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Answer
The gospel message is for both young and old, for men and women of all races and cultures. As stated in Galatians 3:28, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.” But many who hear the message do not respond immediately. Some may not turn to God until they are well advanced in years.
In human terms, there could be various reasons for delaying a response to God until later in life—such as starting a family or a career, desiring to travel, or engaging in numerous sporting or social activities. Some may believe that God will understand and wait until their busy lives calm down so they can allocate some time for Him. Others may be too proud to admit their need for God. Some may lead comfortable lives through their own efforts and feel no necessity to turn to God. Some may simply be attached to their sinful ways. And there are those who are so convinced that they can earn their salvation through good deeds that they have not yet turned to God in faith.
Jesus shared a parable illustrating different individuals being called at different times. In Matthew 20:1–16, the master of the vineyard hires laborers to work in the fields. Some begin early in the day and agree on their wage. Due to the abundant harvest, the master has to employ more workers as the day progresses, even close to the end of the workday. Surprisingly, the master pays those who started late the same amount as those who started early. This parable highlights God’s sovereignty in calling whomever He chooses, at any stage of life. He regards those who join His service “late in the day” as equal to those who have served Him throughout their lives.
Even before creation, God already knew whom He would call: “For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his children through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will” (Ephesians 1:4-5).
ns through Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 1:4-5). God knows just the right time to call a sinner to repentance and salvation. Many can hear the outward call of God, for the seed of God’s Word is cast all over, but not all the seed lands on “good soil” where it can take root and produce a harvest (Matthew 13:1-23).
In addition to hearing the outward call, individuals must hear the inward call of the Holy Spirit, for it is He who convicts us of our sin and enables us to put faith in Christ (John 16:7-15). An example of this inward call is the conversion of Lydia: “The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message” «And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul. », (Acts 16:14). Paul gave the outward call, but it was the Holy Spirit who gave Lydia the inward call. Until that happens, we can never respond properly to the outward call. “The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit” «But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. », (1 Corinthians 2:14). It is God who draws us to Himself; He decides whom He will call and when He will call them. His timing is perfect.
God’s plan for us is hidden until God chooses to disclose it. Only in hindsight can we see how the Holy Spirit was aActive in bringing us to the point of salvation. We may recall something significant a Christian said that made us pause and reflect. Or we encountered individuals whose lives exemplified the love and humility of Jesus. Perhaps our circumstances underwent a drastic change, and we found ourselves in an unexpected place. Through seemingly random events, we eventually realized we were lacking something crucial, sparking our quest for God and a longing to be in a relationship with Him. For each believer, the conversion story is unique, yet the common thread is the Holy Spirit’s guidance and the Word of God’s ability to generate faith, as stated in Romans 10:17.
God knows our hearts and recognizes those who will respond to His call. When the timing is right, God breaks through our defenses, and His inner call becomes irresistible. Those who reject the outward call are devoid of the Spirit of God, as mentioned in Romans 8:9.
God beckons to us, but at times we fail to listen. God calls to us, but sometimes we disregard it. God calls to us, but occasionally our pride obstructs the way. For some, a personal tragedy is necessary before they pause to reassess their lives. For others, a lesson in humility is needed before they admit their need. Due to various reasons, some individuals take time before turning to God. The peril in procrastination is that time may elapse. No one is assured of tomorrow, as highlighted in the verse from the Bible in the book of Luke.In (Luke 12:20), it is stated that God is patient. However, there is no second chance for salvation after death. As mentioned in (Hebrews 9:27).
It is the responsibility of Christians to share the good news. Yet, it is God who leads individuals to repentance and faith in Christ Jesus. If there is someone you have been praying for, even for years, heed Jesus’ counsel to “pray continually and not lose heart” «And he told them a parable to show that they should always pray and not give up; », (Luke 18:1). Have faith in God’s timing and transformation.
Delaying God’s invitation to salvation is risky. The time of God is always now «(For he says, “In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.” I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.) », (2 Corinthians 6:2). Disregarding God’s call puts our eternal destiny in jeopardy.
