01 - The Spiritual Condition Is the Most Important Concern for the Aged

The first matter that the elderly person must be clear on is his spiritual state. There are two sorts of men. Two sorts only: converted and unconverted. Old people are no exception to this. Merely to be old is no sign of spirituality: ‘The sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed’ (Isaiah 65:20).
The first question that every aged person has to ask himself, is the same question that all men need to ask and to answer, irrespective of age: ‘Am I a real Christian?’ All that follows in this booklet by way of consolation, comfort and hope for the aged person is entirely reserved for the Christian. How can an elderly person be sure about this matter? ‘How can I know that I am a real Christian?’
The primary source of the believer’s assurance is by the witness of the Spirit, who takes him to Christ and reminds him of what he is and what he has in his Saviour.1 The Bible also gives us the marks and evidences of true belief. The elderly person, in common with all men, must look into his life to see if he has these scriptural signs, these evidences and marks of grace.