What hath God especially decreed concerning angels and men?
God, by an eternal and immutable decree, out of his mere love, for the praise of his glorious grace, to be manifested in due time, hath elected some angels to glory; and in Christ hath chosen some men to eternal life, and the means thereof: and also, according to his sovereign power, and the unsearchable counsel of his own will, (whereby he extends or withholds favor as he pleases,) hath passed by and foreordained the rest to dishonor and wrath, to be for their sin inflicted, to the praise of the glory of his justice.
I had not thought about it much, or even at all, before reading this question – what do angels have to do with anything? Sure they’re in the Bible but I’ve never met one – not that I know of.
Considering it momentarily, it highlights an important distinction between angels and men. God sent His only begotten Son to save mankind, but not angels. That is a real bummer for the angels who fell. But not all angels did rebel.
According to 1 Timothy 5:21 God chose some angels and preserved them from rebellion. Presumably these others were left to rebel. We read in this passage, “I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of His chosen angels, to maintain these principles without bias, doing nothing in a spirit of partiality.” Given this slight insight it highlights an important difference between mankind and angels.
In a few weeks (Q#16) the topic of angels will be expanded upon greatly. Presently our interest is that their case provides some contrast when considered in relationship to mankind and our involvement with redemption.
To satisfy a bit of our curiosity now, let us consider Calvin’s perspective on angels.
“In Scripture, then, we uniformly read that angels are heavenly spirits, whose obedience and ministry God employs to execute all the purposes which he has decreed, and hence their name as being a kind of intermediate messengers to manifest his will to men. The names by which several of them are distinguished have reference to the same office. They are called hosts, because they surround their Prince as his court,—adorn and display his majesty,—like soldiers, have their eyes always turned to their leader’s standard, and are so ready and prompt to execute his orders, that the moment he gives the nod, they prepare for, or rather are actually at work.”
John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion (ICR), chapter 14.
Now let us turn to our primary concern…
We know that mankind has a will which was intact and involved in our rebellion from God. It also means we have a will that must be considered in redemption and the events through which redemption takes place. This is a very important distinction made between angels and men. God works to redeem us in relation to our will whereas the situation with angels indicates God’s preserving or permitting in a different relation to the angelic will.
To will or not to will? That is the question. Let’s introduce an important truth about how it is we have this “will” as God’s supreme creature. Calvin helps.
“A strong proof of this point may be gathered from its being said, that man was created in the image of God. For though the divine glory is displayed in man’s outward appearance, it cannot be doubted that the proper seat of the image is in the soul. I deny not, indeed, that external shape, in so far as it distinguishes and separates us from the lower animals, brings us nearer to God”
John Calvin, ICR, chapter 15
Calvin quotes this poem which is succinct and helpful.
While the mute creation downward bend
Their sight, and to their earthly mother tend,
Man looks aloft, and with erected eyes,
Beholds his own hereditary skies.
It’s a question concerning God’s will, not man’s. Man will not will himself out of his sinful rebellion. Redemption isn’t merely about making better choices – even after Christ’s death. The question is, will God, move to take on mankind’s condition and remedy it?
If He does, what will that redemption involve? We begin to see why the contrast is important. None of these considerations touch the angels situation. Their situation is different. They are either maintained in their created state or permitted to fall and then maintained in their rebellion.
All this talk of wills and decrees, brings us back to a familiar passage we looked at last time. Romans 9 -11 is a unit where Paul is addressing this topic of God’s election, selection and limitation of covenantal promise. It would be good to read these three chapters in total. For now let us consider this excerpted part.
Romans 9:17–18, 21–22
“For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, ‘For this very purpose I raised you up, to demonstrate My power in you, and that My name might be proclaimed throughout the whole earth.’ So then He has mercy on whom He desires, and He hardens whom He desires… Or does the potter not have a right over the clay, to make from the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for common use? What if God, although willing to demonstrate His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction?”
Vs 17-18 clearly identifies Pharoah as the “vessel of wrath”. Israel on the other hand is identified as “vessels for honorable use”. Paul addresses the specific nature of God’s election in the verses prior, identifying God chose Isaac and not Ishmael, likewise, Jacob over Esau.
God knows how to pick’em and He does.
God elects on both sides of this predestination/election equation. Much more will be considered in the weeks ahead but this is the crux of the issue. God is sovereign and elects. He elects in the angelic realm and He elects in the human realm.
The consistent theme in all Scripture: God elects. His will is decisive. He is Sovereign. There is only One like Him.
To date, there has never been fashioned an “election radar” which could be used to figure out who is and who is not elect. I suspect God owns the patent on this instrument (its called His good pleasure) and no one else will ever have such an instrument. So – quit trying to figure it out or second guessing yourself or anyone else.
It’s simply not your business.
It is however important that you understand God’s election IS a biblical fact. It’s quite literally all over the place. Here are a few of those places.
Ephesians 1:4–6: “4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love 5 He predestined us to adoption as sons and daughters through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, 6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, with which He favored us in the Beloved.”
2 Thessalonians 2:13–14 “13 But we should always give thanks to God for you, brothers and sisters beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth. 14 And it was for this He called you through our gospel, that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Matthew 11:25–26 “25 At that time Jesus said, ‘I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants. 26 Yes, Father, for this way was well-pleasing in Your sight.‘”
Jude 4 “For certain people have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into indecent behavior and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.”
1 Peter 2:8: “and, ‘A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense’; for they stumble because they are disobedient to the word, and to this doom they were also appointed.”
Election is not a scary word. It’s biblical. Predestination is also not a scary word. It’s also biblical.
It is not up to you to explain How God does His work. You are called to trust Him, believe Him and believe what He says He does. Take Him at His word. It works out well for us who do. Trust Him.
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