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Gustav “Gus” Schoepfer is 84 years old, and is a tremendous encouragement to Christians who know him.

You see, God saved Gus and made him a new creature in Christ only four years ago, at age 80! Many of us who have been walking with the Lord for decades are aware of some who’ve been called from darkness into light at a very advanced age, but these were most often deathbed conversions. Though deathbed conversions do occur and are valid, other believers don’t get to see such newborn Christians live and grow and speak to others about Him because these new converts soon go to be with Him.

Gus is an exception. He is still alive and in good physical and mental health, and those who know him can see his steady spiritual growth and hear how “The Lord has done great things for us, And we are glad” (Psalm 126:3)! Scripture teaches that the angels in Heaven rejoice over every sinner who gets saved, and many are thus able to rejoice with those angels every time we interact with Gus here and now!

Gus’s Story

In September 1964, 58 years to the month before this is being written, Gus was in the military and diagnosed with cancer. He was given between 6 months and 2 years to live. Three weeks after returning to the States, his wife divorced him, bitter that he “let her down” by being terminally ill! Gus, not knowing the Lord as his anchor, was understandably depressed and bitter about that. Even when the Lord spared his life and healed him completely, Gus did not acknowledge Him.

Several years later, Gus’s girlfriend was raped and murdered and this led to more depression for Gus. Living in New York City, he himself was the victim of robberies. He was mugged in Washington, D.C., and suffered losses of supportive and much-loved family members in successive years. This grief left him lonely and added to that sense that he was “having no hope and without God in the world” (Ephesians 2:12). But then, at age 80, God once again intervened in Gus’s life, as Gus moved to a retirement community here in New Jersey.

Through the diligent efforts of a faithful servant of Christ’s, Gus came in contact with the Lord Jesus Christ via multiple Bible studies and church services that he attended. Thankfully, those who witnessed to Gus understood that salvation is through God’s grace: “For by grace you have been saved through faith…the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9). They shared with Gus that the wages of his sins meant death, for he was guilty before the perfect God (Romans 3:23). But God, being rich in mercy, sent His Son Jesus Christ to take on the sin of all humanity, offering everyone reconciliation with God through Christ’s sacrifice and resurrection. Had these folks been deceived to believe that we get to Heaven by our “good works” outweighing our bad deeds, how could an 80-year-old man hope to be right with God? How could he make up for 80 years of indifference to God in whatever time he had left to serve Him?

Salvation through faith

Thankfully, Gus heard AND received the free offer of salvation extended because of JESUS’S BLOOD AND RIGHTEOUSNESS. He was given a new heart by God, a heart that serves Him. It became obvious to Gus that God kept him physically alive so that one day He could make him live spiritually. As Gus eagerly consumed the Word faithfully taught and preached, God opened his eyes and heart to the truth and he repented of his past indifference and anger towards God.

He now says he is “happier than he’s ever been” and wants to serve Christ in whatever time he has remaining on earth, serving not to get saved but in gratitude because he is saved.

Growing in the Lord

Gus still attends multiple Bible Studies, church services and prayer meetings throughout each week. Though he’s a man of advanced intellect and experience, it’s exciting to see him attentively absorbing the Word via Bible studies led by people younger than him.

1 Peter 2:2 tells all Christians the following: “as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby.” Gus Schoepfer IS a newborn babe, and it’s thrilling to watch him feed on Scripture and grow by leaps and bounds in the process.

Lessons

Gus is, as someone told him, “buckling his seat belt because he’s in for the ride of his life,” and the Christian Life is more exciting than anything he’s ever known! He believes God will give him more years to love and serve Him, and to spread the testimony of HIS salvation.

If you are a Christian reading this, praying that someone who appears to be “past the point of no return” would be saved, take heart! IT’S NEVER TOO LATE FOR GOD TO WORK A MIRACLE!

And if you’re NOT a Christian reading this, take HOPE. God can save you, TOO!

—Chet Jelinski

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