Will it be forced on us?
There are many Christians who understand that people are free to choose or reject God now, but in the new world to come, they will not have that choice. After Christ returns, "every knee will bow" (Isaiah 45:23, Philippians 2:10, Romans 14:11) -- and the assumption is that not all of those knees will be bowed willingly.
After Christ starts to reign, the "rules" will change, and refusing to submit to God will not be a viable option.
Different groups take this assumption to the extreme and work out in great detail what the reigning Christ will have to do to rule the world. One such vision is maintained by the "Church of God" and its various offshoots. See, for example, "Tomorrow's Wonderful World".
And of course, Christians are not the only ones expecting the rules to change when the Messiah comes - many Jews and Muslims also expect the new world to be one where everyone else is forced to become like them.
What about the Baha'is?
Many people see the Baha'i Writings talk about the future, with a world government, a single language, and other wonderful things... and get scared!
Why?
Maybe it is because they are assuming that Baha'is plan to force it on everyone!
Baha'is say that the Messiah has come, and the Baha'i Faith is His instrument to establish the new world, the Kingdom of God. So, given the centuries of expecting God to force His will on an unwilling world, they must be assuming that Baha'is plan to do that!
But that fear couldn't be further from the truth!
Baha'u'llah maintains that God does not change His ways:
Know for a certainty, however, that whatever your hands or the hands of the infidels have wrought will never, as they never did of old, change the Cause of God or alter His ways. Baha'u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 224
That, and other quotes, mean that there will NOT be a time in the future where everyone will be forced to worship God! Even after the Second Coming, even in the Millennium, even when the Messiah comes and is reigning.
God Does Not Change!
This is not new. It is not a new message. He keeps saying it, and people keep missing the point! They keep expecting Him to change the rules in the future!
So, how will "every knee bow" in the new world? Especially if God won't force them?
Will He send out missionaries to trick everyone into worshipping Him? No. Will every baby born grow up loving God in spite of their parents and training? No. Will everyone be so scared of the miraculous displays of God's power that they give in and worship Him? No. Will everyone watch the evening TV news and see the Messiah/Christ/Mahdi sitting in Jerusalem and realize that Judaism/Christianity/Islam was right all along and they might as well worship him too? No.
God has never used these methods to spread His religion. And He never will. (Remember, God's ways don't change!)
So how did He do it, and how will He do it?
Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that heareth my word, and believeth on Him that sent me, hath everlasting life... (Jesus, John 5:24)
That's how.
When you hear His Word, you choose to believe in God and His Messenger... or not.
The first duty prescribed by God for His servants is the recognition of Him Who is the Dayspring of His Revelation and the Fountain of His laws, Who representeth the Godhead in both the Kingdom of His Cause and the world of creation. Whoso achieveth this duty hath attained unto all good; and whoso is deprived thereof hath gone astray, though he be the author of every righteous deed. It behoveth every one who reacheth this most sublime station, this summit of transcendent glory, to observe every ordinance of Him Who is the Desire of the world. These twin duties are inseparable. Neither is acceptable without the other. Thus hath it been decreed by Him Who is the Source of Divine inspiration. (Baha'u'llah, Kitab-i-Aqdas, para. 1)
All the "People of the Book" (Baha'is included) know that reading God's Word is the key to belief. The choice whether you believe what you read is up to you.
The task of Baha'is (and Christians and Muslims) is simply to get people to read and study God's Word. The hope of Baha'is is that you will choose to believe what you've studied, and act on it.
There is no compulsion in the Baha'i Faith. There is nothing forced on you. Nobody tells you what or how to believe. No one will make you do anything you don't choose to.
Here's a great example: one of the laws of the Baha'i Faith is called "The Right of God" and declares that 19% of your net wealth must be paid to the head of the Faith. But one of the most interesting and integral aspects of this "law" is that it must not be enforced by anyone! No one is allowed to know if you paid it, and you shouldn't pay it if you don't want to!
Central to the attitudes of those who follow the Baha'i Faith is that we don't force or trick anyone to believe. It is entirely up to you.
So why do people believe?
I don't know. I think it is a little different for each person. For me, when I took the time to read what Baha'u'llah wrote, and was willing to let it be true, I came to realize that it was. It made sense, a lot of sense. And He explained and made sense of so many things like the nature of God and His Manifestations, society, prophecy, belief, history, religions, life after death, prayer, the soul, and so on and so on. I "recognized Him". And once I did, it became my life-long desire to learn what He wants me to do, and do it!
In a sense, I've entered the "new world" that is coming. It is here, we just don't see much of it yet! I've taken my place at the Banquet Table of the King!
Blessed the insatiate soul who casteth away his selfish desires for love of Me and taketh his place at the banquet table which I have sent down from the heaven of divine bounty for My chosen ones. (Baha'u'llah, Tablets of Baha'u'llah)
Fortunately, there is room for everyone at that table!
That's the Baha'i message. The King has come, and the table is spread.
The road ahead may be a little rough, and it may take longer than we wish for the new world to become obvious to everyone, but God is in control and is patiently working out His plan for humanity.
From a distance, the world of tomorrow described by the "Church of God" looks remarkably similar to what Baha'is are expecting. But when you look closer, the means to get there are totally different. Their vision of forced changes is the one that scares me!
So how is the new world coming?
It is already here, and growing each day, one heart at a time. Already it is firmly established in every "people and nation" on this planet.
There is nothing to be scared about in the Baha'i message. God is at work, but He has not changed. He will not force you to believe.
Read His Words. Ask God to guide you. Be willing to reconsider what you have always known. And see for yourself what the new world is like.
Whensoever he hath fulfilled the conditions implied in the verse: "Whoso maketh efforts for Us," he shall enjoy the blessing conferred by the words: "In Our ways shall We assuredly guide him." (Baha'u'llah, The Kitab-i-Iqan, with quotes from the Qur'an)
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