Is it better to come to God early in life?

[friend of]

I think so, but there's also a parable that would suggest otherwise. Will those who seek Him out earlier in life be rewarded more in heaven? Or is it only an earthly reward of a peaceful/righteous existence that is promised by following the Lord as soon as one is able?

It seems like the sooner you do accept the Lord the better off you'll be and the happier you'll make Him. Does anyone else agree?

 

[Hidden In Him]

I think so, but there's also a parable that would suggest otherwise.

I believe your parable is this one right here, correct?

Matthew 20:1-16

 

[JESUS=G.O.A.T]

I think so, but there's also a parable that would suggest otherwise. Will those who seek Him out earlier in life be rewarded more in heaven? Or is it only an earthly reward of a peaceful/righteous existence that is promised by following the Lord as soon as one is able?

It seems like the sooner you do accept the Lord the better off you'll be and the happier you'll make Him. Does anyone else agree?

I mean yeah look at Moses he wasted a lot of time and had to fulfill his purpose late in life.

Also I've been baptized and gotten the holy ghost early in life and entered ministry early and many tell me man I wish I started out at your age.

The reason being is because if you start out early you reach your uh... "peak" with more experience and more development. Some of most talented preachers started at a very young age.


Now those who seek sooner will not be more rewarded then those who seek later though God isn't a respecter of persons. Now there is crowns mentioned in the bible for certain things like soul winning and such, but no crown for starting your purpose earlier.

 

[friend of]

Haha Hidden. Yes that is exactly the one

 

[Hidden In Him]

Haha Hidden. Yes that is exactly the one

Well Ha Ha yourself. Took you so long I forgot what the parable was about now.


By the way, has anyone noticed how this website needs a serious upgrade on its smilie collection? Seriously. I look like the Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man with a bad case of the munchie highs or something.

I'll get to your post in a minute. I gotta figure out where my head was at.

 

[Galatea]

In a way, yes- but not for rewards in Heaven. I was saved at twelve. Being saved kept me from doing things that would have made me miserable and sowing bad seeds.

I never had risky behaviors, so I don't have to reap the whirlwind (sow to the wind, you reap ghe whirlwind). My health is good and my mind is intact. If I were not saved at an early age, I'd probably be addicted to drugs right now or dead.

It causes less problems here on Earth, but I don't think it gives more rewards in Heaven, unless you used the years profitably by being a spiritual Christian.

The parable you refer to is one of God's grace. I think all real Christians rejoice whenever someone gets saved, however old they may be. I know there are a lot of people I know who did not have a testimony of salvation, and I hope very much they were saved on their dearh beds and are now in Heaven.

Anyone who is really saved, wants all people to be saved. I don't begrudge anyone their season of sin.

 

[friend of]

Now there is crowns mentioned in the bible for certain things like soul winning and such, but no crown for starting your purpose earlier.

Ah. Martyrdom too I'm sure. But I totally agree that it helps to find the Lord as soon as you can and stay under His yoke.

I find I'm learning so many things that I never would have learned if the Lord hadn't returned me to Him. Every day is like a new journey of learning with Him in the most unexpected ways!

Before, when I had fallen away, life was completely absent. I was never learning in His truth and guidance. Now I can feel His guidance so much!

 

[Solomons Porch]

King James Bible
Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it. Prov 22:6

This famous scripture implies this to me (personally) - it seems children that ARE brought up in the Lord and live for Him, a Godly home, actually do depart for a time, or a season "if you will". But no matter what, when they are old they WILL NOT depart from it.

He states in Isaiah 55: 10, 11
That HIS word will NOT return void but will accomplish and prosper, in the things which I send.

10“For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven,
And do not return there without watering the earth
And making it bear and sprout,
And furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater;

11So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth;
It will not return to Me empty,
Without accomplishing what I desire,
And without succeeding in the matter for which I send.

The prodigal son left for a season, then he came to his senses, and quit eating from the slop of the pigs. But yes it is better to serve Him young, its a better foundation to return and build your house upon.

 

[friend of]

Yeah hidden what is that little vibrating cat-thing. Lmao

 

[friend of]

. I don't begrudge anyone their season of sin.

Much appreciated. Good on you!

 

[Hidden In Him]

It seems like the sooner you do accept the Lord the better off you'll be and the happier you'll make Him. Does anyone else agree?

OK, reading from Matthew 19:27, Jesus makes it clear in 19:30 that He was trying to teach the disciples that those who had been following the Jewish leadership were enduring the "hard labor" of keeping the law instead of taking His "light yoke" upon them, like the disciples were now doing. They were the ones who were "not hired" by Jewish leadership to lead the people spiritually in 20:7. Those who had spent their lives devoutly trying to keep the law of Moses were the ones complaining that the followers of Christ were now being made "equal to them" in the eyes of God, though they had not labored under the oppressions of the law during the "heat of the day" (v.12). "For many are called but few are chosen" then, means that while all concerned were "called," i.e. expected to walk in obedience to God, the Lord was specifically now choosing some whom He seemed to favor for very special assignments in Him, at the end of the day as it were.

That having been said, my answer would be that the parable ends up actually being more about being chosen verses being called than about serving Him early or serving Him late.

