Why can't fallen Angels/Satan repent?

[PrettyboyAndy]

Why cant a fallen angel repent?

Is not what they did similar to what Adam did? Why is mankind offered salvation/repentance but not them?

 

[miamited]

Hi PBA,

That's a good question, and one that I have also pondered. It is, of course, possible that they can, but because God's word, the Scriptures, are written to us in this realm about us and what He asks of us, it's possible that He chose not to give us such information regarding the angelic realm. One very good reason, I believe, that came to me is that the angels have the ability to actually 'see' God. They live with Him and know without a doubt that God exists and, therefore, their rebellion flies in the face of what they actually know without a doubt exists. Man, on the other hand, is asked to believe in God on faith. We aren't born seeing God and so we have to come to the knowledge of God through faith that the Scriptures were given to us through His Spirit by Him.

Based on this understanding then, I believe it's possible that God forgives us our sin because He knows that from birth we are ignorant of Him. Here is where His mercy comes through to us. Because we didn't know better, God forgives us. The angels, on the other hand, know that God exists and that He is the supreme creator and ruler of all that is, and so, their rebellion is not forgiven.

All of this is, however, mere supposition of a wicked mind and heart and so may not be at all true.

God bless you.
In Christ, Ted

 

[PrettyboyAndy]

Thanks Ted,

Great answer, I see the difference:
Angels - They saw the fullness of God,
Mankind - We are called to have faith in God.

Would it be safe to say that there is an elect set of angels, just like there is an elect set of mankind?
21 I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of His chosen angels, to maintain theseprinciples without bias, doing nothing in a spirit of partiality 1 Timothy 5:21

 

[98cwitr]

blasphemy of the Holy Spirit.

 

[twin1954]

Hi PBA,

That's a good question, and one that I have also pondered. It is, of course, possible that they can, but because God's word, the Scriptures, are written to us in this realm about us and what He asks of us, it's possible that He chose not to give us such information regarding the angelic realm. One very good reason, I believe, that came to me is that the angels have the ability to actually 'see' God. They live with Him and know without a doubt that God exists and, therefore, their rebellion flies in the face of what they actually know without a doubt exists. Man, on the other hand, is asked to believe in God on faith. We aren't born seeing God and so we have to come to the knowledge of God through faith that the Scriptures were given to us through His Spirit by Him.

Based on this understanding then, I believe it's possible that God forgives us our sin because He knows that from birth we are ignorant of Him. Here is where His mercy comes through to us. Because we didn't know better, God forgives us. The angels, on the other hand, know that God exists and that He is the supreme creator and ruler of all that is, and so, their rebellion is not forgiven.

All of this is, however, mere supposition of a wicked mind and heart and so may not be at all true.

God bless you.
In Christ, Ted

You are right that we simply don't know and the things that are revealed belong to us but the secret things of God are His own. Deut. 29:29

But I did want you to consider this as it relates to what you posted here. Did not Adam do exactly as you say the angels did? He ate the fruit with his eyes wide open to who God is and what the penalty was for eating. Could it be that he knew that Eve must die and chose to die with her instead of simply disobeying God? He loved her and gave himself for her. Is that not a picture of Christ?

 

[miamited]

Hi PBA,

It is certainly possible. As I said, the Scriptures are written to us, about us and our sin and need of a Savior. I imagine there is quite a lot of things concerning the realm of God and the angels that we just aren't told about.

God bless you.
In Christ, Ted

 

[PrettyboyAndy]

You are right that we simply don't know and the things that are revealed belong to us but the secret things of God are His own. Deut. 29:29

But I did want you to consider this as it relates to what you posted here. Did not Adam do exactly as you say the angels did? He ate the fruit with his eyes wide open to who God is and what the penalty was for eating. Could it be that he knew that Eve must die and chose to die with her instead of simply disobeying God? He loved her and gave himself for her. Is that not a picture of Christ?

Wow brilliant, I never heard that before, amazing point.

So there is an elect angels, just like there is an elect set of humans?

