Hello everyone and welcome back to Deeper Waters where we are diving into the ocean of truth. We’re studying the doctrine of God now and right now, we’re studying goodness itself. The Summa Theologica of Thomas Aquinas, which can be read at newadvent.org, is being our guide on this journey. Before we start looking at tonight’s topic, I wish to present my nightly prayer requests. The first is my prayer for Christlikeness to which I’ve come to realize today that there are some things that you don’t have to have absolute certainty on, and that’s fine. Second, I ask for prayers for my financial situation, which does seem to be improving. Finally, I ask for prayers for a third area in my life. For now, let’s get to the question.
These kinds of topics we’re talking about relate to the created order. God is without limit, he has no species, and he does not have order. To begin with an interesting study, let us consider the topic of angelology. When we think about angels, there are two mistakes we can make. We can give them no heed and treat them like they don’t exist, or we can make them be everything.
Aquinas did do much thinking about angels. He was and is called the Angelic Doctor. Angels by their nature are immaterial creatures. They consist of form + existence. We as human beings do have a soul that is a form, but we are also differentiated by the matter that we possess. The matter in my body is not the same as the matter in your body. Matter cannot be in two places at once.
However, angels cannot be differentiated in this way because there is no matter to them. Thus, the only way they differ is by form. Because of this, two angels cannot have the same form. There is not an angel nature that is shared by many angels, although the nature they share can be similar. You and I can share the same human nature because we are differentiated by matter.
Because of this, each angel is its own species. As Peter Kreeft says, “When he made Michael, he broke the mold.” There can be no other, and for this reason Christ does not die for angels, for he would have to assume angel nature somehow and then he would have to die in the place of the angel, which could not happen since angels cannot die anyway.
But for us, these are good things. There is limit to the creation. There are various species. There is order. God has set the boundaries whereby the universe is to be and we are meant to play our part in that.
What does this say for us today on an applicational level. God made us to be who we were meant to be. Now we are fallen, but he is shaping us into the likeness of his Son. Romans 8:28-29 makes it clear that we will be conformed. It is a guarantee. Who we are is good and God has made us to be like his Son.
We shall continue tomorrow.
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