by Dane Massey
(Dane Massey is the former Pastor of Mulvane Christian Church. He is now in ministry in Houston, Texas.)
Growing old and the natural end of that, death, cannot be avoided. So how does one age properly?
What is the Lord trying to accomplish through this drawn-out process? Why has the Lord chosen this process?
We must recognize this as a God-chosen process or we will never embrace it properly, gain from it what we should, nor grow in it gracefully. We know that sin entered this world through Adam and thereby death came upon all humanity and then upon all creation.
“Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned” (Romans 5:12).
“We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies” (Romans 8:22-23).
We also know that the Word clearly teaches:
“The soul that sinneth, it shall die” (Ezekiel 18:20).
Death therefore is an unavoidable fact whether a believer or not. The issue I’m pursuing is, why the decaying process?
Why did God not merely set a date, allow us to live fully healthy, youthful, lives until that day, then death? Why allow “corruption, decay” to work its way slowly through our natural bodies and all creation around us?
Or better yet why didn’t God decide to stop the decay when I got saved, heal my body, and then take me to Heaven whenever He wanted (Seems reasonable!, and for the modern church, that sells their gospel cheap, it would be another great marketing tool! )
This decay can seem to happen suddenly, it can move slowly or rapidly, it can have stages of both, for some it can start early and for others later, but it is definitely moving ever forward with each day.
To understand and embrace this process of physical decay we have to understand why the God who loves us would leave us in this state. Even more important why He would choose to initiate such a course? He has not only ordained the “times and boundaries of our habitation” ( Acts 17:26) but He has ordained the process by which we reach the end of our time.
It has been said that some age gracefully others age bitterly. This is true and all of us will sooner or later fall into these categories somewhere.
With these thoughts before us, let’s walk through II Corinthians 4:7-5:10. Paul opens this passage with a very authoritative and clear declaration:
“But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.”
God wants to leave no doubt that when He accomplishes His work through us that it is His power at work not ours! Here Paul refers to our aging bodies as “clay pots” (literal translation) later in 5:1 he will reference our aging bodies as “temporary tents”. Why do I refer to our bodies as “aging bodies”? Note verse 16:
“For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.”
Note that Paul is specifically dealing with, (verses 8-11), how suffering and adversity impacts our bodies, our mortal flesh.
“We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.”
“For we which live are always delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.”
The issue here is, Christ being manifested through our physical bodies even as they fall apart. How is that possible?
Keep in mind that Paul isn’t valuing the physical body as a body builder might. He is valuing it as a vessel that an excellent treasure has been put into. It’s as if Paul is saying,
“The more the vessel is “cracked” the more the excellent treasure can be seen.”
Notice 3 things in verses 16-18 that ought to be happening as our bodies fall apart:
1.) Outward Strength should be replaced with Inward Power (vs.16).
The old proverb is right:
“Young men glory in what they can do: Old men glory in what they know.”
This is true but the transition from “outward strength” to “inward power” should be always processing for it is the path of wisdom.
“The silver-haired head is a crown of glory, if it is found in the way of righteousness.” (Prov. 16:31).
Note: “Silver hair” means nothing in and of itself. It just means you’ve dodged the bullet and didn’t become bald. It is silver hair in the way of righteousness that has value. Here is a life well lived, that has matured through the process of “outward strength” to “inward power.” It has found “power in the Lord” even as one’s own strength has gone the way of the world.
2.) Values should shift from Temporal to the Eternal (vs 17)
Note the view of adversity. What was almost overwhelming in verses 8-9 is now a “light affliction” when viewed in the context of eternity.
So many times anger, bitterness, unforgiveness, etc… is merely evidence of short-sightedness. In the context of eternity those issues are so small. As one ages gracefully what’s important should change. The older we get the more the eternal should grow in value. That which is temporal should fall away.
“By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.” (Hebrews 11:27)
This is spoken of Moses, not in his youth at 40, when he tried to establish himself through “outward strength” as the Leader of the Israel. (remember the slaying of the Egyptian). This is said of Moses at 80 after 40 years on the backside of the desert.
He is now ready to lead Israel out of the bondage of Egypt. Not because he is young, strong and visionary but because he has lived long enough to not trust in himself, but in God!
His vision has changed from seeing and valuing outward power (the wrath of the Pharaoh) to seeing and valuing real strength, the One Who is Invisible!
3.) Vision should change from the Visible to the Invisible (vs. 18)
In our youth we want to build, accomplish, those things that are visible, that can be seen. Aging should shift our eyes from that which is before us to the horizons of eternity. The oldest should see the farthest.
Aging should walk us through the understanding of the “empty, everything is empty” of Ecclesiastes, into the mature understanding of “empty under the sun.”
Above the sun (eternity) invading our vision, should give everything we have walked through in this aging process meaning!
It’s been said that growing old is hard and is not for cowards. I’m sure this is true but it could be your finest hour. Nothing would do our culture and the church more good than an older generation that understood that.
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