Anti-aging is almost a comical term. “Anti” implies against, indicating a battle against aging. The primary issue with this is that aging is an inevitable process. It is going to happen. So, how do we cope with it?
How should a Biblical view of aging be lived out? I will tackle the question, What does the Bible say about aging?
1. Aging Is a Result of the Fall
Skin care products or not? Go gray, or dye your hair? Cosmetic surgery or wrinkle naturally? There are a variety of viewpoints on these and many more decisions that men and women face as they grow older. It can feel frustrating to age. Our faces change, and our bodies are not as strong and vibrant as they once were. Our hair color fades into that crown of glory. The fact is that aging is a result of the fall.
Genesis 3:19 reminds us that we were created from dust. “By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”
As we age physically, our appearance reveals our age and reminds us of the consequences of Adam and Eve eating the forbidden fruit. It is the outward sign that death is coming, and Jesus is our Savior. It tells us that we humans need a Messiah for the hope of heaven. Aging is 100% a result of the fall. It is the physical evidence that all have sinned, and we are in a broken world.
2. Aging Can Be a Sign of Wisdom
The Bible highly praises aging, which can be a sign of wisdom. Not everyone who is a senior citizen possesses wisdom, but many elderly believers do because of Christ within them.
Deuteronomy 32:7 says, “Remember the days of old; consider the generations long past. Ask your father, and he will tell you; ask your elders, and they will explain to you.”
Asking questions and listening to our elders is very beneficial. Passing on what we have learned to the next generation is also a beautiful blessing. The enemy would love nothing more than to separate us due to age. However, we are called to be in community with one another, which means all ages have a place in the body of Christ.
Instead of assuming our elders are outdated simply because they belong to a different generation, what if we learned from their experiences and found common ground? Instead of wasting our words on those younger than us over pointless conversations, what if we were more intentional in sharing meaningful and personal insights?
3. People Who Have Aged Can Be the Most Beautiful
As believers in Jesus, we know that the Scriptures say, “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day” (2 Corinthians 4:16). Just because someone is classified as old, a grandparent, or gray does not mean that they cannot be one of the most beautiful people on the planet.
Beauty is much more than an eye-catching appearance. It is the essence of who someone is: the way a person lives, how a person loves, and the purpose which a person serves. The Holy Spirit makes us beautiful.
Isaiah 64:6 says, “All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.”
If we are being honest with ourselves, we can only offer filthy rags. We are not righteous, so we cannot honestly offer a fruit-filled love without His help. He is the One who beautifies our hearts and enables us to live the most beautiful lives.
The song “Beautiful One” by Jeremy Camp came out in the early 2000s. The chorus goes:
“Beautiful One, I love
You’re beautiful, one I adore
Beautiful One, my soul must sing”
Jesus is beautiful, and when we have Him in our hearts, we cannot help but adore Him. Then, we recognize that we are beautiful too because of Him.
4. Elders Have Witnessed God’s Faithfulness
“Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you” (Isaiah 46:4).
When someone has been walking with God for a long time, there is a stunning witness of His faithfulness. The longer we are here on earth, the more trouble, hardships, victories, and memories we make. When someone is older, this means that the Lord has carried them before and will carry them again.
Elders can look back over a long lifetime and thank the Lord for His presence. Spending more time in a relationship with God means having more opportunities to recognize His steadfast love.
5. A Gray Head Is a Crown of Glory
“A gray head is a crown of glory; It is found in the way of righteousness” (Proverbs 16:31).
Just as royalty wears a crown, Scripture encourages us to see older people as those with gray hair. This verse does not guarantee that if you follow Jesus, you will live a long life. However, it does remind us that following His ways is a blessing and protection over our lives. When I ponder the crown of glory, I think about how God values what the world does not. What we so long to reverse, remove, or redesign, the Lord speaks into that to tell us that He is the One in whom our identity lies.
Within the aging conversation, the key question comes down to identity. Who is God? Who are we? And who are we trying to please?
Galatians 1:10 says, “For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.”
As servants of Christ, we can be motivated by the fact that our goal is to please God alone. If others recognize us, compliment us, or we get great health reports, these are all encouraging. However, we cannot be defined by human accolades. Mankind is fickle, so we will never measure up forever. But through the cross of Jesus, we have fullness in Christ, forgiveness of our sins, and freedom forever. We can know that these signs of aging are not just a representation of a future death, but of a future life. New life and new bodies are on the horizon. While we live in these earthly bodies, we groan and sigh, but it’s not that we want to die and get rid of these bodies that clothe us. Rather, we want to put on our new bodies so that these dying bodies will be swallowed by life. God has prepared us for this, and as a guarantee, he has given us the Holy Spirit.
(2 Corinthians 5: 4-5) While we are in this tent, we groan, being burdened, because we do not want to be unclothed but to be clothed, so what mortal will be swallowed by life? Now, He who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave us the Holy Spirit as a pledge.
One of your missions in life should stem from Ephesians 3:20-21, to embrace the extraordinary. One of your greatest joys in life is to journey with the Lord in His Scriptures.
(20 Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, 21 to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen)
Until next time, stay safe, be blessed, and always, “KEEP LOOKING UP!”
Semper Fidelis
Dusty
A prayer for YOU:
Heavenly Father,
Our faith and trust lay in You, Lord. Without you, there is no hope. Your word is the sword against evil and the answer to the questions of life.
Lord, please forgive us of our sins and guide our paths to do your will, not ours. Jesus, I pray for a revival to start in this nation and roar worldwide, destroying ALL the evil and bringing peace, tranquility, and love to this unholy world. I pray for instant healing for all these satanic, man-made diseases. In other words, I pray for one of your greatest miracles. Lord, I ask for this message to reach the multitudes in all walks of life, and it’s in Your precious name we give all the praise and glory,
for it’s in Your name, the name of Jesus we pray.
AMEN