Elect Angels

[Tea]

What exactly were some angels elected to?

1 Timothy 5:21 (ESV)
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.

I don’t believe I can argue that they are elect in Christ because His death was solely intended for the atonement of human beings. Could it refer to angels who were elected not to fall, or does it simply mean angels elected for God’s special purposes?

 

[Zaatar71]

What exactly were some angels elected to?

1 Timothy 5:21 (ESV)
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.

I don’t believe I can argue that they are elect in Christ because His death was solely intended for the atonement of human beings. Could it refer to angels who were elected not to fall, or does it simply mean angels elected for God’s special purposes?

the elect angels do not sin. They do not need redemption

 

[Silverhair]

What exactly were some angels elected to?

1 Timothy 5:21 (ESV)
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.

I don’t believe I can argue that they are elect in Christ because His death was solely intended for the atonement of human beings. Could it refer to angels who were elected not to fall, or does it simply mean angels elected for God’s special purposes?

If we had a group of angels that were selected not to fall then you have to wonder why God would select a group to fall as then He would be working against Himself. But what we see is that Satan made the choice to reject the authority of God and 1/3 of the angels chose to follow him. So for me that rules out the first option.

So I see the elect angels as those that God has chosen for special purposes.

 

[kyredneck]

1 Timothy 5:21 (ESV)
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.

YLT

21​	I testify fully, before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the choice messengers, that these things thou mayest keep, without forejudging, doing nothing by partiality.

Doesn't necessarily mean other worldly beings, could simply be referring to pillars such as Peter, James, John, etc.....

 

[Ascetic X]

Got Questions says:

What are the elect angels? | GotQuestions.org

What are the elect angels? What does it mean that some of the angels are elect?

www.gotquestions.org

The Greek word for “elect” found in 1 Timothy 5:21 refers to being chosen or picked. This would indicate that God chose some angels not to fall with Satan.

The same word in the verse, eklekton, is used elsewhere for Christians who are elected and chosen by God in salvation (Romans 8:33; Titus 1:1).

The word suggests that the elect angels, like elect people, were chosen by God and cannot lose their elect position. None of the elect angels will rebel against God or lose their chosen status, just as Christians cannot lose their salvation as God’s elect children (John 10:28; Romans 8:38–39). Secure in their standing before the Lord, elect angels cannot sin or go against the commands of God but will remain faithful to the Lord forever.

Of course, the fact that the holy angels are “elect” does not imply they are “saved” in the same way that Christians are. Both angels and Christians are chosen and elected by the Lord, but only humans can experience the new birth, forgiveness, and other aspects of salvation. The elect angels cannot experience forgiveness, since they have never sinned.

Furthermore, Jesus died for humanity, not for angels. He took on human flesh and came to save mankind from their sins; His sacrifice was not to save the fallen angels (Hebrews 2:16). Angels “long to look into these things,” and are fascinated by the fact that the Son of God laid down His life to save humans (1 Peter 1:12). In this way, the election of angels is different from the election of Christians.

 

[Ben1445]

YLT

21​	I testify fully, before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the choice messengers, that these things thou mayest keep, without forejudging, doing nothing by partiality.

Doesn't necessarily mean other worldly beings, could simply be referring to pillars such as Peter, James, John, etc.....

As in the cases of the churches in Revelation chapters 2-3.
God is not giving messages to spiritual beings to correct the errors of churches.
The word angel should scripturally be understood as messenger first and then determined what kind of messenger afterwards with context.
This is another example of a word whose use has been almost completely inverted since translations.
In 1828,

AN'GEL, n. Usually pronounced angel, but most anomalously. [L. angelus; Gr. a messenger, to tell or announce.]

1. Literally, a messenger; one employed to communicate news or information from one person to another at a distance. But appropriately,


2. A spirit, or a spiritual intelligent being employed by God to communicate his will to man. Hence angels are ministers of God, and ministring spirits. Heb 1.

3. In a bad sense, an evil spirit; as, the angel of the bottomless pit. Math. 25. 1 Cor 6. Rev 9.

4. Christ, the mediator and head of the church. Rev 10.

5. A minister of the gospel, who is an embassador of God. Rev 2 and 3.

6. Any being whom God employs to execute his judgments. Rev 16.

7. In the style of love, a very beautiful person


Outside of churches, the primary definition in use is definition seven. Definition one is practically unheard of.

