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Question 489

Good afternoon Father, i hope your well, here is my question  In the beginning, there was only God and he created everything, why would he create angels that had the propensity to defy him?

 

 

Answer to Question 489

Angels were also created in God's image with the gift of free will and independence, having the possibility to choose between obedience or disobedience to God. This is the risk God took in creating the angels and man with free will and anything less than free will is nothing more than a mechanical robot programmed to praise God and do his bidding. 

 

The angel, as a created nature is also subject to change for only God is unchangeable. Thus an angel like man created with intelligence, free will and subject to change, has the power to either abide or progress in goodness or to turn towards evil. But even though they have the free will to move towards evil, they do not change easily: they are more steadfast in faith and obedience to God than man and after the fall of Lucifer, they have remained forever steadfast in holiness and goodness and through a special grace by God, can no more fall into sin.

 

Thus the angels were not created as perfect beings. They are changeable and like man are continually moving towards perfection, continually moving upwards to learn and understand God's never ending glory. They have the possibility to be perfect by continually partaking in the grace of the Holy Spirit, which is the source of their holiness. 

 

 

Another member

Does it follow from the above that God could also have the propensity to be bad as well as good? Is he not, because he also has free will and chooses good?

 

Reply

No, God is only good and can have no part with evil. He doesn't need free will because he is the uncreated and doesn't have to choose to follow anyone.