God’s people who are in their later years need to understand God’s perspective about them. God’s plan is for them to continue to be fruitful and be a blessing to His people and unbelievers to the end of their days.
We have now taken a couple of articles to meditate together on 1 Timothy 5:3-16 [1] in its context (see beginning of the series here: still fruitful: the value of senior saints). It is time now to apply it more specifically to older saints in our churches today. What are some of the implications of this passage?
The Church of Christ must take older believers seriously.
Society glorifies youth, idolizes beauty, and values productivity that gets visible results—now. These values, combined with human depravity generally, leads many to despise the aged. The church of Jesus Christ, however, must never do this. There are no distinctions in Christ, whether biological gender, marital status, societal rank, income level, or ethnic background.[2] Value in Christ’s Body is not determined by age, either.
In 1 Timothy 5, qualified widows are given an honor, a tremendous opportunity for vital ministry in the local church, even in their poverty. God expects his people to serve one another and to reach the lost. None are exempt. None are excluded or less important, even impoverished widows.
Older saints may not be the most dynamic speakers. They may no longer be able to administrate and plan complicated activities. Manual projects or crafts might now be too difficult. Limited ability with technology can be frustrating. Yet, younger believers need their continued contribution. Their experiences of life in Christ, their maturity and seasoned understanding, is valuable.
Take time to evaluate your own attitude and actions. If you are a younger believer, do you actively respect and honor older believers? If you are an older saint, do you take your present role in the Body of Christ seriously?
God expects senior saints to be active and productive in ministry.
If anyone had a reason to feel despised and worthless to society and the church, it was the widows of the New Testament era economy. In 1 Timothy 5, God is very clear that older believers, even those whom society might despise because of their social standing or physical limitations, must contribute to the body of Christ in meaningful ways.
The true widows we have considered become dedicated ministers of prayer! In Titus 2, Paul emphasizes another important ministry of older saints, the discipleship of younger believers. That passage specifically emphasizes the need for older women to mentor younger women (v.1-5). 2 Timothy 2:2 urges men to mentor other men.
Discretionary time redefined ministry time
In some countries today, many senior saints have the privilege of staying financially independent throughout their entire lives. Many have 10-20 years of retirement, even more, to use for the Lord. Not only do these have no need to depend upon family or their local churches for daily needs, but they have far more than they need. This gives them a precious gift: discretionary time. Many battle physical limitations. Doctor appointments seem endless. Yet, there still a lot of time left in a day. There are no employers standing over them, children to raise, classes to take, house repairs to do, etc. They have time that younger people usually don’t have.
Limitations on physical and mental energy will certainly be frustrating. Older believers may find that they can no longer serve in the same ways they used to. If so, it is time to redefine their role. God will give wisdom about how they can spend their remaining days and years for him.
God does not accept retirement from spiritual ministry.
Serve Jesus our Lord until you leave it! There is spiritual ministry available for ALL of God’s people. There is no room for the attitude, “I’ve done my time in ministry—it is time for the young people to do it. It is time for me to just enjoy life.”
Senior saints, how will you manage this incredible asset of time in your latter years? How will you use the precious resources that God has allowed you to accumulate? Some older believers, who ought to know better, waste their retirement chasing hobbies, vacations, and buying toys. It does not satisfy them, but they keep chasing and wasting. Only serving the Lord will satisfy.
I repeat: If you are retired, enjoying financial security and independence late in life, you have been given a privilege that the vast majority of seniors that have ever lived on the earth has enjoyed. You are accountable to God for how you use this incredible circumstance given to you.
“Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much they will demand the more” (Luke 12:48).
The Living Dead
There are those that are dead while yet living.
Some older believers are “dead while they are yet living.”
Paul spoke of some widows who lived for pleasure, content to spend their days in gossip and being busybodies (v.11-13). He spoke of widows wasting their widowhood in self-indulgence as being “dead even while she lives” (v.6). The idea of being dead while living is paradoxical, but the deadness is spiritual.[3]
Some seniors prove by their lifestyle in retirement that they have been spiritually dead all along. Yes, their body still lives, but their spirit does not. The way they spend their life shows they never had new life in Christ.
Others are genuine believers who have been caught up in the world and its warped view of life. Peter would call these “so nearsighted that they are blind, having forgotten that they were cleansed former sins.” Instead of increasing in fruitfulness for their Lord Jesus Christ, instead they have become “ineffective or unfruitful” (2 Peter 1:8-10).
Older brethren, what does your use of your later years reveal about your faith? Is it living or dead?
Prayer ministry is a vital one for senior saints.
Paul told Timothy to give those widows that were spiritually qualified a high calling in the church—officially recognized prayer warriors. Yes, this special group Paul describes was widows in need of regular financial support, but we must consider how this passage applies to older believers today who have the luxury of retirement as well.
One thing we see is the importance of dedicated prayer ministry for the life of the church. It also shows us that prayer is a ministry that is especially appropriate for the time of life for senior saints.
Many seniors have the gift of discretionary time, but they face limitations that keep them from many of ways younger men and women serve. How can shut-ins who feel limited serve God to help build His church? Prayer!!! There is an army of senior saints available for service to God in this way if they would just see their opportunity and dedicate themselves to God! How might God work in our churches and on the mission field if these dear folks were stirred up to prayer as their primary ministry in their later years!
Read some stories of senior saints that dedicated themselves to prayer here: dedicated to prayer.
[1] All Scripture references are from the ESV unless otherwise noted.
[2] Ephesians 2:11-22
[3] New Bible commentary: 21st century edition. 1994 (D. A. Carson, R. T. France, J. A. Motyer & G. J. Wenham, Ed.) (4th ed.) (1 Ti 5:3–8). Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: Inter-Varsity Press.
