So, if angels had the “free will”/opportunity to rebel, why are they not given the opportunity to repent?
Thoughts?
Todd
13 thoughts on “Question Of The Day”
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I can’t say for sure what God’s reasoning is, but it’s only grace that anyone is given the opportunity to repent at all.
Maybe they did have a chance. But at this point it has progressed past that. We don’t know everything about this cosmic war.
Well, God did offer Lucifiera chance to repent right? I thought He did when Satan rebelled. Makes you think the angels had the same chance?
Maybe its because they were living in the opportunity of repentance. They lived with God in Heaven. The place where the repented go. We started out in the garden where we began to need a Savior. The Angels started with living with the Savior. Earth is not there dwelling place. Only Heaven or Hell. We all have heard the saying “We make mistakes because we are human”. And thats the truth. The Angels cant make those free will choices and come back to repentence like we can. Because we have a God-Human Savior Jesus Christ. He was not God-Angel.
This is my thought at least.
-Jeremiah
Maybe they did have the chance, but refused to do so. God’s omniscience knew that they would not repent and cast them out!
This is a very good question to ask. It makes me wonder as well. From reading II Peter 2:4-9, I understand that the angels did have a choice. Verse 4 reads: “For it God did not spare angels when they sinned but sent them to hell, putting them into gloomy dungeons to be held for judgement”. I Corinthians 6:3 reads “Do you not know that we will judge angels” (speaking of judging other believers).
Just my personal opinion on this subject, I am led to believe that the angels did have a choice. They were already with God when some chose to turn their back on God. In the same aspect, we all have the same choice as the fallen angels. The only difference is that we were lost before Christ paid the price. The fallen angels were given a swift judgement. One choice changed their fate and placement for eternity.
How many chances do we get every day to make mistakes and are still able to ask for God’s forgiveness? I believe that if we look at our life and the decisions we make, day after day, we should be grateful to have more than one chance.
Wow, that is definitely a thought-provoking question. After quite a bit of digging through opinions of many Bible scholars on this topic and a few opinions based on logic*, I’ve come to the conclusion that this is one mystery I don’t have an answer for so I’ll just have to leave it to the sovereignty of God. Since the Bible doesn’t seem to address this very clearly, and since the scriptures contain stories of the redemption of mankind, IF God has a plan for the redemption of fallen angels perhaps He has communicated that message to them in some other way than in our scriptures.
* Some ideas presented in my research: (1)Angels knew God well because they spent time around His throne; therefore their rebellion against God was deliberate and irreversible. (2)God did not create angels or animals in his image, only mankind. (3)Jesus did not take on the form of an angel, but of a human; therefore, redemption is only for mankind. (4)Hebrews 2, especially v. 16, refers to God’s plan to redeem mankind, not angels.
It may have something to do with blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. See Luke 12:10, Matt 12:31-32 or Mark 3:29.
I don’t have any more answers to this question, but it makes me wonder about some things. The rogue angels saw what we cannot see–God in all his magnificent glory–yet they were enthralled by a counterfeit. They were in the presence of perfect love, yet they chose to rebel and follow a narcissistic tyrant. They were in the presence of perfect peace and harmony, but they preferred to follow a liar and destroyer.
Perhaps if they weren’t persuaded by all of heaven’s glory to worship God, then maybe their hearts (if angels have hearts) could never be convinced to repent and turn back to God. If they chose to leave the most glorious home of all, perhaps they would never be satisfied to come back.
I’ve known a few people like those fallen angels who are so wrapped up in themselves that they are unable or unwilling to submit themselves completely to God. Sadly, some are in ministries and churches.
Sorry Todd, but I don’t like this question.
You haven’t said it, but I sense that somehow repentance is being treated as a “right” rather than a gift. We are not saved by repentance, we are saved by the slaughtering of a lamb. Repentance is not a last chance “get out of jail free” card, bur a merciful gift from a righteous and holy God. If God never forgave a single sin, he would be no less holy or righteous. That he willingly takes on the sin of the whole world is both astounding, and the reason we are not asked, but commanded to repent. it’s no short cut, it’s a very deep cut. How he judges angels is totally his business, how I respond to his lovingkindness is seriously my business, especially now that I claim to have faith. It is God’s kindness that leads us to repentance. Are we any better than any angels… doubt it very much. I trust he will deal with angels in an irreproachably just and morally impeccable way, because that is the God of glory whom we worship.
Maybe they do have a chance to repent. If God has a plan of redemption for fallen angels, I can’t think of any good reason why he would need to reveal it to us.
If ultimately God will restore and redeem all of Creation, that would seem to include fallen angels too.
Todd, hope all is well. I believe that only true answers can be found from scripture and not from man’s opinion. Here are the scriptures and what they say:
Hebrews 2: 8
8Thou hast put ALL things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him.
The previous scripture states that God has put ALL things (this includes fallen angels) in subjection under him.
Colossians 1: 16-20
16For by him ALL things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or power: ALL things were created by him, and for him: 17And he is before ALL things, and by him ALL things consist. 18And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in ALL things he might have preeminence. 19For it pleased the Father that in him should ALL fullness dwell; 20And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile ALL things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.
The previous scriptures state that ALL things (this includes fallen angels) were created by God and for God’s purpose. Scripture goes on to state that ALL things will dwell in God. ALL things include fallen angels and non-believers. The verse is consistent in using the word ALL. The verse concludes by stating God will reconcile (restore) ALL things unto himself. Once again, ALL means ALL. ALL does not mean only believers or just the “good” angels. ALL includes non-believers and fallen angels.
I John 4: 15
15Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him and he in God.
I John 4: 2
2Hereby know ye the spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God.
Acts 2: 21
21And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Phillipians 2: 10- 11
10That at the name of Jesus EVERY knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and thing under the earth; 11And that EVERY tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, that glory of God the Father.
Romans 14: 11
11 says the Lord, EVERY knee will bow to me, and EVERY tongue will confess to God.
The previous scriptures state that whosoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. The scripture states that EVERYTHING in heaven, in earth, and even under the earth will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. By using scripture to interpret scripture, EVERYONE will call upon the name of the Lord. Thus, EVERYONE will be saved.
There are many other verses that I could use to back up these points. May the Living God bless you and yours!
A Holy God does not allow any unholiness in Heaven and every passage in the Bible I can find about fallen angels says they were thrown out of Heaven and are jailed in hell until the judgement day; nothing is said whether or not they will have an opportunity to repent at that time.
[diatribe] If angels are jailed in hell until the judgement day, then they cannot be roaming the earth (unless the earth is hell), so that begs the question are fallen angels demons as so many teach or are unclean spirits something else unholy? I have not found one passage to support that they are the same thing – yet as a typical American warming a pew, I have accepted it for many years because someone with a divinity degree said so. As usual, you have spurred me to go study in the original language – so thanks, I think 😉 [end diatribe]
If fallen angels can never repent, then it occurs to me that people have an opportunity to repent as long as they are in the flesh, but after death when we are spirit (as angels are spirit) we no longer have the opportunity to repent, right? so maybe it has something to do with how (the realm) angels exist.
My initial thoughts – I may return after some study.