A letter came across my desk once from a concerned gentleman who had tried unsuccessfully to lead an elderly woman to Christ. The elderly woman objected to the salvation message on the basis that it is more difficult for an older person to be saved than it is for a younger person.
But the Bible says the Gospel “…is the power of God unto salvation to EVERY ONE that believeth…” (Rom. 1:16). The Gospel of salvation that lives and abides forever can effectually transform any person, whether he is young or old.
As I read this gentleman’s letter, I was reminded of scriptures about God’s love and faithfulness to the elderly. For example, Joshua told his people in his last hours on the earth, “…behold, this day I am going the way of all the earth: and ye know in all your hearts and in all your souls, that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spake concerning you; ALL ARE COME TO PASS…and not one thing hath failed thereof” (Joshua 23:14).
God had given Joshua many victories in his lifetime, both as Moses’ servant and later as the leader of God’s people. God had always kept His Word to Joshua, and even in Joshua’s old age, God didn’t forsake him.
While it’s true that a person who doesn’t know the Lord can become more hardened to the Gospel as he gets older, God’s Word is powerful enough to save anyone who will believe and act on it.
God told the prophet Jeremiah, “Is not my word like as a fire?…and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?” (Jer. 23:29). The Word of God can melt even the hardest heart and the most stubborn rock of resistance!
The precious blood of Jesus is not limited by any boundaries of age. No matter how many mistakes you’ve made or how you’ve disobeyed God in the past, God is good and rich in mercy to all who call upon Him in sincerity. The Bible says God’s tender mercies are new every morning, and that His mercy endures forever to anyone who will believe Him (Lam. 3:22-23; Ps. 136:1). That is true for anyone regardless of his age!
Do you believe the good news of the Gospel—that the Savior, Jesus Christ, was crucified and raised from the dead so you could be saved? The Bible says, “…there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth” (Luke 15:10). It would do no injustice to the Scriptures to add to that verse: no matter what his age!
The eyes of God are on man for good and not for evil from the inception of life until he “goes the way of all the earth” in death. You’re never too old to receive eternal life and experience the riches of God’s salvation!
Excerpt permission granted by Faith Library Publications
Kenneth W. Hagin, President of Kenneth Hagin Ministries and pastor of RHEMA Bible Church, ministers around the world. Known for calling the Body of Christ to steadfast faith, he seizes every ministry opportunity to impart an attitude of “I cannot be defeated, and I will not quit.”
Rev. Hagin began preparing for his call to ministry—a ministry that now spans 50 years—at Southwestern Assemblies of God University. He graduated from Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and holds an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree from Faith Theological Seminary in Tampa, Florida.
In his early years of ministry, Rev. Hagin was an associate pastor and traveling evangelist. Later, he went on to organize and develop RHEMA Bible Training Centers in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, and in other countries around the world.
Kenneth W. Hagin’s array of responsibilities also includes International Director of RHEMA Ministerial Association International. He hosts the annual A Call to Arms® Men’s Conference, and with his wife, Lynette, cohosts RHEMA Praise, a weekly television program, and Rhema for Today, a weekday radio program broadcast throughout the United States. They also conduct Living Faith Crusades, spreading the message of faith and healing around the world.
Recognizing the lateness of the hour before the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, Rev. Hagin has expanded his speaking schedule beyond his regular pastoral duties. To fulfill the urgent call of God to prepare the Church for a deeper experience of His Presence, Rev. Hagin delivers messages that reveal key spiritual truths about faith, healing, and other vital subjects. He ministers with a strong healing anointing, and his ministry leads the Body of Christ into a greater experience of the glory of God!
Kenneth W. Hagin and his wife live in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He is the son of the late Kenneth E. Hagin.