My Sister is No Angel

To give you a little background, my sister and I were in a car accident in 1995. I survived and she went on to be with the Lord. After her death, well meaning individuals would say, "She's an angel now." or "God needed another angel." I knew then, as an 18 year old, that she was no angel (I don't mean that, as her brother, I knew she was no angel!). I knew theologically she did not become an angel. I have heard this sentiment many times over the years. The Bible, however, tells us a different story.

According to the Bible angels are created beings (Psalm 148:1-6, Colossians 1:16). They were created by God for a purpose. That purpose is to be His messengers, His servants if you will. Norman Geisler in his book Systematic Theology says, "The most common designation of God's spiritual creatures is angel, meaning 'messenger'. Angel is used 273 times in the Bible; these beings are the ones sent on errands to earth." (Geisler, Systematic Theology, 653.) They also serve believers (Hebrews 1:14).

While angels rejoice when a human repents of his/her sin (Luke 15:10), salvation is not for them (1 Peter 1:12, Hebrews 2:16). Humans were created by God as a different being all together from angels (Genesis 1:27, Psalm 8:4-8). Even Jesus, when answering a question about marriage in heaven, says humans will be "like the angels" not that they will become angels (Matthew 22:30).

In conclusion, Geisler points out, "The hierarchy of beings ranges from God to angels to human beings to animals to inanimate matter. Angels are beneath God; man is a little lower than the angels (Heb. 2:7), and humans are the crown of all creatures below them (Ps. 8:4-5)." (Geisler, Systematic Theology, 661.) We must ensure that our ideas and opinions align with Scripture. When our loved ones die in Christ they go to heaven (Philippians 1:23), but they do not become angels.