Can God Be Lower Than Angels? Exposing Shaykh Uthman’s Bad Logic

Muslims like shaykh Uthman often try to dismantle the deity of Jesus Christ using logic he claims is bulletproof.

When speaking with a Christian recently, he made the argument:

“If Jesus was made lower than angels, then He cannot be God—because God can never be lower than angels.”

On the surface, that might sound compelling, but a deeper look reveals a misunderstanding not only of Christian theology but of God’s very nature and how He chooses to reveal Himself.

God Appearing in Human Form Isn’t New

God has entered His creation before in a form that appeared “lower.” Consider Genesis 18. The Lord appears to Abraham as a man. He walks, talks, eats, and shares a meal with him. He even walks toward Sodom and Gomorrah afterward.

“And the Lord appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day.” — Genesis 18:1

Was God any less divine in that moment? No. But He voluntarily limited His appearance and actions to interact with humanity.

Shaykh Uthman ignores one of the most foundational Christian doctrines: the dual nature of Christ. Jesus is fully God and fully man. During His time on earth, He humbled Himself in human form.

He took on flesh and became “a little lower than the angels”—not because He ceased to be God, but because He willingly entered the limitations of humanity.

“But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour…” — Hebrews 2:9

From the very beginning, even as a baby, angels worshipped Jesus. Luke records a multitude praising God at His birth (Luke 2:13–14).

Later, Jesus tells Peter He could call legions of angels to defend Him (Matthew 26:53). If angels worship and serve Him, how could He be “less” than them?

Jacob Wrestled with God: Human Logic vs Divine Mystery

To understand how God can appear limited without losing His divinity, we can look at Genesis 32. Jacob wrestled with a man who turns out to be God Himself, and eventually wins.

“And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day… And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.” — Genesis 32:24,28

Did Jacob beat God because he was stronger? Of course not. God let him prevail, much like a father lets his child win a wrestling match.

Power voluntarily restrained is not power lost. The same logic applies to Jesus' humanity. Share on X

Shaykh Uthman also insists that logic rules out the possibility of Jesus being God if He was ever lower than angels. But that logic assumes a God who is bound by human categories.

Christianity teaches that God is sovereign and can reveal Himself however He chooses—as a burning bush, a pillar of cloud, or a man.

So when Uthman demands a binary yes-or-no answer—“Can God ever be lower than angels?”—he imposes a false dilemma. God didn’t cease being divine when Jesus became a man. He simply chose to condescend in love, not limitation.

Can God Take on Flesh?

When pressed, Uthman compares the incarnation to lying. “Can God lie? No. So can God become a man? No.” But this is a false comparison.

Scripture affirms that God cannot lie:

“God is not a man, that he should lie…” — Numbers 23:19

But nowhere does Scripture say God cannot take on human nature. In fact, Scripture prophesies and fulfills it repeatedly.

“Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” — Isaiah 7:14

(Immanuel means “God with us.”)

So if God never said He cannot become man, the objection clearly comes from Islamic presuppositions imposed onto Christian doctrine.

The Real Issue: Imposing Islamic Beliefs on the Bible

Uthman’s real error is that he critiques Christianity through the lens of Islam. But Christianity is not Islam. We must interpret the Bible according to its own context and claims.

If someone wants to argue against Christianity, they must engage with what Christianity actually teaches. Not force it into Islamic categories, then claim it doesn’t make sense.

God doesn’t need to fit into our logic box. We fit into his, since He made the laws of logic.

The incarnation of Jesus isn’t a contradiction—it’s a divine act of humility and love. Share on X

The same God who walked with Abraham and wrestled with Jacob, took on flesh to walk among us and save us.

To explore more on how Christians understand the divinity of Jesus in light of Scripture and respond to street debates like this, check out this related article. Stay in faith and God bless.

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