Angels: Do we have guardian angels today?
From the comments I’ve heard over the years, obviously many people think we do. There should be no doubt that angels are real, and ones have guarded over God’s people in the past. The Bible gives us examples that speak of “angelic” protection over God’s people. Here are some examples of that.
Exodus 23:20
20 Behold, I send an angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared. [Emphasis added]
Exodus 33:2
2 And I will send an angel before thee; and I will drive out the Canaanite, the Amorite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite: [Emphasis added]
2 Chronicles 32:21
21 And the Lord sent an angel, which cut off all the mighty men of valour, and the leaders and captains in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he returned with shame of face to his own land. And when he was come into the house of his god, they that came forth of his own bowels slew him there with the sword. [Emphasis added]
Psalm 91:11
11 For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep [SHAMAR = keep or guard] thee in all thy ways. [Emphasis added]
Again, there are many examples of this as it relates to God’s activity to provide angelic protection. This was also true during the earthly ministry of our Lord.
Matthew 4:11
11 Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him [Jesus Christ]. [Emphasis added]
Luke 22:43
43 And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him. [Emphasis added]
We even see what is stated as angelic activity in the rescuing of the imprisoned apostles.
Acts 5:19-20
19 But the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth, and said,
20 Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life. [Emphasis added]
Acts 5:19-20
19 But the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth, and said,
20 Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life. [Emphasis added]
But what about us today in this time of the Dispensation of Grace and for us as members of the Body of Christ? Is there any information about this sort of thing in the apostle Paul’s thirteen epistles that would relate to us today? Answer: Not at all! There’s not even one word about it. In an instant when we see God rescuing the apostle Paul He uses an earthquake, not angelic activity.
Acts 16:23-28
23 And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely:
24 Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks.
25 And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.
26 And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed.
27 And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled.
28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here. [Emphasis added]
What we DO have about angels in Paul’s writings is a warning not to worship them.
Colossians 2:18
18 Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, [Emphasis added]
Angels DO at times work in people’s lives today, but apparently only to deceive them.
Galatians 1:8
8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. [Emphasis added]
2 Corinthians 11:14
14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. [Emphasis added]
So, does all this mean we don’t have the angelic protection God’s people had in times past? No! We just have it in a different form. We’re not guaranteed physical protection by angels. We have everlasting spiritual protection because we are all indwelt by God, the Holy Spirt. Certain people in times past have had special enablement from Him but not never-ending indwelling. It is now His indwelling of us that protects us body, soul, and spirit.
1 Corinthians 3:16
16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? [Emphasis added]
1 Corinthians 6:19
19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? [Emphasis added]
All this is far superior to anything any Israelite ever had. How could any angelic protection be better than this?
Romans 8:9-11
9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
This is telling us that those who don’t have this indwelling of the Holy Spirit today are not even saved.
10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
11 But if [EI = if, and He did] the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. [Emphasis added]
Having said all this, just remember that there are Christians who die all kinds of ways every day. None of us is guaranteed life here another day, even another second. Unless the Rapture occurs first, we’re all going to die somehow, it’s just a question of how and when. The ratio is still one death for every birth. But no matter what happens to our physical bodies as believers, we know we have a new home in Heaven awaiting our arrival. The day will come when we’ll even get a new and everlasting body in which to dwell forever. And even though angels don’t have a ministry to us today, we all somehow have a ministry to them. There are hardly any details given about this, but the principle is stated. So, if you ever feel like you’re being watched, it’s because you are. As members of the Body of Christ we are under angelic observation every day.
1 Corinthians 4:9
9 For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men. [Emphasis added]
1 Corinthians 11:10
10 For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the angels. [Emphasis added]
1 Timothy 3:16
16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory. [Emphasis added]
1 Timothy 5:21
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. [Emphasis added]
And one last word on all this, just realize that Hebrews 1:14 is often given as a “proof text” for us all having a guardian angel, but that entire book is addressed to Israel, the Hebrews, not us today. We are not Israel; we are said to be members of Christ’s body. That’s not the same!
Therefore, never concern yourself about having a guardian angel. God will provide you with all the protection you’ll ever need. Meanwhile we need to be eagerly anticipating our resurrection as we continue our service to our God and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Titus 2:13-14
13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. [Emphasis added]