For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell[a] and committed them to chains of gloomy darkness to be kept until the judgement. 2 Peter 2:4

21 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 1 Timothy 5:21

6And angels who did not keep their own domain, but abandoned their proper abode, He has kept in eternal bonds under darkness for the judgment of the great day Jude 1:6

 

[twin1954]

Why cant a fallen angel repent?

Is not what they did similar to what Adam did? Why is mankind offered salvation/repentance but not them?

I would say that it was because man was made in the image of God, meaning the Person of Christ who was foreordained as the Savior. God purposed to show His glory in the person of Christ the Godman Mediator and that He should have the preeminence. The Scriptures clearly tell us that all things were created by Him and for Him. Col. 1:15-18

The rebellion of the angels and Satan, while purposed by God to accomplish His glory in Christ, would not had the same effect had there been a Redeemer for them. They cannot repent because they have no Redeemer.

 

[miamited]

You are right that we simply don't know and the things that are revealed belong to us but the secret things of God are His own. Deut. 29:29

But I did want you to consider this as it relates to what you posted here. Did not Adam do exactly as you say the angels did? He ate the fruit with his eyes wide open to who God is and what the penalty was for eating. Could it be that he knew that Eve must die and chose to die with her instead of simply disobeying God? He loved her and gave himself for her. Is that not a picture of Christ?

Hi twin,

No, I don't find that example to be particularly Christ foretelling. I'm not quite sure that I can get into the mind of Adam to make the determination that his motive for eating the fruit was as you say. However, the Scriptures just tell us that Eve presented the fruit to him and he ate it. That's really all we have. Anything beyond that is just as my explanation regarding the possible salvation of angels, just the musings of a wicked mind and heart.

However, your other claim that Adam ate the fruit with 'eyes wide open' would be true. Adam had walked with God and conversed with God and knew without a doubt that God existed. His name may never be found in the Lamb's book of life. But, whose names are contained therein and whose names are not, is outside of my realm of knowledge.

God bless you.
In Christ, Ted

 

[Sophrosyne]

Thanks Ted,

Great answer, I see the difference:
Angels - They saw the fullness of God,
Mankind - We are called to have faith in God.

Would it be safe to say that there is an elect set of angels, just like there is an elect set of mankind?
21 I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of His chosen angels, to maintain theseprinciples without bias, doing nothing in a spirit of partiality 1 Timothy 5:21

Exactly.... Angels knew God 100% therefore they had 100% of all the faith in him that they would ever have and still rejected God. The other thing to think about it Man has a fleshly mortal body that is replaced after he experiences physical death and during this process God can remove all sin from it (if one puts their faith in God to do just that) while angels are already immortal and there is no similar mechanism to remove sin from them they cannot die a physical death. To put it simply angels chose to accept or reject God already they don't get a second chance and after we die according to the Bible neither do we. Death is considered in this instance spiritual separation but we were essentially born spiritually separated while angels were created spiritually connected and then chose to become separated by choice. Adam and Eve essentially in that fashion were in the same category.

It is possible that the angels could repent and be saved also by Jesus, it has been said that we will judge the angels which means their fate isn't 100% sealed already otherwise there would be no mention of a need to judge them but then it is possible that God chose to use us to judge them instead of judging them himself as an extra measure of fairness as in our world often you are convicted by a jury of your peers and the closest things to peers of angels could be considered us as we are born with essentially a "fallen nature" or separated from God.

 

[twin1954]

Hi twin,

No, I don't find that example to be particularly Christ foretelling. I'm not quite sure that I can get into the mind of Adam to make the determination that his motive for eating the fruit was as you say. However, the Scriptures just tell us that Eve presented the fruit to him and he ate it. That's really all we have. Anything beyond that is just as my explanation regarding the possible salvation of angels, just the musings of a wicked mind and heart.

However, your other claim that Adam ate the fruit with 'eyes wide open' would be true. Adam had walked with God and conversed with God and knew without a doubt that God existed. His name may never be found in the Lamb's book of life. But, whose names are contained therein and whose names are not, is outside of my realm of knowledge.

