Nature and origin of angels
Angels are created spiritual beings who serve God and carry out his will. Scripture presents them as distinct from God and from human beings, though they can at times appear in visible form.
At a Glance
Angels are created spiritual beings who serve God and carry out his will. Scripture presents them as distinct from God and from human beings, though they can at times appear in visible form.
Description
In Scripture, angels are personal, created beings who belong to the unseen order and exist to worship and serve God. They are not divine, are not to be worshiped, and are distinct from human beings, even though they may at times appear in human-like form when carrying out God’s message or protection. The Bible indicates that God made all things through the Son, which includes the angelic realm, so angels are part of creation rather than eternal beings. Scripture also speaks of holy angels and fallen angels, showing that some rebelled against God, though the Bible does not give a full chronological account of their fall. A careful definition should therefore affirm clearly that angels are real, created, spiritual servants of God while avoiding speculation about ranks, origins, or activities beyond what the biblical text states.