Wassup God?

Recently a friend and I got to discussing what it would be like when we meet God. What will we say? I said that I was going to say that it is Christ who has covered me and redeemed me. He said that he'll probably just say "Wassup God?" because, in his words "No one is perfect and God, of course, is not either. Who knows what it will be like, so just be cool about it!"

I maintained that God is perfect and holy.

Two passages come to my mind.

 Thinking of the verse in Philippians 2 that speaks of Jesus, humbled to become a man, obedient to die on a cross, exalted by God who has given him a name which is above every name, such "that at the name of JESUS, every knee should bow and every tongue should confess that He is Lord", I started thinking more about what will happen when we meet God.

Will everyone be so in awe of Him when they see him that even the very hardest hearts will melt and will bow their knee before the King of Kings?
Or, Will they be forced to bow before Him? Is He so deserving or desiring of praise that He will force everyone to honor Him with the respect He deserves?


John says in Revelation 1:17&18 that  "When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: 'Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and hell'".

What John saw, he described. His face alone was like the shining sun, his eyes like blazing fire, his voice like the rushing waters. This character is not the type to be buddies with. It is the type to honor and respect and praise.

In Revelation 5 the angels sang

“Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain,

to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength

and honor and glory and praise!” 

Then John says in verse 13 that he heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing:

“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb

be praise and honor and glory and power,

for ever and ever!” 

I would suggest that everyone will have recognized            (1)who the Lamb is and (2) that He is worthy of praise.

The second passage that came to my mind was the one in Romans.

Romans 14: 9-11 "For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living. You, then, why do you judge your brother? Or why do you look down on your brother? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat. It is written: ‘As surely as I live,’says the Lord ‘every knee will bow before me; every tongue will confess to God.’ So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God".

Speaking to believers in the verses preceeding verse 9, Paul explains how one man's faith allows him to do something that would cause another person to stumble and that God has accepted each person who has come to Him. It is between that person and God. Verse nine then has gone on to explain that it was for this reason that Christ died and returned to life- so that He could be Lord. Verse ten asks why do you judge considering that, since God has accepted each one on His terms, every. single. one. of. you will stand before God's judgement seat. One person is not better than another. One person is not worse. "Everyone has sinned and fallen short of God's glory". (Romans 3:23)

To me, this is a blatant reminder that I am no different in God's eyes than                                                                          The lady with a "Help pay my electric bill" sign at the corner,
  or The guy who works in the auto parts store,                               or The lady who is behind bars,                                                       or The millionaire who works hard to put a tax on
                                                         cows' emissions.
The only thing that sets me apart from some people is that I have been redeemed by Christ. I have chosen to live my life for Him and because of His amazing grace I am a new person.

Because I am a new person, can I just go on with my life, living for myself? I think not.

In reading a bit in Revelation, I came across this passage and I was struck again with a fact that I did already know, but... the liars and unbelievers are listed with the murderers and sorcerers. In God's eyes they are the same. Sinners.

"I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts.  He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son.  But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.” Rev. 21: 6-8

What are we as Christians doing to teach others of Christ's forgiveness and redemption? What are we doing to tell them that He can be their God, that they can have life, and that because of what Christ has done for them, they do not have to have their part in the lake of fire?

"Therefore, you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect." Matthew 24:36-44

"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven." Matthew 5:16

"But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear."  1 Peter 3:15

"For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved." John 3:17