1st Timothy 5:21
1st Timothy 5:21 (see also 1st Peter 2:9)
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.
Notice that Christians are similarly referenced as a “chosen race” and a “holy nation,” according to 1st Peter 2:9: “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.”
The Calvinistic, Westminster Confession of Faith, states: “III. By the decree of God, for the manifestation of his glory, some men and angels are predestinated unto everlasting life; and others foreordained to everlasting death.” (Westminster Confession of Faith, III. Of God’s Eternal Decree, emphasis mine)
John Calvin comments: “Paul calls these angels elect, not to differentiate them from the reprobate angels, but because they are such excellent angels, whose testimony may stir up deeper reverence.” (1&2 Timothy & Titus: Calvin, The Crossway Classic Commentaries, p.93, emphasis mine)
Calvin adds: “...they stood fast because they were elect....” (Concerning the Eternal Predestination of God, p.160, emphasis mine)
In other words, John Calvin believes that “because they were elect,” they were prevented from falling, rather than being declared elect on account of not falling:
Calvin explains: “Paul gives the name of elect to the angels who maintained their integrity. If their steadfastness was owing to the good pleasure of God, the revolt of the others proves that they were abandoned. Of this no other cause can be adduced than reprobation, which is hidden in the secret counsel of God.” (The Institutes of Christian Religion, Book 3, Chapter 23, section 4, emphasis mine)
Calvinist, William MacDonald, explains: “The elect angels are those who have not been involved in sin or rebellion against God, but kept their first estate.” (Believer’s Bible Commentary, p.2097, emphasis mine)
If Calvinists wish to suppose that there was an Unconditional Decree of Election for Angels, on par with an Unconditional Decree of Election for Men, then consider the implication:
John Goodwin explains: “...if God loves no more men than those who come to be actually saved, he might properly and truly be said to be...a lover of angels, rather than a lover of men. Because if we shall restrain his love towards men only to those comparative few who will be actually and eventually saved, he will be found to love a far greater proportion of angels than of men....” (Redemption Redeemed, p.135, emphasis mine)
While 2/3’s of the angels have kept their faithfulness, a far less percentage of mankind has been saved. Therefore, if God’s redemptive love is expressed only in those who are actually saved, then the angels would rightly be said to be more loved by God than men. Furthermore, when Calvinists retreat from confessing an Angelic, Unconditional Decree of Election, they thus admit more to the meaning behind the term “elect,” which at 1st Timothy 5:21 is “elect angels,” than they care to elaborate upon further, and thus the Arminian naturally desires to carry such a meaning into the discussion of 1st Peter 2:9.
4-Point Calvinist, Ron Rhodes, comments: “All the angels were originally created good and holy, just as God made and pronounced all His creation good (Genesis 1:31; 2:3). For God to create anything wicked would be inconsistent with His holy character. Jude 6 affirms that originally all the angels were holy creatures. God did not create Satan and the fallen angels (demons) in a state of wickedness. Though all the angels were originally created in a state of holiness, Scripture indicates that they were subjected to a period of probation. Some of the angels remained holy. Others did not--following Lucifer’s lead, they rebelled against God and fell into great sin. Once the angels were put to the test to remain loyal to God or to rebel with Lucifer, their decision seems to have been made permanent in its effect. Those angels that passed the probationary test will now always remain holy. Those who failed the probationary test are now confirmed in their evil state. This is the reason the good angels are called elect angels in 1 Timothy 5:21. They are not called elect because they sinned and then were elected unto redemption (they never sinned during the probationary period). Rather, they are called elect because God intervened to permanently confirm (elect) them in their holiness so they could not sin in the future. Good angels are now incapable of sinning. The lines have been drawn, and the lines are now absolute.” (Commonly Misunderstood Bible Verses, pp.255-256, emphasis mine)
Lawrence Vance comments: “God ‘chose’ the angels that didn’t fall, hence they are denominated as ‘elect angels.’ The use of the term elect as applied to angels parallels that of Christ. The significance is not of selection but of appraisal or assessment. This is why they are also denominated as ‘holy angels’ (Mat. 25:31).” (The Other Side of Calvinism, p.367)
The obvious correlation, therefore, is that we are “elect,” not from the standpoint of being preselected unto faith, but elect from the standpoint of God’s appraisal or assessment of the believer in Christ.
Question: Who are the “chosen angels” and what does that title imply?
Answer: It may reference the holy angels (Matthew 25:31, Mark 8:38, Luke 9:26 and Revelation 14:10), or perhaps signify archangels, such as Michael who rebuked Satan (Jude 9), and Gabriel who announced the birth of Christ. (Luke 1:19, 26) Seven angels were appointed to hold the seven last plagues of Revelation (Revelation 21:9), and one was assigned to show the apostle John The New Jerusalem, whom John mistakenly worshipped. (Revelation 22:8-9)
Question: Although the Westminster Confession of Faith includes a reference to “angels,” most Calvinists are unwilling to draw comparisons with men and angels in terms of Election and Reprobation. Why is that?
Answer: Recall that Calvinism is supposed to be a 5-link chain, and that if any 1 link is broken, the whole thing snaps. Considering the angels, were they Total Depraved? Without dispute, they had Free Will. Thus, you should expect most Calvinists to shy away from building a case of Calvinistic Election and Reprobation around the matter of angels.
