In contending for the faith, I have brought forth the scriptures:
For it is written:
“As I live, says the Lord,
Every knee shall bow to Me,
And every tongue shall confess to God.”
(Romans 14:11)
which is a quote from Isaiah:
I have sworn by Myself;
The word has gone out of My mouth in righteousness,
And shall not return,
That to Me every knee shall bow,
Every tongue shall take an oath.
(Isaiah 45:23)
When I have said that this means that every human being who has ever lived will be reconciled to God, people often respond that "well in the resurrection everyone will know that Jesus is the King, and will have to bow and confess that it is true. But that doesn't mean that they are saved, its too late. Those who rejected Him in their life on earth are still going to hell forever."
I then point out that this bowing and confessing is, to the glory of God, as it says here:
Therefore God also has highly exalted Him
and given Him the name which is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus
every knee should bow,
of those in heaven,
and of those on earth,
and of those under the earth,
and that every tongue should confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
(Philippians 2:10-11)
Now lets consider what brings glory to God. They suggest that those who did not believe or worship Jesus before they died, are going to hell for eternity, but to the glory of God they will still "bow and confess that Jesus is Lord" and then be thrown into the fire of hell.
I ask them, "How that brings glory to God?"
And they give some kind of answer about God's justice, and these people recognise His justice, and that is to His glory.
Hold that thought for a moment.
If you are familiar with Daniel 3, the story of the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar made, and required everyone in his kingdom to bow down and worship, I can summarize the story. But if you are not familiar, please first read it here.
So the king said worship the image or you will be thrown into the furnace of fire.
So the choice is worship or burn!
Daniel's three friends did not bow down, and so they were thrown into the furnace.
But God saved them so there was not even the smell of smoke on them.
Who got the glory?
It certainly was not king Nebuchadnezzar, nor his image.
When Saddam Hussein was in power, I remember jokes going around about him. He required allegiance or death. He was despised around the world for it.
But some Christians want us to think that God is glorified for this kind of requirement.
But MUCH WORSE it is to think that God would get glory from eternally punishing those who do not worship Him. And FURTHERMORE since every knee will bow, and worship by bowing, it is not,
worship OR burn,
but,
worship AND burn! Forever!
NO, NO, NO, Never! That is not the God who is love! Horrible!
There is absolutely no 'glory' in that!