Anti-aging research is a multi-billion-dollar-a-year industry. And it’s obvious why—no one wants to grow old (with all the health issues and complications that come with it) and eventually die. So, scientists spend their careers looking into new ways to keep the young young and even help those who are older become “young” again. And new research in mice claims they might be on the way to figuring this out!
According to a recent article, some researchers now believe that aging is a reversible process (in mice it is at least; human studies have not yet been done) “capable of being driven ‘forwards and backwards at will,’” because “our bodies hold a back-up copy of our youth that can be triggered to regenerate” with epigenetics (“on/off switches” on genes). Once scientists can figure out how to deliver a genetic switch evenly to all cells in a particular organ (such as the eyes), they believe it may be possible to reverse certain aspects of aging and make cells young again, thus healing aliments such as blindness.
This is exciting technology as humans work to reverse the effects that sin and the curse have on our bodies. But, as Christians, we must understand the limits of this technology. You see, scientists can work to reverse aging, and they may be successful in doing so to a very limited degree. But what they won’t ever be able to do is make humans live forever. You see, each one of us is under the curse of death because of our sin in Adam and our continued sin (Romans 5:12). We will all—no matter how advanced technology becomes—die someday, and after that we will stand before God (Hebrews 9:27). We can’t change this! But we can be saved from what the Bible calls “the second death” (Revelation 21:8).
God’s Word states clearly, “The years of our life are seventy, or even by reason of strength eighty” (Psalm 90:10). So no matter what research man accomplishes, the average lifespan of humans is not going to differ much from this range.
You see, we aren’t just physical matter. Yes, we have bodies, and they do die, but each of us also has a soul, and the soul never dies. It continues to live forever, either with God in heaven or apart from God in hell. How can you know whether your soul will go to be with God or not?
Well, let’s see what the Scripture states.
Ephesians 2:8-9 KJV – “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”
Romans 10:9 KJV – “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”
Titus 3:5 KJV – “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;”
Those who have placed their faith and trust in Christ alone for salvation are saved for eternity and spared the second death their sins deserve. That alone—not science, not new technologies, not anything else—is what will ultimately save. Have you made the choice to repent and believe? If not, do so today—now is the day of salvation (2 Corinthians 6:2)!
