Why did Angels sin?

The question came from an acquaintance who had attended a university (motto: “engaging the culture, changing the world”) and when she inquired of a professor the question she received an inadequate response.

That puzzled me, because the university website reveals that it was:

“Established in the Pacific Northwest more than a century ago by Free Methodist pioneers, it is a comprehensive Christian university of the liberal arts, sciences and professions.”

I’m puzzled as to how do you engage the culture and change the world if you don’t have at least a few thoughts to share?!? Now, I like Methodists. In fact, in matters of predestination my theological beliefs are very close to Wesleyan constructs. So now I was not only puzzled, but troubled that a higher institution claiming Christian origins would leave a question like that hanging in the breeze.

But I digress – my issue is not with the university, although I would enjoy talking with the professor to understand why he/she could not give even a basic reply or point to other resources. But let’s move on!

Well, let’s set up some foundational propositions and work back to the question. The premise of the question is found in a presupposition that when deconstructed, could go in this manner:

1. God is perfect.
2. God created everything, including angels.
3. Angels were created into a universe where there was no sin.
4. Angels existed then in a perfect, sinless universe.
5. Therefore, having not been exposed to sin they would have not sinned.

But we know that they DID sin (2 Peter 2:4, Jude 1:6)!

So, the construct then plays out the same as above except for the last line but notice what happens when we leave the prefix to that line the same:

1. God is perfect.
2. God created everything, including angels.
3. Angels were created into a universe where there was no sin.
4. Angels existed then in a perfect, sinless universe.
5. Therefore, angels sinned.
   

That is a crucial point, and here is my premise:

The universe that the angels existed in did not cause them to sin, or to say it in another way their sin was not cause by outward circumstances.

Therefore, the construct then takes a different form:

1. God is perfect.
2. God created everything, including angels.
3. Angels were created into a universe where there was no sin.
4. Angels existed then in a perfect, sinless universe.
5. But, angels sinned.

It is for that word swap, replacing “therefore” with “but” which leads us back to the question – why did angels sin?

Based on my premise above, nothing ‘forced’ them to sin. God did not hold a gun to their little angelic heads and say “OK, look – you need to sin so that me (God) cannot be blamed for the problem of evil in the world”. Christian theology maintains that God did not create evil, but He created the potential for evil. This potential is akin to free will.

So where am I going with all this? I believe the question can be answered in this way – angels sinned because they were created with free will – to sin, or not to sin. Some angels made a choice and sinned, some did not.

Some people, out of free will - will accept salvation through Christ’s sacrificial death. Some will not. Now the topic of free will has to be accompanied in context with “her twin sisters” – predestination and sovereignty, but that is not the purpose of this small study.

Hamartiology is the doctrine of sin, and in James chapter one we find these words:

When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

We ask again though, the angels existed in a perfect universe – what temptation was there for them?

Because angels were created with attributes that seem to consistent with mankind (mind or intellect, will, emotions) the temptation for them was to see God’s power, His majesty, His dominion – and instead of responding with worship, desire to usurp it for their own. We acknowledge that the first created being to sin was Satan, and that he organized a rebellion causing his ousting from Heaven.

Satan’s pride and inordinate desire prompted him to turn the free will that God had given him against God’s will, in self-will. Therefore, this rebellion was a conscious act of the will, as all sin is. Isaiah 14:12-14 describes what theologians describe as the five “I wills” of Satan that led to his downfall:

1. I will ascend into heaven
2. I will exalt my throne above the stars of God
3. I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation in the sides of the north.
4. I will ascend above the heights of the clouds.
5. I will be like the Most High.
   

To harmonize with James, we could say that Satan first thought these things in his heart, then he acted on them, and his actions (sin) caused his separation from God – just like we do.