Why do some people not turn to God until later in life?

GotQuestions.org ^ | Jan. 5, 2026 | GotQuestions

[ViLaLuz]

Scott Adam's has me thinking about why people try to wait until close to their end to receive Salvation.

"The gospel message is for young and old, for men and women of all races and cultures (Galatians 3:28). But most who hear the message do not respond immediately. Some might not turn to God until they are well advanced in years. ..."

[ViLaLuz]

"...God calls to us, but sometimes we don’t hear. God calls to us, but sometimes we ignore it. God calls to us, but sometimes our pride gets in the way. For some, it takes a personal tragedy before they stop to re-evaluate their lives. For others, it takes a lesson in humility before they acknowledge their need. For all those reasons and more, some people take a while to get around to turning to God. The danger in procrastination is that time might run out. No one is guaranteed tomorrow (Luke 12:20). God is patient, but, after death, there is no second chance to be saved (Hebrews 9:27). ...

...If you are putting off God’s call to salvation, you are playing with fire. God’s moment is always now (2 Corinthians 6:2). We ignore God’s calling to our eternal peril."

[BudgieRamone]

Scott has a bunch of us praying for him.

[freedomlover]

Cramming for finals

[rhinohunter]

Like St. Augustine said: “Oh Lord help me to be pure. But not yet”.

[Tell It Right]

Because they don’t know what they’re missing out on!

[metmom]

True.

But there’s also the thought that when someone is young, dying just isn’t on their radar, so they’re not preparing for it.

Getting old has a way of clarifying things so you start focusing on the important stuff.

[DesertRhino]

When you get into God‘s waiting room, you start thinking

[G Larry]

Is there any indication Scott Adams has converted?

[BitWielder1]

Want to have fun first.

[rlmorel]

I think your opinion is on target.

[right way right]

Little god syndrome.
Eve had it and Adam decided it was not so bad...so he did it too.

Nobody escapes the question.

“Did God really say?”

[Red Badger]

Young people think they will live forever in the same body as they have right now.

Old people know better...................

[Celerity]

I’m one of very few here who is an EX church goer.

I still believe in the story, only in allegorical understanding though. I know for a fact that we have a Creator. The rest is all allegory to me.

That means I don’t fully believe the Bible. It’s message, yes but the specifics don’t make sense to me.

Is salvation in my future? Would it not be because of this? For the very flaws that I was told were ok?

Where is the threshold for people like me? At what point do I switch from non believer to believer? What’s the goalpost?

As people age it only makes sense that they close in on such things. I have worked backwards. From a strong Catholic, to a Christian, to... Basically nothing save a few tenets.

I came to this so far in my life not because I’m stupid evil or a failure. It’s just been my path so far

[dforest]

Well, youthful ones think they have the world by the tail. They don’t want much obedience because they think it restricts what they want to do regarding fun and play.

It takes them until they get older and screw up, and have to live with some mistakes and regrets to humble themselves and realize how wrong they were.

Some never do, I guess.

[DIRTYSECRET]

John Wayne didn’t believe until he was on his death bed.

There are no atheists in foxholes.

[mewzilla]

Some food for thought...

Acts 10 GNV

[Migraine]

Paul found that:
Some scoff — “I don’t need your fairy tale babblings”
Some say — “I’ll hear you again on this; I’m ‘almost persuaded’”
And some believe and are saved; these are the “few there be that find it”, the remnant.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Because when you are young and healthy you feel immortal.

[Salvavida]

‘When a man knows he is to be hanged in a fortnight, it concentrates his mind wonderfully.’

-— Samuel Johnson

[Hebrews 11:6]

Some years ago the Barna Group studied this profoundly intriguing question, “What are the common factors among those who become born-again Christians?” They found only two:
(1) someone was praying for their salvation, and
(2) they heard the Gospel, the Good News, an average of 7-8 times.