Could more of the angels sin?

what does the bible say?

The Bible makes it clear that God is sovereign. It also makes clear that, in some way, He has elected certain people to be His people and to live out the purposes He has for them. Although we do not know exactly how this works with our decisions, it is clear that election is a biblical doctrine. Angels were created with a will as well, yet some of them sinned and rebelled against God. The Bible tells us that salvation is for humanity and not the angels; therefore, based on that and the fact that Scripture does not give us any more examples of angels rebelling, we can assume that their rebellion was a one-time thing. No more of the angels can sin, and the ones who did sin will receive their punishment in the lake of fire. Humanity, on the other hand, has the ability to reject or receive Christ until they die. We are called to respond to God’s call of salvation while there is still time.

from the old testament

God’s sovereign decisions are found throughout Scripture. God chose Abram as the father of the nation of Israel (Genesis 17:1–4). In Deuteronomy 7:6, we see that God chose the nation of Israel as His own people. First Samuel 16:7 tells us David was chosen as king.

from the new testament

God’s specific sovereign choice is also found in the New Testament. God chose Mary as the mother of Jesus (Luke 1:30–31). God chose Paul to bring the gospel to the Gentiles, as He told Ananias in a vision: "But the Lord said to him, 'Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel'" (Acts 9:15).The Bible also talks about believers as being "chosen" by God. Ephesians 1:3–4, for example, says, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him."First Peter 2:9 says, "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” Believers are chosen to be His people and to live differently, in the light and not in darkness.Hebrews 2:16 tells us that salvation is not for the angels.First Timothy 5:21 mentions "elect angels." No matter how a person views the specifics of election, it is clear that God was somehow involved in choosing even the angels who would not sin. When it comes to the angels, since the plan of salvation does not involve them, it appears that God gave them a one-time choice. Those who followed Satan cannot repent and turn to God. Those who did not follow Satan have remained loyal to God and are secure in that decision. The Bible gives us no reason to believe that more angels could sin.

implications for today

The question of whether more angels could sin encourages us to reflect on the nature of free will and the consequences of rebellion against God. While Scripture indicates that angels who rebelled, Satan and his followers, have made irrevocable choices, it reminds us that we, too, are endowed with free will and the responsibility to choose righteousness. This understanding invites us to be vigilant in our spiritual lives, recognizing that the decisions we make can have lasting implications for our relationship with God. Thankfully, we have a choice that is not permanent until we are no longer alive. As long as we live, God wants us to turn to Him (1 Timothy 2:3–4; 2 Peter 3:9). Instead of putting this response off, we should respond to God’s call to salvation, knowing that we are not guaranteed tomorrow. And if we are saved, we should walk in the Spirit (Romans 8) and abide in Christ (John 15), seeking to walk in obedience because of our love for Him and not in rebellion, as the fallen angels did.