Institutes, Book 1, Chapter 14: (III)

Even in the Creation of the Universe and of All Things, Scripture By Unmistakable Marks Distinguishes the True God From False Gods.

Section 6: The Angels As Protectors and Helpers of Believers.

Scripture teaches us, for our comfort and consolation, and the strengthening of our faith, that angels are "dispensers and administrators of God's beneficence toward us." To prove this Calvin shows quite a few texts which show angels caring for people.

Section 7: Guardian Angels?

Here Calvin again shows his wisdom in interpreting Scripture: "But whether individual angels have been assigned to individual believers for their protection, I dare not affirm with confidence." There are a couple of texts which may suggest something like this (Daniel 10:13, 20, 12:1 and Matthew 18:10), but they do not clearly teach such a doctrine. Instead, "We ought to hold as a fact that the care of each one of us is not the task of one angel only, but all with one consent watch over our salvation."

Calvin then wrestles with Acts 12:15, in which Peter escapes prison and returns to the house he was staying in, and the people there think that it was Peter's angel. But "nothing prevents us from understanding this of any angel at all to whom the Lord had then given over the care of Peter; yet he would not on that account be Peter's perpetual guardian."

Calvin concludes this section by saying that people ought not derive more comfort from the thought of 'guardian angels,' "For if the fact that all the heavenly host are keeping watch for his safety will not satisfy a man, I do not see what benefit he could derive from knowing that one angel has been given to him as his especial guardian."

Section 8: The Hierarchy, Number, and Form of the Angels.

In this short section, Calvin basically says that we do not know enough about angels to say anything about how their ranks are arranged, exactly how they look, and how many there are. There are multitudes and legions of them, that is all we know. "Let us remember not to probe too curiously or talk to confidently."

Section 9: The Angels are Not Mere Ideas, But Actuality.

What we must affirm is that angels are indeed 'ministering spirits' (Hebrews 1:14), and not simply impulses or ideas of God through which he exercises his power. The Bible clearly teaches that angels are indeed "spirits having a real existence."

Section 10: The Divine Glory Does Not Belong to the Angels.

If there are people who think to low of angels, there are also many people who think too highly of angels, giving to them what is due only to God. Some people elevate angels so high that Christ almost becomes simply one of their number. This is done perhaps because God's glory, power, majesty and divinity shine through them, so that "nothing is easier for us than to fall down, stupefied, in adoration of them, and then to attribute to them everything that is owed to God alone." This even happened in Scripture (Revelation 19:10, 22:8-9), but the angel himself corrected such a mistake.

Section 11: God Makes Use of the Angels, Not For His Own Sake, But For Ours.

While God does not need to use angels to work out his plan, to realize his purposes, he does so "to comfort our weakness, that we may lack nothing at all that can raise up our minds to good hope, or confirm them in security." The Lord alone is our protector, but to give us more courage he reveals that he uses his multitude of angelic servants to carry out such protection (cf. 2 Kings 6:17).

Section 12: The Angels Must Not Divert Us From Directing Our Gaze to the Lord Alone.

Having said all this, we must realize that our gaze must travel from the angels to God--we cannot trust in angels without realizing that we trust them because they are God's servants. Angels are to lead us by the hand to God himself, and keep us in Christ, our one Mediator. "For as God does not make them ministers of his power and goodness to share his glory with them, do he does not promise us his help through their ministry in order that we should divide our trust between them and him."

_____________________________________

Reflection: How great a God do we have that not only protects, guards, and works things out to our benefit, but also does so in such a way that strengthens our weakness and comforts our frailty. He could do all things himself, in an instant, but in his wisdom he instead has decided to use his heavenly servants to work out his purposes in our lives. He condescends to work with out weaknesses to bring us to him, rather than harshly ignoring our weakness (which we shouldn't have anyways) and expecting us to follow him. In his grace he leads us gently, not harshly.

The caution of Calvin on the subject of angels is then something we should take to heart. With the great fascination which most ages have toward angels, we must stand firmly on the basis of scripture and look to God alone. His servants are sent to serve us for his sake--so we should not dwell on the work of the servant, but see the work of the servant and dwell on the one who commands him.