Oh My God!

By carolynpriesterjones on July 25, 2024

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Recently the question was posed of what happens to a very evil person when they have a face to face meeting with God.

Some think of a place called hell. The exact location, environment, and even time of arrival vary. Some have already experienced what they call "hell on earth."

Some believe "eternity" is defined as a period of time. Therefore, they deduce a punishment in hell would last for a time period called "forever."

However, Jesus defined eternal life in another way. And he said it plainly.

Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.

John 17:3

Who is God? John tells us.

God is Love.

1 John 4:8

What Power does Love have? Paul gives one of the most exciting revelations in The Bible when he says,

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from The Love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8:38-39

So what happens when sinful people encounter The Living God?

Isaiah described his encounter with God.

He "saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple."

Isaiah 6:1

One would think Isaiah would have been thrilled, but this is how he responded.

"Woe to me!" I cried. "I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen The King, The Lord Almighty."

Isaiah 6:5

But Isaiah was not ruined. He became a major prophet, who God used to foretell the birth of Jesus.

Peter had his first encounter with Jesus miraculously providing so many fish his boat was overflowing. Peter knew he was in The Presence of One Who not only had The Power to provide, but was willing to provide for him.

How did Peter respond?

When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus' knees and said, "Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!"

Luke 5:8

But Jesus did not go away. He stayed and made Peter The Rock upon which He built His Church.

The thief on the cross knew two things. He was suffering justly for his sins. And somehow, in spite of his sins, God Himself had come and was suffering with him. Pure Love called to him. Pure Light swallowed up his darkness. And he went home with The Lord.

Luke 23:41-43

Paul said,

For now we see through a glass, darkly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; but then shall I know, even as also I am known.

1 Corinthians 13:12

Now when we look in the mirror, we see ourselves and others as we believe them to be from their outside appearance.

When the fog clears on that mirror, we see more clearly. In The Light, we see ourselves as we truly are … sinful people.

But the beauty of it all is that God breaks the mirror. We see Him Face to face!

And He says, "Look again. This is who you really are. This is who I created you to be!"

Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is!

1 John 3:2