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p447 [F Monk] MY DEAR BROTHER, - The judgment seat of Christ has nothing to do for saints with the question of righteousness. Christ is their righteousness; and indeed judgment is not spoken of in the passage (2 Cor. 5:10), but receiving the things done in the body; this takes place, as does giving an account of ourselves to God. Further, we shall be perfectly like Christ, and not have the nature at all in which we sinned, "blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ." The passage in 1 John 2 tells them to abide in Christ, that he, as workman, may not be ashamed. So in 2 John 3, "that we lose not those things we have wrought, but obtain a full reward." So 1 Corinthians 3 applies to ministry. In a word, they all apply to service, not state.

Your second question* assumes two falls of angels, of which scripture does not speak, though it be very possible. Satan is spoken of as fallen; he "abode not in the truth" - but of his angels we have no account, though we must suppose they are fallen, but not the same as those reserved in chains of darkness. These last are simply kept in chains for the judgment of the great day; nor are they ever called demons that I know of: those are active in evil. So we have "the devil and his angels:" but no further account of them.

April, 1878.

{*'The sons of God, Genesis 6. 2, are, I presume, fallen angels; but how is it that wicked spirits are spoken of as in the heavenlies, also on earth, the Lord frequently casting out demons, while Jude and Peter speak of them as in chains; were there two falls of angelic beings at two different times?'}

[52298E]

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