Matthew 18:10 “See that you do not disdain one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.”

John G. Paton, a missionary in the New Hebrides Islands, experienced the protective care of angels. Hostile natives surrounded his mission headquarters one night, intent on burning the Patons’ out and killing them. John Paton and his wife prayed all night that God would deliver them. When daylight came they were amazed to see the attackers unaccountably leave. They thanked God for delivering them. A year later, the chief of the tribe was converted to Jesus Christ, and Paton, remembering what had happened, asked the chief what had kept him and his men from burning down the house and killing them. The chief replied in surprise, ‘Who were all those men you had with you there?’ The missionary answered, ‘There were no men there; just my wife and I’ The chief argued that they had seen many men standing guard-hundreds of big men in shining garments with drawn swords in their hands. They seemed to circle the mission station so that the natives were afraid to attack. Only then did Paton realize that God had sent his angels to protect them. The chief agreed that there was no other explanation.

This account is one of a number that can be cited both from within and outside of Scripture to support the belief that God sometimes sends angels to protect people.

On the question of guardian angels, some relevant passages are:-

Gen 48:15f – the parallelism here indicates that this Angel was equal with God. There are good reasons for thinking that this ‘Angel of the Lord’ was none other than the pre-incarnate Christ himself.

Psa 91:11 ‘He will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways’ – There is nothing here about a permanently-assigned angel.

Mt 18:10 “See that you do not look down on one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.” – The context indicates that Jesus is speaking of childlike believers, rather than of children per se. Angels certainly minister to believers, though not on a permanently-assigned one-to-one basis. It is certainly a wonderful to know that the same angels who minister to us also have access to the throne of God in heaven.

Ac 12:6-15 When people think that they have seen Peter’s ‘angel’ there is no indication that the writer (Luke) endorses this or regards it as other than superstitious.

See also Ps 34:7; 91:11-12; Dan 6:22; Acts 12:15, Heb 1:14.

Some of the earlier Christian thinkers, such as Basil the Great, Origen, Chrysostom, Aquinas, held a belief in guardian angels – that is, belief that each person is permanently assigned a good angel whose role is to protect that person from harm.  Roman Catholicism generally teaches the same.

For example, Basil wrote:

‘Beside each believer stands an angel as protector and shepherd leading him to life.’

Calvin, followed by most protestants, denied that there is any clear support for this belief in Scripture:

‘Whether or not each believer has a single angel assigned to him for his defence, I dare not positively affirm.’

Hard Sayings of the Bible:

‘According to Mt 18:10 children (and presumably everyone) have angels that have direct access to God himself. They are usually called “guardian” angels, although we do not know if they guard anyone, just that they represent them before God. This “guarding” (if there is any) may be similar to what Jacob described as “the Angel who has delivered me from all harm” (Gen 48:16) -if this expresses a belief in a given angel accompanying him and caring for him. Protection through an angel also appears in Dan 3:28 and Dan 6:22, although it seems that these angels come for momentary deliverance rather than for continuous protection as in the Genesis account.’

France observes that angels are found in Dan 10 and Dan 12:1 as the representatives of nations, and in Rev 1:20 are representatives of the churches.  So ‘here even individuals have their heavenly representatives.’

Hendriksen, however, is more doubtful, noting that,

‘Passages to which an appeal has been made do not really confirm the theory. So, for example, Gen. 48:16 does not refer to a created angel (see the context, verse 15). Dan. 3:28 must be explained in the light of 3:25. As far as text and context are concerned this “angel” or “son of the gods” who had been sent for the protection and encouragement of Daniel’s friends remains a sublime mystery, and for that very reason can render no service in defense of the above-mentioned theory. The “angel” who was with Daniel in the lions’ den (Dan. 6:22) is said to have been God’s angel (an angel sent by God), not Daniel’s in the sense of being an angel who remained with and took care of the prophet at all times. And as to Acts 12:15, the apostles’ outcry—“It is his angel”—at the appearance of Peter, who had been imprisoned and securely guarded, but now suddenly stood before them no longer bound, must probably be ascribed to overwhelming amazement coupled with a measure of superstitious fear. In Heb. 1:14 the service which angels render to God’s children is ascribed in very general terms. Not a word is said about each believer having his own guardian angel.’

Dangers

One implication of the mistaken belief in guardian angels is that it encourages the idea that we can develop relationships with angels. So, Eileen Elias Freeman says,

‘Angels want to be our friends. They are companions on the journey of life on this planet, ancient fellow travelers, whose love and light and wisdom can enrich our lives immeasurably.’

And Terry Lynn Taylor says,

‘I’m suggesting that you become best friends with your guardian angel! Pretend you have an invisible best friend who witnesses everything you experience and with whom you can share insights.’

But such a belief in an imaginary friend, while normal in small children, is false and misleading in adults. Moreover, since most people have never had any contact with an angel, the techniques used to bring them into contact with their ‘guardian angels’ are very dubious, and may involve forms of occultism. The beliefs and practices of Doreen Virtue, whose books include “Healing with the Angels,” “Divine Guidance,” “Angel Therapy,” and “Archangels & Ascended Masters”, look very much like spiritualism. (It is to be noted the Doreen Virtue has renounced her earlier views).

Another implication of belief in guardian angels is that it sets up a false expectation of constant protection. This can lead either to rashness, or to disappointment or even irrational guilt if accidental injury occurs.

We can thank God, then, for the ministry of angels.  But we believe that the idea that each person has one or more guardian angels permanently assigned to them is fanciful and unwarranted from Scripture.