DID SOME ANGELS LOSE THEIR HOLINESS AND SONSHIP?

By Dr. Eusebio A. Tanicala

Yes!  Some angels lost their holiness and their sonship. Please closely analyze our presentation.

We believe the Devil was an archangel when he was created until he became God’s adversary.  He was one of the morning stars in the level of Archangel Michael and Archangel Gabriel. He was created without sin.  He was perfect and innocent with freewill. He was in a blessed and beautiful state in the gracious fellowship of Yahweh God just like Adam and Eve at the Garden of Eden. God frequently visited Adam and Eve in the cool of the day.  This beautiful fellowship of God with Lucifer is signified by the citation of precious stones in Ezekiel 28:13 enjoyed by Lucifer.

He was at first an anointed cherub, perfect in beauty and wisdom, says Ezekiel 28:12-15.  But ambition, pride, and his desire to be equal with the Almighty God in celestial power and authority was illegal.  There is only one Almighty God declares Deuteronomy 6:4, “Hear, O Israel, The LORD our God, the LORD is one.” Isaiah 14:12-17 and Ezekiel 28:1-17 reveal the attitude of the Devil as duplicated by the kings of Tyre and Sidon.

Yahweh God cast the Devil out of heaven (Ezek. 28:18; Isiah 14:15).  The Devil’s ambition and pride sprang out of his own free will. A host of free willing ordinary angels followed Lucifer in his rebellion, who is now called Satan or Adversary.  Satan was the first sinner, and he continues to deceive mankind, being now the God of this present age, says 2 Cor. 4:4-6. Please read John 8:44; 2 Peter 2:4-6; Jude 6, Eph. 6:12; Matt. 25:41 for additional information.

Note how some angels lost their original position and abode. Quotations from Hugo McCord’s New Testament Translation.  “If God did not spare the angels who sinned (but sent them to Tartarus, delivering them into chains of darkness, holding them for judgment)” (2Peter 2:4).  In another place, we read: “Also, angels, who did not keep their own dwelling but deserted it, he has kept in an eternal prison under darkness, for the judgment of the great day” (Jude 6).

Angels are called saints (Gen. 6:2, 4; Deut. 32:2; Dan. 7:21; 1Thes. 3:13).  These good angels are called sons of God in Job 1:6 and Job 2:1. By inference, before iniquity was found in this morning star, Lucifer was a “son of God.” The Devil used to be in that company in heaven.  After the rebellion, and after having been cast out from God’s holy presence, Satan and his followers ceased to be called sons of God. They have lost their holiness and sonship. And there is no more room for their repentance and forgiveness.  They had their period of trial and probation to establish permanent holiness and sonship. They failed.

Can a disciple lose his holiness and sonship?  Yes. Disciples who insisted on keeping the Law were admonished in Gal. 5:4, “You have been cut off from Christ, you who want to be made right by the law, you have fallen from grace.” Please note the present perfect tense of the verbs “have been cut off” and “fallen from grace.” At the time of writing, the antecedent persons in the verses had been cut off from the fellowship of God.  Also, in 2 Peter 3:17, “Beloved, since you know these things in advance, guard yourselves, so that you will not be carried away by the error of lawless people and fall from your own firm footing.” Common sense tells us that a warning is given where the possibility of falling away is possible. If there is no possibility and actuality of falling away, why issue out a reminder?

Mankind is given a lifetime to choose and prove one’s permanent loyalty to the Almighty God.  Those who will prove steadfast love, humility, and loyalty to the true God will be welcomed in the heavenly realm after the Judgment Day.