taste death until he saw all the things written in the Book of Revelations fulfilled. D&C 7.

And the Lord said unto me: John, my beloved, what desirest thou? For if you shall ask what you will, it shall be granted unto you.

And I said unto him: Lord, give unto me power over death, that I may live and bring souls unto thee. And the Lord said unto me: Verily, verily, I say unto thee, because thou desirest this thou shalt tarry until I come in my glory, and shalt prophesy before nations, kindreds, tongues and people. And for this cause the Lord said unto Peter: If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? For he desired of me that he might bring souls unto me, but thou desiredst that thou mightest speedily come unto me in my kingdom. I say unto thee, Peter, this was a good desire; but my beloved has desired that he might do more, or a greater work yet among men than what he has before done.

Yea, he has undertaken a greater work; therefore I will make him as flaming fire and a ministering angel; he shall minister for those who shall be heirs of salvation who dwell on the earth. D&C 7:1-6

• I have taken the Zion of Enoch into mine own bosom, D&C 38:4 (Moses 7:21, 31, 69).

• Enoch and his brethren are a city reserved until a day of righteousness, D&C 45:11–12.

• Elijah was taken to heaven without tasting death, D&C 110:13.

• The Holy Ghost fell on many, and they were caught up into Zion, Moses 7:27. [4]

God uses people that have risen from the dead to give messages to mortals. A resurrected being or translated being will be willing to embrace or touch and there will be substance or flesh and bone to feel.

Spirits consist of a different substance than mortals can handle but take up space, composing finer matter than physical beings. Resurrected people live limited to the heavenly realms and not generally on Earth unless fulfilling a special assignment. Also, righteous resurrected people get to raise resurrected children to adulthood! That's another topic.

Joseph Smith claimed to have seen Jesus Christ, John the Baptist, Peter, James, and others as resurrected beings giving him instruction and messages. Resurrected beings act as the messengers of God, angels of mercy or wrath regarding the welfare of mortals. Is Jesus an angel? He does the things that His Father commands, so yes. He is the only way to salvation from death and a return to the God who fathered each person.

A resurrected person has received judgment and is assigned to his or her state of eternal glory promised by Jesus Christ. When Christ returns, there will be massive resurrections, eventually ending in the final resurrection of the wicked at the end of the millennial reign of Jesus on Earth.