We all have that person in our life that we have tried to win to Christ. But for some reason, they have refused to believe even after so many years of fervent evangelism. Whether it is a friend, parent, or child, our hearts agonize over those whom we love, and we continue to hope and to pray that they would someday submit to marvelous Gospel of Christ. These efforts cause us to question whether or not we should give up or if God is powerful enough to save.
After all this, the easy thing to do is label the situation as pointless. We are tempted to say to ourselves, “They will never change,” or “They’re too far gone to be saved.” But this must not be the attitude of the Christian. The sovereignty of God in salvation tells us that God is able to reach the deadest of dead sinners. Though we do not know what will happen, it is not wrong to have a sanctified optimism and hope in what the sovereignty of God is able to do, even if it does not come to fruition.
Are you discouraged that the unbeliever in your life is still refusing Christ? May we never consider anyone a “hopeless” case for salvation. Be comforted by hope and the abilities of the sovereignty of God:
“God can make his truth triumphant to the conversion of the most seemingly hardened unbeliever. You and I will never write off anyone as hopeless and beyond the reach of God if we believe in the sovereignty of His grace.”
-J.I. Packer
When the disciples heard this, they were very astonished and said, “Then who can be saved?” And looking at them Jesus said to them, “With people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (Matt 19:25-26 NASB)
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