https://youtu.be/XFk3WPsqoms?si=ep5utS_4UggcES0w
So from the get go in Study Article 18 and the theme :"Imitate the Faithful Angels" we read the following questionable statement in paragraph 1:
"WHEN Jehovah drew you to the truth, he invited you into a diverse and loving family of worshippers, which includes millions of faithful angels. (Dan. 7:9, 10) As we think of angels, we may reflect on how different they are from us. For example, the angels have existed far longer than we have been alive. (Job 38:4, 7) They are more powerful than we are. And they are holy and righteous to a degree that we cannot reach as imperfect humans.—Luke 9:26(=26For whoever becomes ashamed of me and of my words, the Son of man will be ashamed of that person when he comes in his glory and that of the Father and of the holy angels.)
When the Watchtower tells you that angels are holier than humans, they’re expecting you to just nod along without thinking too much about it. After all, angels have been around longer, they’re more powerful, and they live in heaven. That must mean they’re on a whole different level of holiness than us flawed, imperfect humans, right? Well, not exactly. In fact, not at all. The Bible, the very book the Watchtower claims to follow, says something quite different. But, of course, they wouldn’t want you looking too closely at that.
First off, let’s talk about who the Bible actually calls holy. Because if you ask the Watchtower, it sounds like holiness is an exclusive club, and humans—especially the ones not on the governing body—just don’t measure up. But when you open the Bible, you’ll see that it repeatedly calls faithful followers of Christ “holy ones.” Yes, actual human beings. Romans 1:7 says, *“to all those who are in Rome as God’s beloved ones, called to be holy ones: May you have undeserved kindness and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”* Notice it doesn’t say, “To all those in Rome, who unfortunately will never be as holy as angels.” No, it calls them holy ones.
And if that wasn’t enough, there’s 1 Corinthians 1:2: *“to the congregation of God that is in Corinth, to you who have been sanctified in union with Christ Jesus, called to be holy ones, together with all those everywhere who are calling on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours.”* Paul is talking about everyday Christians here, people just like you and me, and he’s calling them holy. If holiness was something reserved for angels, why would Paul use that term for humans—repeatedly?
But maybe the Watchtower would argue that even if Christians are holy, they’re still on a lower level than angels. Surely angels deserve a little extra reverence, right? Not according to the angel in Revelation who completely shut down John when he tried to show him some special honor. Revelation 19:10 says, *“At that I fell down before his feet to worship him. But he tells me: ‘Be careful! Do not do that! I am only a fellow slave of you and of your brothers who have the work of bearing witness to Jesus. Worship God!’”*
Imagine that. A mighty angel, appearing in a vision to the apostle John, and yet what does he say? *“I am only a fellow slave of you and of your brothers.”* No special titles, no claim to superior holiness, just a fellow worker in Jehovah’s purpose. And just in case John—or anyone else—didn’t get the point the first time, it happens again in Revelation 22:8-9: *“Well, I, John, was the one hearing and seeing these things. And when I had heard and seen them, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel who had been showing me these things. But he tells me: ‘Be careful! Do not do that! I am only a fellow slave of you and of your brothers the prophets and of those who are observing the words of this scroll. Worship God.’”*
It doesn’t get clearer than that. If angels are rejecting special treatment, why does the Watchtower insist on giving it to them? If angels themselves say they are just fellow servants, why does the Watchtower elevate them above Christians? It’s almost like the Watchtower is more interested in creating a hierarchy where certain humans are always reminded of their inferiority.
But here’s where it gets even more concerning. By teaching that angels are on a higher level of holiness, the Watchtower is setting up Jehovah’s Witnesses for serious deception. How? Because they’re conditioning them to trust angels over their own God-given ability to discern truth. And that is exactly what the apostle Paul warned against. In Galatians 1:8, he wrote, *“However, even if we or an angel out of heaven should declare to you as good news something beyond what we declared to you as good news, let him be accursed.”*
Now, why would Paul say that? Because he knew that not everything that looks divine actually is. Just because a message comes from an angel doesn’t mean it’s true. And yet, the Watchtower is priming Jehovah’s Witnesses to accept whatever an angel might tell them, as if angels are somehow immune to deception themselves. That’s dangerous thinking, especially when you consider that Satan himself *loves* to play dress-up as an angel of light.
That’s not just speculation—it’s straight from the Bible. In 2 Corinthians 11:14, Paul warns, *“And no wonder, for Satan himself keeps disguising himself as an angel of light.”* Think about that. If Satan masquerades as an angel of light, and the Watchtower is teaching that angels are holier than humans and should be revered, what exactly is stopping a Jehovah’s Witness from falling for a false angelic message? Nothing. Absolutely nothing.
This is the real issue with the Watchtower’s claim. It’s not just incorrect—it’s dangerous. By elevating angels, they are priming Jehovah’s Witnesses to trust messages that *feel* holy rather than testing them against the Bible. They’re creating a spiritual vulnerability that Paul explicitly warned against. And they’re doing all of this while completely ignoring the fact that the Bible already calls faithful Christians “holy ones” and that even angels themselves reject any kind of superior status.
So the next time someone tries to tell you that angels are holier than humans, ask them why Paul, John, and even the angels themselves disagree. Ask them why the Bible warns against blindly trusting angelic messages if angels are so beyond deception. Ask them why Christians are repeatedly called holy ones if they’re supposed to be on some lower level. And while you’re at it, ask them why the Watchtower always seems to have a vested interest in making sure regular Jehovah’s Witnesses feel just a little bit unworthy.
Because at the end of the day, holiness isn’t about being an angel. It’s about being faithful to Jehovah. And according to the Bible, that’s something humans—yes, even imperfect ones—are fully capable of.