By Editorial Staff
Can the Creator die while His creatures continue to exist?
One of the names and attributes of God is “the Ever-living”. It is not reasonable that the Lord of this universe is dead. Rather, He should have eternal life. He never died, nor will He die later on. If God can die, who else may look after the universe after His death? His death will lead to that of all of His creatures. Can the Creator die while His creatures continue to exist?
The Ever-living in Islam
In the Qur’an, God (called “Allah” in Arabic) is described as the Ever-living Who does not die. For example, We read:
Allah – there is no deity except Him, the Ever-living, the Sustainer of [all] existence. Neither drowsiness overtakes Him nor sleep. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. (Al-Baqarah 2:255)
We also read:
And rely upon the Ever-living who does not die, and exalt [Allah] with His praise. And sufficient is He to be, with the sins of His servants, Acquainted (Al-Furqan 25:58)
We further read:
He is the Ever-living; there is no deity except Him, so call upon Him, [being] sincere to Him in religion. [All] praise is [due] to Allah, Lord of the worlds. (Ghafir 40:65)
God is also described as “the Inheritor”, i.e. the One Who remains alive after the annihilation of the universe, in Whom everything will be vested. We read:
And indeed, it is We who give life and cause death, and We are the Inheritor. (Al-Hijr 23:15)
We also read:
And how many a city have We destroyed that was insolent in its [way of] living, and those are their dwellings which have not been inhabited after them except briefly. And it is We who were the Inheritor. (Al-Qasas 28:58)
God is also described as “the Everlasting”, i.e. the One Who continues to exist after the extinction of everything. We read:
Everyone upon the earth will perish, and there will last the Face of your Lord, Owner of Majesty and Honor. (Ar-Rahman 55:26-27)
The Ever-living in Christianity
In the Bible, the New Testament describes God as “the Living”. We read: “And saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein.” (Acts 14:15)
We also read: He said, “And what about you? Who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (Matthew 16:15-16)
Though Jesus is referred to as “the Son of the living God”, this description is not restricted to Jesus alone but is given not only to the people of Israel but also to the other peoples as well. We read: And in the place where it was said to them, “You aren’t my people,” there they will be called “the living God’s children.” (Romans 9:26)
However, unfortunately, the present-day Christian belief system is based on belief in Jesus’ death and killing at the hands of Romans and Jews. As a matter of fact, this belief goes against the very divinity of Jesus simply because God is supposed to be the Ever-living Who does not die. If God dies, all of His creatures will die and the whole universe will perish. Who may give life to and take care of the universe if God Himself dies?
In the New Testament, about Jesus’ death and killing, we read: At about three Jesus cried out with a loud shout, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani,” which means, “My God, my God, why have you left me?” After hearing him, some standing there said, “He’s calling Elijah.” One of them ran over, took a sponge full of vinegar, and put it on a pole. He offered it to Jesus to drink. But the rest of them said, “Let’s see if Elijah will come and save him.” Again Jesus cried out with a loud shout. Then he died. (Matthew 27:46-50)
Now, we may ask: how can Jesus be God though he died even for three days and three nights? Who else sustained the universe during the death of Jesus? If the three-person god in Christianity really happened to lose one of his three persons, how could the world survive in the presence of an incomplete god? If it could survive the death of one person of God, this very fact negates the divinity of this alleged person simply because the world did without and did not need him.
The true God is indispensable to this universe which cannot do without Him for it is in permanent need of His divine sustainment.
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References:
1- The Glorious Qur’an (Sahih International Translation)
2- The Holy Bible (Visit biblegateway.com)