 

[Kai]

1 Timothy 5:21 identifies the angels as elect, but it does not explain what they were elected to or explicitly define the nature of their election.

The most common understanding is that these are holy angels who remained faithful to God, in contrast to the angels who rebelled with Satan. Their election would refer to God's choice of them to remain in His service and enjoy their established position.

However, we should be careful not to read more into the passage than it actually says. It does not tell us when or how this election occurred, whether it involved a particular purpose, or precisely how it relates to the doctrine of election as applied to human salvation.

 

[Ben1445]

1 Timothy 5:21 identifies the angels as elect, but it does not explain what they were elected to or explicitly define the nature of their election.

The most common understanding is that these are holy angels who remained faithful to God, in contrast to the angels who rebelled with Satan. Their election would refer to God's choice of them to remain in His service and enjoy their established position.

However, we should be careful not to read more into the passage than it actually says. It does not tell us when or how this election occurred, whether it involved a particular purpose, or precisely how it relates to the doctrine of election as applied to human salvation.

It could be a more natural explanation and be referring to chosen messengers. Another way to say choose messengers could be found in the statement ordain elders. While the meaning of the words elder and angel carry different meanings they are not so far removed from each other.

I doubt very much that Paul was charging Timothy with a duty and swearing him to it by the authority of heaven’s angels.

 

[Deacon]

ἐκλεκτῶν ἀγγέλων - you almost don't need to know Greek to read it

It probably is not differentiating those in the heavenly realm from those condemned to judgement since:

1) the term "angel" already tell us that these are the ones in the heavenly realm.
2) these angels are "in the presence of God and of Jesus Christ".

Adding the qualifier "elect" identifies them as angels that YHWH has appointed/chosen/elected to a certain task.

Rob

 

[Ascetic X]

It could be a more natural explanation and be referring to chosen messengers. Another way to say choose messengers could be found in the statement ordain elders. While the meaning of the words elder and angel carry different meanings they are not so far removed from each other.

I doubt very much that Paul was charging Timothy with a duty and swearing him to it by the authority of heaven’s angels.

No reason to doubt it.

Paul lists God, Jesus Christ, and the elect angels, all of whom are in heaven. This gives the charge a celestial solemnity.

1 Timothy 5:21

I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels, that thou observe these things without preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality.

 

[Ben1445]

No reason to doubt it.

Paul lists God, Jesus Christ, and the elect angels, all of whom are in heaven.

Scripture references for this assumption??

This gives the charge a celestial solemnity.

1 Timothy 5:21

I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels,

Isn’t this kind of like swearing by heaven?
Aren’t we instructed not to do that?

that thou observe these things without preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality.

I finds that when people read the word angel, while they might not immediately think cupids, it isn’t much better.
The use of the word angel to strictly mean heavenly messengers means that two chapters in the book of Revelation are not even written to men. That alone should cause a person to question the meaning of the word angel.

 

[Ascetic X]

Scripture references for this assumption??

1 Timothy 5:21

I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels.

You do not understand that all 3 are in heaven?

Isn’t this kind of like swearing by heaven?
Aren’t we instructed not to do that?

No, it is not swearing, it is charging or commanding.

I finds that when people read the word angel, while they might not immediately think cupids, it isn’t much better.
The use of the word angel to strictly mean heavenly messengers means that two chapters in the book of Revelation are not even written to men. That alone should cause a person to question the meaning of the word angel.

Cupids are not angels.

Which chapters of Revelation?

 

[Van]

Does 1 Timothy 5:21 refer to non-human spiritual angels, or to born anew believers bringing the message of the gospel? In other words, could this be translated as "elect" messengers?" If this is the right understanding, then Timothy is being told to keep the faith, and provide the same God credited faith as held by the other true messengers of the gospel.

Why or why not?

 

[Kai]

Adding the qualifier "elect" identifies them as angels that YHWH has appointed/chosen/elected to a certain task

What do you suppose that task might be?