God bless you.
In Christ, Ted

Actually we are told by Paul that Adam wasn't deceived:
(1Ti 2:13) For Adam was first formed, then Eve.

(1Ti 2:14) And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.

Also I am absolutely convinced that the Scriptures are written in such a way as to show us Christ and His salvation in every part. I find Christ in all the Scriptures.

As to not knowing if Adam's name is written in the Lamb's book of life we can pretty confidently surmise that it is by the fact that God gave them the first promise of the Gospel, He shed the first blood of a sacrifice for them and clothed them with the sin of the sacrifice. All showing His redemption in Christ. Moreover we know that Adam had to have taught his sons to offer a sacrifice at a certain place and time in worship of God.

And one more thing, who was it that walked with Adam in the cool of the day if not a pre-incarnate Christ? God is spirit and cannot be seen but we know that Christ appeared as the Angel of the Lord several times in the Old Testament.

 

[dysert]

I have a different take on this. As we all know, there will come a time when our choice (about receiving Christ) is "locked in". For the Christian, that moment comes at justification. For the non-Christian, that moment comes at death. Once the decision is locked in, it cannot be changed.

I think the same is true of angels. They had the time to make an informed decision. At some point God set the time of decision. A third of them chose disobedience, and the rest chose obedience. At that point their decision was locked in.

 

[royal priest]

I wonder if fallen angels look into God's plan of redemption for mankind with the same or perhaps even greater interest than the angels referred to in 1 Peter 1:12.

 

[twin1954]

I wonder if fallen angels look into God's plan of redemption for mankind with the same or perhaps even greater interest than the angels referred to in 1 Peter 1:12.

(Eph 3:8) Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;

(Eph 3:9) And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:

(Eph 3:10) To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by[through] the church the manifold wisdom of God,

(Eph 3:11) According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:

brackets mine

 

[Bluelion]

The Bible tell you why in Hebrews 6. Those who have tasted the fruit of Heaven and reject it can never be turned back to God this is an unforgivable sin or as 98 said rejection of The Holy Spirit. That is for the fallen angels. satan is different he has already been judged and is damned as one of his names is son of perdition. This is why at the end he is thrown straight into the fire no judgement is given, or day of judgement. In fact now talking about it it maybe that everyone who commits an unforgivable sin is judged and damned from that point on because there is no judgement for the anti christ either, he will not be there on the day of judgement or second resurrection having already been thrown into the fire. If this is true then fallen angels are judged at the first unforgivable sin, which could be the case because demons never asked Jesus if he was there to judge them it was always torment them. This would imply already receiving their judgement. but that is all new info i need to confirm the first part is solid about why they can not turn back.

 

[royal priest]

QUOTE="PrettyboyAndy, post: 69091811, member: 249733"]Why cant a fallen angel repent?

Is not what they did similar to what Adam did? Why is mankind offered salvation/repentance but not them?[/QUOTE]Jude mentions that fallen angels are like Sodom, Gomorrah, and those other cities on that plain. They are reserved by God to be a demonstration of His hatred for sin and sinful creatures. It is that same doctrine of reprobation that applies to all the finally impenitent at the day of judgment.

 

[PrettyboyAndy]

The Bible tell you why in Hebrews 6. Those who have tasted the fruit of Heaven and reject it can never be turned back to God this is an unforgivable sin or as 98 said rejection of The Holy Spirit. That is for the fallen angels. satan is different he has already been judged and is damned as one of his names is son of perdition. This is why at the end he is thrown straight into the fire no judgement is given, or day of judgement. In fact now talking about it it maybe that everyone who commits an unforgivable sin is judged and damned from that point on because there is no judgement for the anti christ either, he will not be there on the day of judgement or second resurrection having already been thrown into the fire. If this is true then fallen angels are judged at the first unforgivable sin, which could be the case because demons never asked Jesus if he was there to judge them it was always torment them. This would imply already receiving their judgement. but that is all new info i need to confirm the first part is solid about why they can not turn back.

Wow great answer! I never thought of these things.