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aborodki
Guest
Is a " Christ-like" redemption possible for the angels?
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Reepicheep
Guest
If you mean the rebellious angels – the demons – the Catholic teaching is that they are beyond redemption.
If you mean the righteous angels, those are in no need of redemption.
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aborodki
Guest
I meant the rebellious angels. can you explain to me why catholic doctrine holds that they are beyond redemption?
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Cluny
Guest
Orthodox doctrine holds the same thing. The rebellious angels knew what the consequences of their rebellion would be, and chose to rebel anyway.
Humans are not as prescient. We do not forsee all the consequences of our sins, especially the long-term ones.
There’s a story from one of the desert fathers.
A demon appeared to him and asked him, “How can I be saved.”
The monk prayed for three days and got the answer. He told the demon, “Simply say three times, ‘Lord, forgive me and have mercy on me.’”
The demon said, “I will NEVER say that!” and disappeared in a cloud of sulphur.
Humans are not as prescient. We do not forsee all the consequences of our sins, especially the long-term ones.
There’s a story from one of the desert fathers.
A demon appeared to him and asked him, “How can I be saved.”
The monk prayed for three days and got the answer. He told the demon, “Simply say three times, ‘Lord, forgive me and have mercy on me.’”
The demon said, “I will NEVER say that!” and disappeared in a cloud of sulphur.
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aborodki
Guest
So in other words, the demons are incapable of asking for forgiveness?
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peary
Guest
No. Angels belong to a different realm of Creation, not ours. They made their decisicion at the Beginning of Creation. They are spiritual beings who were able to “see the face of God”- which is why it is so tragic that a portion of them rebelled against that which they could see and understand. Their decision was final. Redemption was for the human race, not the angelic race which rebelled. Likewise, angels cannot live among us and marry and have children. They do not procreate and they do not have flesh.
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diggerdomer
Guest
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Jason_1977
Guest
Well, we can hope that Lucifer has the ability and the capacity for being penitant & for being redeemed, if that were true, then there would be no hell, right? Or it wouldn’t have any management anyway, lol.
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aborodki
Guest
Just curiosity. I just couldn’t understand how somebody can see the face of God, know that rebellion was going to end up in eternal damnation and still do it.
po18guy
Well-known member
See the Catechism, sections 392 and 393. The Angels choose once for all time. Their sin is eternal if they rebelled against God. The devil is beyond prayer, and so are his demons. The netherworld was created for them and is their eternal abode. Since they are pure spirit and possess no body, Jesus’ blood could not have been shed for their salvation. Additionally, God has no covenant with the Angels - only with man.
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