What If God Interviewed You?

What if you were being interviewed by God Himself? How would you respond to His questions? How would the interview go?

First of all, one’s role in the Kingdom of God is not determined by a brief interview. 

Instead, God will judge converted Christians by a lifetime of commitment and diligence in living His way of life (2 Peter 1:10-11). If we faithfully resist the pulls of our human nature and Satan and strive to do God’s will (Matthew 7:21), God graciously promises us entrance into the Kingdom of God (Romans 8:17; 2 Timothy 2:12; Revelation 20:4).

With that being the case, let’s just hypothetically imagine that God did use a series of interview questions to determine our readiness for a position in His Kingdom. What might He ask? How would you answer?  

Of course, this is purely hypothetical. We know and understand that God knows us better than we know ourselves and doesn’t need to interview us to truly know us. He sees all. He doesn’t judge us by the answers we give in words, but by the testimony of our lifelong pattern of thinking and living. 

Purpose of a job interview 

In the job market, the purpose of an interview is to identify potential employees who have character and skills that align with the company’s culture and goals. What about us as Christians? Does our character align with the culture and goals of the Kingdom of God?  

Thinking about some of the questions God could hypothetically ask can help us evaluate how our lives measure up to His expectations for us.   

Question 1: Tell Me about yourself.

This is probably one of the most common job interview questions, but it is one few know how to properly answer. By looking at someone’s résumé or profile, an employer can easily determine a person’s qualifications and skill levels. Likewise, God already knows each and every human being intimately and is aware of the intentions of our thoughts and motivations (Psalm 139:1-16; Jeremiah 17:10; Luke 16:15). Considering that God already knows us personally, how is one meant to answer this question?

From a biblical perspective, the reason for this question would be to determine how much one has sought to please God and serve his or her fellow human beings. As counterintuitive as it may sound, the self should take a backseat to outgoing concern and care for others. A better way to think of the question might be, “Can you give Me an account of yourself?” 

The apostle Paul described himself as a bondservant of Jesus Christ, a man called to spread the good news of the Kingdom of God (Romans 1:1) while serving God’s people (verse 9). Paul’s focus was on what he was doing to please God and his service to others.

An example of the attitude God is looking for can be seen in Christ’s parable about the tax collector and the Pharisee (Luke 18:9-14). While the Pharisee’s prayer was one of self-righteousness, complacency and self-indulgence, the tax collector is described with a repentant and contrite heart (Psalm 51:17). God is pleased by this attitude of humility.

This leads into the second interview question.

Question 2: Why should you be given this position?

This question is a little easier to answer. Though eternal life is a free gift (Luke 12:32), God is also offering positions of service and rulership in His Kingdom. However, there are qualifications a Christian must have to be prepared for these positions. While interviewing a prospective employee, the interviewer usually has at his or her disposal a list of the qualifications required.  

Some of the qualifications needed to serve in God’s Kingdom include: 

• A repentant attitude (Matthew 3:1-2).
• Actively doing the will of the Father (Matthew 7:21).
• Demonstrating spiritual growth (Luke 19:11-27).
• Living righteously with peace and joy in the Holy Spirit (Romans 14:17).
• Being converted and spiritually innocent and humble like little children (Matthew 18:1-4).
• Obeying all of God’s commandments (Matthew 5:19).
• Displaying the fruit of God’s Spirit at work in your life (Galatians 5:22-23). 

The apostle Paul gave a commendable account of himself for fighting the good fight to the end of his life. He could have confidence that God would reward Him with “the crown of righteousness” (2 Timothy 4:6-8).

Question 3: How would your friends and family describe you?

This question should motivate us to evaluate the fruit of our lives as Christians. Are we bearing good fruit that is evident in the eyes of others—especially those who are closest to us and know us the best? Would the descriptions be consistently similar regardless of who is asked to describe us?

As an example, Paul gave Timothy some advice on how an elder should be described. He used terms such as blameless, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable and having a good testimony  (a good reputation) inside and outside the Church (1 Timothy 3:2-7). As Christians, we are ambassadors for Christ and should be walking and talking examples of God’s way of life. 

If we are truly living our faith, those in contact with us will take notice. 

But does this mean our position in God’s Kingdom is guaranteed? Not necessarily. The last interview question will help determine our ultimate readiness.

Question 4: How soon can you take the job?

There are a couple of different ways to ask this question:

• How long have you been ready to start the job?
• Will you be ready months from now, or will it be years?
• How prepared are you?
• Are you the type of person who gives up when the going gets tough?

The point of the question is to determine whether we will always be ready and prepared. The Bible warns us that the Day of the Lord can come as a thief in the night. As Christians, we must live as if Christ could return at any moment, and we must not be found unprepared (1 Thessalonians 5:2-6). Christians must put on the whole armor of God and stand firm against all opposition to God and His Word (Ephesians 6:13-17).

Again, we will never be interviewed by God in this manner. Our interview is ultimately our life pattern and example. 

How will your life stand when all is said and done?