Nonmembers misunderstand our acknowledgement to Bro. Felix Manalo as the "third angel" in Revelation 14:9-11 that says:
"Then another angel, a third one, followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, he also will drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is mixed in full strength in the cup of His anger; and he will be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever; they have no rest day and night, those who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.”
and in Revelation 7:2-3 that says:
"Then I saw another angel coming up from the east, having the seal of the living God. He called out in a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm the land and the sea: "Do not harm the land or the sea or the trees until we put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God."
Nonmembers say "If you acknowledge Felix Manalo as an angel, why do you acknowledge Christ only as MAN?" This is a funny and laughable understanding of nonmembers to the doctrines of the INC. In the first place, we do not recognize Bro. Felix as an ANGEL WITH WINGS like this:
He is not a spirit angel, but human, therefore we recognize him not as an ANGEL WITH WINGS but as a MESSENGER of God. The word "Angel" in the bible does not always refer to spirit angels but also refer to a messenger of God.
Christianasnwers.net says:
The word “angel” actually comes from the Greek word aggelos, which means “messenger.” The matching Hebrew word mal'ak has the same meaning.
Sometimes, the Bible uses these words for human beings:
- ordinary people who carry messages (Job 1:14; Luke 7:24; 9:52)
- prophets (Isaiah 42:19; Malachi 3:1)
- priests (Malachi 2:7)
- church leaders (Rev 1:20)
Sometimes, it speaks figuratively of things or events as “messengers”…
- the pillar of cloud (Exodus 14:19)
- pestilence or plagues (2 Samuel 24:16-17)
But it usually describes the whole range of spirits whom God has created, including both good and evil angels, and special categories such as cherubim, seraphim, and the archangel.
Angels are mentioned at least 108 times in the Old Testament and 165 times in the New Testament (Chafer, Systematic Theology, II, 3). Hence, there is ample information available in Scripture to allow us to build a foundation for our knowledge of angelic beings.
Dictionary.reference.com says:
Angel
noun
3. a messenger, especially of God.
4. a person who performs a mission of God or acts as if sent by God.
Other proofs:"They are called 'angels', from a Greek which word means messenger. The word 'Angel', therefore, does not express the nature of these spirits, but rather the offices..."
(Crock, Clement H. Discourses on the Apostle's Creed. New York, USA: Joseph F. Wagner., 1938.)"Angels. Beside this, which is the highest application of the word angel, we find the phrase used of any messengers of God, such as prophets, Is. 42:19; Hag. 1:13, the priests, Mal. 2:7 and the rulers of the Christian Churches, Rev. 1:20."
(Smith William, L.L.D. A Dictionary of the bible. USA: The John C. Winston Co., 1884)"ANGEL. This word, both in the Greek and Hebrew languages, signifies a messenger. It denotes office, and not the nature of the agent. ..."
(Wilson, Benjamin. Emphatic Diaglott. Brooklyn, New York, USA: International Bible Students Association, 1942)"Angel, n. (L. angelus; Gr. angelos, a messenger) 1. Literally, a messenger... 5. a minister of the gospel, or pastor, as the angel of the church of Ephesus."
(Webster's New International Dictionary, 1916.)"The name 'angel', wrote St. Augustine, 'belongs to his office, not on his nature. You ask what is the name of his office. He is an angel.' This is also accepted teaching of the Church"
(The Catholic Catechism, John Hardon, p.85)"Angel (Heb. mal'ak; Gk. 'angelos, both meaning 'messenger'). In some cases the word is applied to human beings (Mal. 2:7; Rev. 1:20)"
(The New Unger's Bible Dictionary, p.61)"The Angels are thus named from a Greek Word meaning sent or messenger, a name which describes their office than their nature."
(The student Catholic Doctrine, Charles Hart, p.32)______________________________
We recognize Bro. Felix Manalo and our Lord Jesus Christ as both humans and both messengers of God, but WE NEVER put Bro. Felix Manalo HIGHER or SUPERIOR than our Lord Jesus Christ, and we never replace Christ as the FOUNDER OF THE IGLESIA NI CRISTO, CHURCH OF CHRIST. We believe what Christ, apostles and the bible taught us, that Christ is a man, but not an ordinary man and not God.
"There is one God and one mediator so that human beings can reach God. That way is through Christ Jesus, who is himself human. He gave himself as a payment to free all people. He is proof that came at the right time. That is why I was chosen to tell the Good News and to be an apostle. (I am telling the truth; I am not lying.) I was chosen to teach those who are not Jews to believe and to know the truth." I tim. 2: 5-7
"I am a man who has told you the truth which I heard from God, but you are trying to kill me. Abraham did nothing like that." John 8:40
“My fellow Israelites, listen to these words: Jesus from Nazareth was a very special man. God clearly showed this to you. He proved it by the miracles, wonders, and miraculous signs he did through Jesus. You all saw these things, so you know this is true." Acts 2:22 Easy to read version
John the Baptist, an angel"And when they went their way, Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John: What went you out into the desert to see? a reed shaken with the wind? But what went you out to see? a man clothed in soft garments? Behold they that are clothed in soft garments, are in the houses of kings. But what went you out to see? a prophet? yea I tell you, and more than a prophet. For this is he of whom it is written: Behold I send my angel before thy face, who shall prepare thy way before thee." Matt. 11:7-10
Is John the Baptist a spirit angel with wings? Ofcourse not. As what stated on
Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible commentary:
"...which last is the true sense of the passage: nor should it be once called in question, when our Lord himself has applied it to John the Baptist; to whom the things said in it perfectly agree. He was an "angel", not by nature, but by office; a "messenger" sent by God,..."
John the Baptist is a human as well as Bro. Felix Manalo, they are "Angels" not by NATURE but means they are "MESSENGERS OF GOD".