What would you say? First time ever trying to really analyze that parable very deeply.

 

[Hidden In Him]

Yeah hidden what is that little vibrating cat-thing. Lmao

"Sir Chuckle"

 

[Galatea]

Much appreciated. Good on you!

Lol, I really did not mean to sound self righteous. Only I wonder if that is what people think, that those of us who didn't partake of the pleasures of sin for a season begrudge those who did.

I really think anybody with that kind of mindset is not really saved. I mean, if they are mad because someone partied hard and came to Christ later, if the person is really saved, they are rejoicing that the partier got saved- not jealous of the partying.

 

[Far Side Of the Moon]

That would be ideal. But even those who start out early in life with God are subject to fall away...mainly because when you're that young..you don't really have a fully awareness for what you're learning or the importance of it. Your spirit man has to be alive for you to understand the gravity of what you're learning...which is God.

 

[Far Side Of the Moon]

Lol, I really did not mean to sound self righteous. Only I wonder if that is what people think, that those of us who didn't partake of the pleasures of sin for a season begrudge those who did.

I really think anybody with that kind of mindset is not really saved. I mean, if they are mad because someone partied hard and came to Christ later, if the person is really saved, they are rejoicing that the partier got saved- not jealous of the partying.

Totally agree, we all have a past.

 

[SnowyMacie]

I think so, but there's also a parable that would suggest otherwise. Will those who seek Him out earlier in life be rewarded more in heaven? Or is it only an earthly reward of a peaceful/righteous existence that is promised by following the Lord as soon as one is able?

It seems like the sooner you do accept the Lord the better off you'll be and the happier you'll make Him. Does anyone else agree?

Nope, everyone gets the same reward after Christ comes back, that's the point of the parable of the vineyard workers.

 

[Galatea]

I found an article I wrote in 2000 when I wrote our church bulletins. It is called "The Blessings of Childhood Salvation"

When Bro. John was speaking to us during Sunday School, he said something that I have pondered frequently these past months.

He recounted how he told a fellow minister that he did not have an exciting testimony because he was saved at the tender age of five. The minister replied that Bro. John, did in fact, have a powerful testimony of salvation because God had kept him from a life of habitual sin.

Since I was also saved at a you g age, I began to reflect on the truth of that statement. Those of us who were saved as children are spared the guilt and pain of a sin centered lifestyle, we have willingly followed the convicting power of the Holy Spirit within us.

Although God forgives and forgets the sins of the ones who accept Christ, Christians who are saved as adults must sometimes confront years of emotional trauma that their former sins have inflicted upon them. Satan has more sins of commission, or overt acts of sin, to remind the adult saved Christian than the child saved Christian.

This is not the only advantage of being saved as a child. As child Christians, growing up in church, we were exposed early to the Bible. Like Timothy, our pliable, young minds were shaped by a Christian world view. We were taught the precious stories of the scriptures and instructed to memorize verses that prove to be so helpful when we are tempted to sin.

A child saved Christian also has the privilege to walk with Christ the majority of His life. To be early saved from Hell and death unto Heaven and life is an unspeakable blessing. To know we exist to glorify God saves us from the terrible questioning of the purpose of life, which so many of the lost struggle with.

It seems to me, however, that those Christians saved as adults are more appreciative of Christ's deliverance than those of us who have known Him from childhood.
Most of us who have known Jesus early in our lives tend to forget the overwhelming and truly awesome miracle that salvation is.

This is a travesty and a sin which we should be diligent about not letting occur in our spiritual lives. Habit, whether good or bad, tends to "immunize" us to the reason why we do something in the first place. Child saved Christians are more accountable to God as we have had more time to serve Him and follow His blessed will than newer Christians.

In Christianity, it is always true that great privilege carries with it great responsibility. May we never grow weary in serving Him.

II Timothy 3:15 "And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus."

I was on fire back then. I had just come through a period of severe doubting and was closer to God than I have ever been before or since.

 

[friend of]

What would you say?

I'm at work and busy again. Such is life. Will be back though to get into it. Yes, what you said makes a lot of sense.

Nope, everyone gets the same reward after Christ comes back, that's the point of the parable of the vineyard workers.

Right, but at the same time following Jesus and taking on his yolk does confer benefits to one's earthly life because following Him leads one to extricate sinfulness from ones life, making their burden lighter. That's my experience anyway. I think Christ was also rebuking the first laborers for wanting something more than eternal life, or wanting less for those who are called to Christ later in their lives.

I was on fire back then. I had just come through a period of severe doubting and was closer to God than I have ever been before or since.

That's really awesome! Thanks for posting that! Those periods of doubting can be really harsh but once they pass the renewed vigor of faith is all worth it.

 

[friend of]

Lol, I really did not mean to sound self righteous. Only I wonder if that is what people think, that those of us who didn't partake of the pleasures of sin for a season begrudge those who did.

No, not at all. This is a much better attitude than looking down on those who were unfortunately made to experience bondage to sin for a time. You were taken away from all that and the earlier the better!

 

[jacks]

I would say the earlier the better. I was saved late in life and life is much more enjoyable with Christ than without him. Partying is not all it is cracked up to be!

First Peter 1:8 says it very well.
"Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory."

You don't get that without the Lord!