WLC 19

Q19. What is God's providence towards the angels?

God by his providence permitted some of the angels, wilfully and irrecoverably, to fall into sin and damnation, limiting and ordering that, and all their sins, to his own glory; and established the rest in holiness and happiness; employing them all, at his pleasure, in the administrations of his power, mercy, and justice.

Proof texts

• Jude 1:6 — [6] And the angels who did not stay within their own position of authority, but left their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day —
• 2 Pet. 2:4 — [4] For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to chains of gloomy darkness to be kept until the judgment;
• Heb. 2:16 — [16] For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham.
• John 8:44 — [44] You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
• Job 1:12 — [12] And the LORD said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your hand. Only against him do not stretch out your hand.” So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD.
• Matt. 8:31 — [31] And the demons begged him, saying, “If you cast us out, send us away into the herd of pigs.”
• 1 Tim. 5:21 — [21] In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of the elect angels I charge you to keep these rules without prejudging, doing nothing from partiality.
• Mark 8:38 — [38] For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”
• Heb. 12:22 — [22] But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering,
• Ps. 104:4 — [4] he makes his messengers winds, his ministers a flaming fire.
• 2 Kings 19:35 — [35] And that night the angel of the LORD went out and struck down 185,000 in the camp of the Assyrians. And when people arose early in the morning, behold, these were all dead bodies.
• Heb. 1:14 — [14] Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation?

For discussion

1. The Assembly cited Jude 1:6 in support of this answer. Read it in context — how does it bear on what is claimed here?
2. 12 passages are cited here. Which does the most work, and is anything claimed that the proofs do not obviously carry?
3. WSC Q11 treats the same ground. What does it add, and why might it put things differently?
4. HC Q26 treats the same ground. What does it add, and why might it put things differently?

Read alongside

WSC Q11 · HC Q26 · HC Q27 · HC Q28 · BC 3.1 · BC 3.2