So the following bit has been going around in some social media circles.
THE BIBLE NEVER TELLS A CHRISTIAN TO TRUST IN ANGELS
“But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.” Galatians 1:8
Pope Francis, taking a shot at the Holy Spirit, said that we should “trust our guardian angels” to lead us and guide us in every aspect of our lives. That goes in direct opposition to the clear teaching of the bible that tells us the Holy Spirit, and Him alone, is our comforter and our guide.
“Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.” John 16:13
The teaching of the Catholic Church has always been that which is outside the bible. This nonsense on “guardian angels” is no different, anything to get you to take your eyes off of Jesus and His will for us in our lives.
According to the tradition of the Church, each of us has a guardian angel who protects us and helps make us aware of things, the Pope said at the Santa Marta residence Oct. 2. Often times, we have the feeling that “I should do this, this is not right, be careful.” This, he said, “is the voice of” our guardian angel: our “traveling companion.”
Our guardian angel will “carry us” throughout our entire life. For this reason, he said we should “listen to his voice, don’t rebel against it.” “Do not rebel: follow his advice.”
Concluding his homily, Pope Francis put forward the following question: “How is my relationship with my guardian angel? Do I listen to him? Do I wish him good morning? Do I say: ‘protect me during sleep’? Do I speak with him? Do I ask his advice? He is at my side.”
“We can respond to this question today, each and everyone of us: “How is my relationship with this angel who the Lord has sent to protect and accompany me along the way, and who always sees the face of the Father who is in the heavens?”
My first response to this would be to resort to an internet meme. And I’m not going to resist it.
But in more detail I would respond that the key to the verse quoted is the phrase “any other gospel”. If an angel were to preach another Gospel then it would be a fallen angel, even if it took the guise of a loyal angel. And in such case we all would do well to flee such a being.
In the NT we can find many references to angels being sent by God to humans. As Scriptural proof of guardian angels I would point to Acts Chapter 12 where an angel frees Peter from prison and when he goes to the house of Mary, mother of John Mark, we read the following:
12 So, when he had considered this, he came to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose surname was Mark, where many were gathered together praying. 13 And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a girl named Rhoda came to answer. 14 When she recognized Peter’s voice, because of her gladness she did not open the gate, but ran in and announced that Peter stood before the gate. 15 But they said to her, “You are beside yourself!” Yet she kept insisting that it was so. So they said, “It is his angel.”
Acts 12:12-15 (New King James Version)
I even cite it in the Protestant NKJV version so no on can disbelieve it as being from a Catholic translation. It’s obvious that others in the house assumed that the voice at the door was Peter’s guardian angel because they believed Peter was in prison. It was actually Peter at their front door as he had been released from prison by an angel. God has sent us the Holy Spirit, but He still makes use of his messengers (which is what angel means in Greek.)
And if one needs Biblical proof consisting of word directly from the lips of our Lord I cite the following:
“Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that in heaven their angels always see the face of My Father who is in heaven.”
Matthew 18:10 (New King James Version)
This verse has traditionally been used as proof for belief in guardian angels. I’m not really sure how else the phrase “their angels” can be understood.
Here we have direct Biblical proof of belief in guardian angels. That’s more than can be said of any belief in Sola Scriptura.
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