Do Angels Love or Have Feelings?

LivnForChrist

Jesus Christ is Lord
I was having a conversation with my mom and she was talking about some so called preacher
that she watched and he was talking about how angels don't have feelings. I haven't given
it much thought. What do you think?
 

BobFin

New Member
I was having a conversation with my mom and she was talking about some so called preacher
that she watched and he was talking about how angels don't have feelings. I haven't given
it much thought. What do you think?

This is just a quick response, I still need to look up the scripture, but I believe there is scripture that talks about angels rejoicing. This would be emoting a feeling IMO. I will look it up later and post it if I find it.
 

Forgiven

Member
I'm sure there are others who know more verses to verify angels have feelings, but this may be a good starting point...


JOY
"Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents."
Luke 15:10

When the morning stars sang together, And all the sons of God shouted for joy?
Job 38:7


WORSHIP
But when He again brings the firstborn into the world, He says: "Let all the angels of God worship Him."
Hebrews 1:6




LUST
There were giants on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men and they bore children to them.
Genesis 6.4



CURIOSITY
To them it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to us they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven--things which angels desire to look into.
1 Peter 1.12



PRIDE
"How you have fallen from heaven, O star of the morning, son of the dawn! You have been cut down to the earth. You who have weakened the nations! “But you said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God, and I will sit on the mount of assembly in the recesses of the north. ‘I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’
Isaiah 14:12-14
*1/3 of the angels who followed Lucifer were prideful, too

"Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty; You corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor; I cast you to the ground, I laid you before kings, That they might gaze at you.
Ezekiel 28.17


FEAR (in fallen angels: demons)
So the demons begged Him, saying, "If You cast us out, permit us to go away into the herd of swine.
Matthew 8:31

And he cried out with a loud voice and said, "What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I implore You by God that You do not torment me."
Mark 5:7
 

mattfivefour

Well-Known Member
The following verses are usually cited as demonstrating that angels experience emotion:

"When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?" (Job 38:7)

"And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying," (Luke 2:13)

"I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance." (Luke 15:7)

"Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth." (Luke 15:10)

So, according to some, we have angels shouting for joy, praising God, and experiencing joy. But semantically, those verses do not say that. Job 38:7 depends on our interpretation of "the sons of God" (bene elohim) as being specifically angels. That Satan, a fallen angel, came among them does not ipso facto mean that those he came among were also angels. And Luke 2:13 does not say that the angel praised God but that a multitude of "the heavenly host" praised God. Likewise, the verses in Luke 15 do not say that the angels experienced joy, but rather that there was joy "in Heaven" and joy "in their presence". The joy could have been that of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Now that is one side of it. The other is this:

"And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God." (Revelation 7:11) Here it is clear that angels can worship. Now, worship springs from emotion: It can spring from no other place.

"And, behold, they (the demons in the Gergesene demoniac) cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time? " (Matthew 8:29) "And when he went forth to land, there met him out of the city a certain man, which had devils long time, and ware no clothes, neither abode in any house, but in the tombs. When he saw Jesus, he cried out, and fell down before him, and with a loud voice said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God most high? I beseech thee, torment me not. For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man." (Luke 8:27-29a) Here it is revealed that demons (who are fallen angels) clearly fear. This is confirmed by the words the Holy Spirit gave James: "Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils (Greek δαιμόνια, demons, fallen angels) also believe, and tremble." (James 2:19)

"Unto whom (the prophets) it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into." (1 Peter 1:12) That latter clause indicates angels have desires.

"For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to pits of darkness, reserved for judgment." (2 Peter 2:4) "And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day." (Jude 1:6) Here it is revealed that angels have volition, for some chose to sin and sin requires volition. Thus they have their own freedom of will and can decide for or against God's will. Volition requires emotion and emotion requires volition. If one is to have free will, one must have the ability to desire one end or another.

So, from verses about angels in general and bad angels in particular we can safely conclude that they are creatures with the capacity for emotion. Applying that principle, then, we can (I believe safely) assume that the verses with which I began this post can also be interpreted not from the semantically literal standpoint that those who believe angels do not have emotion base their belief on, but from the comparitive basis by which ALL scripture must be interpreted. Thus, I hold with the belief that angels indeed have emotion, along with will.

I hope this helps.
 

BobFin

New Member
This is just a quick response, I still need to look up the scripture, but I believe there is scripture that talks about angels rejoicing. This would be emoting a feeling IMO. I will look it up later and post it if I find it.

It is Luke 15:10 - In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.

It says, "rejoicing in the presence of the angels", so I take that to mean the angels are rejoicing...but it doesn't say specifically they are rejoicing - just in their presence. :scratch: But I don't know who or what would be rejoicing if it wasn't them.
 

LivnForChrist

Jesus Christ is Lord
Thanks guys. Your responses help. I thought that they probably experienced emotions but
I needed some scriptural backup. :thumbup
 
Back
Top