6. The good angels and their accomplishments.
The good angels, as we saw, are confirmed in goodness and stand in the state of salvation. Their salvation consists in seeing God. Also during their service on earth they always look at God's face, Matt. 18:10, 18:10. The most intimate love for God is inseparably bound up with seeing God. Whoever beholds God cannot help but love him as the 'highest good. Thus the will of the good angels is also unceasingly and completely directed toward the good, and their actions actually move only in the realm of the good. The objection that the good angels are not "morally free" if they can no longer sin is based on a perverse concept of moral freedom. One wants to call moral beings morally free only if they can do evil as well as good. According to this, there would be no "moral freedom" in heaven and in eternity, because the saved men, radiated and transfigured by God's glory ("The justified will shine like the sun," Matt. 13:43), can no longer sin. — Because the Scriptures also tell us
1519) Quenstedt I, 729: Superbiam fuisse primum angelorum peccatum, probabiliter colligitur: l.ex 1 Tim. 3:6: ,Ne inflatus', τνφωϑείς (Vulg.: in superbiam elatus), ,in condemnationem incidat diaboli', h. e., ne in eandem incurrat damnationem, quam ipse Satanas per arrogantiam pertulit. Ita Chrysostomus, Gerhardus, alii; ... 2, ex tentatione, qua Satan primis parentibus superbiae peccatum instillare ausus fuit, ut scilicet affectarent aequalitatem cum Deo; eritis, inquit, sicut Dii [Deus]; 3. ex perpetuo conatu, quo Dei gloriam in se transferre studet. ... Probatur haec sententia etiam a b. Luthero in Gen. 1. Basilius Magnus, Cyprianus et Bernhardus invidiam superbiae iugunt. [Google]
612 ><w:t xml:space="preserve"> Angels. [English ed. 506-507]
tells us about "chosen angels" (1 Thess. 6:21: οι εκλεκτοί Άγγελοι), we can also speak of an election of the angels, although the Scriptures do not describe this election in detail. But from the Scriptures it is certain, 1. that the good angels were not chosen because of the merit of Christ, since they did not become sinners (Heb. 2:16), 2. that the evil angels are not absolutely, but rejected because of their apostasy (2 Petr. 2:4: Ό ϑεός αγγέλων αμαρτηοάντων ονκ έφείοατο). To extend the redemptive work of Christ with papists and Calvinists also to the angels is done without scriptural ground.1520)
The duties of the good angels are: To praise God (Is 6:3; Luke 2:13) and to be His servants in the world and in the church (Ps. 104:4; 103:20, 21; Hebr 1:14); not as if God needs the service of the angels, but because it pleases God so (non ex quadam Dei indigentia, sed ex voluntate Dei libera).1521) In particular, Scripture reveals that God appoints angels to minister to children (Matt. 18:10), to believers in their calling (Ps. 91:11-12), to the dying (Luke 16:22). The theologians do not want to answer the question whether every Christian has his own guardian angel, because passages like Matt. 18:10 and Acts 12:15 are not sufficient for a stringent proof.1522) — The Scriptures teach very clearly that the angels are intensely interested in all processes in the church. Not only is the mystery of redemption an object of wonder and adoration for them (Luke 2:13; 1 Pet 1:12; Eph 3:10), but they also rejoice over every sinner who repents (Luke 15:10). Scripture also mentions the presence and ministry of angels in all the main events in the Kingdom of God. The angels were at the legislation at Sinai (Deut. 33:2; Gal. 3:19).
1520) The more detailed explanation vol. II, p. 456 f., note 1064.
1521) Hofmann thinks that God needs the angels "to make himself present to his world". (In Baier-Walther II, 163 f., from Schriftbeweis I, 282 ff.).
1522) Quenstedt has a special quaestio about this I, 686 sqq.: An cuilibet pio angelus certus in custodiam divinitus datus sit? He answers: Non unum saltem, sed plures angelos bonos singulis fidelibus in custodiam datos esse recte ex Scriptura colligitur; an vero unicuique fidelium inde ab ortu suo certus angelus custos, ... itemque, an cura et gubernatio ecclesiae certis angelis demandata sit, atque an unicuique provinciae peculiaris praesit angelus, partim incertum, partim falsum est. [Google]
613 > Angels [English ed. 507-508]
They proclaim the conception, the birth, the resurrection, the return of Christ1523) They are ministers at the Last Judgment (Matt. 13:41 f.; 24:31 etc.). Scripture also reveals that the angels are present at the public worship services (1 Cor. 11:10). That the angels are also active in maintaining the household and civil order, we see from passages like Gen. 24:7; Matt. 18:10; Dan. 10:13. Because of these tasks we should not consider the angels "superfluous" (with newer theologians), but rejoice and comfort ourselves in their service, also be shy to arouse their displeasure (1 Cor. 11:10; 1 Tim. 5:211524) ), but in no way show them religious reverence (cultus religiosus), do not pray to them etc., because they are and remain creatures. They themselves protest against this (Revelation 22:8-9).1525)