The sad truth is that everyone’s not going to believe in Jesus. No matter how clearly we may present the truth of His Resurrection, no matter how clearly we may show the same sort of self-sacrificial, unconditional love He showed to us on the cross, there are some people who just don’t want to receive His grace.

And this is not somehow determined by race or culture. After all, some of the Jews to whom Paul preached the word believed, and some did not. Titius Justus was a Gentile, but he believed in the God of the Old Testament Scriptures, as did many other people in the city of Corinth, populated as it was by people from all over the Ancient world.

And trusting in Christ is not a matter of education or lack thereof. Crispus was the ruler of the synagogue, so he knew a lot about the Old Testament. He and all his household believed what Paul said, even while other equally learned Jews refused to accept the truth that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah the prophets predicted would come.

No, we simply cannot predict whose heart God will open to respond to Jesus’ truth and love. But we don’t have to know that. Our job is to do what God told Paul to do in verse 9 – to go on speaking the truth about Jesus. For we can have the same assurance that God gave to Paul: no matter what sort of opposition comes our way, God will be with those who faithfully show and share Christ with others. And who knows? Maybe He’ll let us be part of His plan to draw more of His people to Himself today.

Acts 18:5-11 (ESV)

5 When Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul was occupied with the word, testifying to the Jews that the Christ was Jesus.
6 And when they opposed and reviled him, he shook out his garments and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.”
7 And he left there and went to the house of a man named Titius Justus, a worshiper of God. His house was next door to the synagogue.
8 Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed in the Lord, together with his entire household. And many of the Corinthians hearing Paul believed and were baptized.
9 And the Lord said to Paul one night in a vision, “Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent,
10 for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many in this city who are my people.”
11 And he stayed a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.