Muslims object: How can God die?" /> Muslims object: How can God die?" /> Muslims object: How can God die?" />

We will endeavor here, to compare Islamic theology vs. Christian theology to answer the question a Muslim may ask, which is "how can God die?"  To begin we quote John 1:1, because we must first establish WHO is the person who died, and then WHY.

  • In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God.
  1. The Word was in the beginning, and verse 3 of John 1 tells us the Word created all things.  so first we see the Word is eternal.
  2. The Word was with God....indicates a distinction within the Godhead, later to be fully clarified as Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
  3. The Word was God....indicates that the Word was, by nature and essence, God!

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. John 1:14.  This refers to Jesus, the Son. Christians do not say that God..... as He is in Himself... being in Himself eternal and incorruptible... we do not say that He died one day as God eternal & incorruptible.  What the Christian is saying is that the 2nd person of the Trinity (the Son) entered into the creation, taking on Himself human flesh, so that He could be the perfect sacrifice for sins, in order to reconcile sinners to Himself.

 

There may be an objection from Muslims that God could not or would not enter into creation. But even the Qur'an itself in 27:7-9 says that Allah was in a fire and spoke out of that fire. If Allah can enter into his creation and speak out of a fire, can God not enter into His creation as a man?  The honest objector must face this and agree it is indeed possible.

 

An example here may be helpful.  Muslims believe two things about the Qur'an, one is that it is the eternal word of Allah with no beginning nor end and that it cannot be destroyed.  They also recognize there is a physical Qur'an made of paper and glue and binding.  It is possible for a copy of that paper Qur'an to be physically destroyed. The Muslim would agree that a copy could be destroyed per its paper and ink, etc.  But they would argue that the eternal nature of their holy book is indestructible despite what may happen to a paper copy.  Thus in their view it has a physical and eternal nature.

 

Similarly, for logic, we propose a parallel thought to the Muslim reader to ponder. If you say that the "eternal Qur'an" cannot be destroyed, but the paper copy can, how is this different from the eternal Word of God, Jesus Christ, who entered into the creation as a man, and being One Who could die? He is eternally the One Who is Is and Was, as He said one day "Before Abraham was, I AM".  His entrance into humanity did not change His eternal essence as deity, but He did become a man (albeit a sinless one).  And as a man He did die physically as a substitutionary sacrifice, but again we insist, that would not touch His eternal nature as God, being One Who could not die.  

 

The real confusion here is not based on this blog's first question (how can God die?), but is actually a question related to errant Islamic concepts. The real issue is not about God being able to enter into creation, it is more about the question "would he?"  In Islam he would not, in the Bible He did.  To clarify let us ponder Love and Justice.

 

1. The flaw of Islamic Theology regarding LOVE:

  • Allah's love, justice and mercy are limited and imperfect
  • Allah does not love those who exceed the limits    2:190
  • Allah does not love any ungrateful sinner   2:276
  • Allah does not love the unbelievers  3:32
  • Allah does not love the unjust   4:36
  • Allah does not love the proud, boastful, extravagant, treacherous, mischief makers, arrogant boaster.

The god of Islam would not enter into the world to die for rebellious sinners, because he doesn't care about people.  This is why Muslims have difficulty understanding the incarnation and sacrificial death of Christ for sinners. He only seems to care for "good Muslims" and no one else.

 

2. The flaw of Islamic Theology concerning JUSTICE:

  • Allah's justice is limited and flawed
  • If Allah wishes to forgive you, he does so by just letting it slide, by fiat.
  • This is not justice, it may be considered somewhat merciful, but is not justice
  • At the end of time there will be unpunished sin, which is incomplete justice.

The God of the Bible.... in contrast....He is perfect, and His love and justice are perfect. Let us compare these concepts of Love and Justice to the Bible teaching in Romans 5:6-8 

  • For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.  For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet perhaps for a good man some would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Regarding justice.....In time, in Christianity, all sin is punished. Either in hell eternally where the unbeliever is punished forever, or upon Christ as the sinner's sacrifice and substitute.  This is why faith in Christ is the key issue for the salvation of sinners.  Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved!

 

It may be hard for the Muslim to grasp such love.  But we would suggest you consider a story.  If you were dressed in your finest robes, expensive and new, and your saw your child drowning in the river, would you not cast aside your robe to save the child that you love?  Why would it be so difficult to see that the God of heaven, of the Bible, would love even sinners so much that He would set aside His glory in the heavens, enter into the creation, and die a sacrificial death, and on the third day rise again?

 

Is your love.....if you agree that you would rescue your child....is your love greater....than God's?  

 

 

adapted from an online youtube message by David Wood/Acts17.  Be a Berean.  

 

note:  Wheatland Bible Chapel, by posting this article, would not agree nor suggest that the Allah of Islam is equivalent to the YHWH of the Bible, nor that the Qur'an is the eternal word of God in any sense. The article is meant to teach principles and contrast Islam to Christianity out of love to their fellow human beings.