“Whoever acknowledges me before others, the Son of Man will acknowledge before the angels of God; but whoever disowns me before others will be disowned before the angels of God.”
(Luke 12:8-9)
Jesus thinks highly of the angels. He sets them before his Father at the Last Judgement as witnesses of the way men and women have reacted to him; and he says it even more clearly in another passage of the same gospel:
“If anyone is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him, when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father.”
(Luke 9:26)
The proof that I belong to Jesus is that he tells his angels so. Jesus seals his friendship with me by telling his angels that he is my friend. My hope and certainty that Jesus will defend me on the last day comes from the fact that he has already told his angels about it. He will “acknowledge me before the angels”. There can be no higher joy for me.
Have you heard it, dear angels of mine? Jesus says I am his own. And he has told you, the people closest to him, his counsellors, his heavenly court. My name has been pronounced in the midst of secret meetings and eternal decrees. Jesus has pronounced it before you in full familiarity, as the name of someone near and dear. And you have welcomed my name with a flutter of wings. Haven’t you? I am one of you. Keep me in your company. Let me be always with Jesus to be always with you. And let me be always with you so that you may be witnesses for me before him. I trust in you.
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