A semi-retired pastor I knew, in his late 60s, abruptly left his wife of 45 years. He drove back to another state where he had enjoyed a long pastorate. Why? To shack up with his former church secretary.

Apparently, until then he had been loyal to God and to his wife.

Finishing Well Isn’t Guaranteed
I don’t believe a grievous sin in a believer’s life threatens his eternal salvation, but even forgiven sin metes out severe consequences: broken families, loss of reputation, and eventual painful regret, to name a few. To assume that decades of faithfulness to Christ means we’ll finish well is naive. Such an attitude minimizes the potential for sin within each of us, what Puritan John Owen called the “indwelling sin of believers.” It also reveals a lackadaisical view of spiritual warfare. Satan is a persistent foe (1 Peter 5:8). We’ll never reach a spiritual plateau high enough to avoid his lures.

There’s a word for the person who thinks his decades of following and serving Christ shield him from temptation:

Victim.

I can’t earn my standing with the Lord, yet fruitful Christian living requires grace-motivated effort to utilize spiritual disciplines. Disciplining ourselves to use means of God’s grace isn’t living by law. It’s exercising self-control to tap into God’s enabling power. As Hebrews 12:14 puts it, “Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy.” The late scholar Dallas Willard said, “Grace is not opposed to effort. It is opposed to earning.”

How Finishing Poorly Shows
A grievous sin such as adultery is far from the only way to finish poorly as a Christ-follower.

If the challenges of aging, such as increased physical frailty and pain, result in a complaining spirit, gratitude is sabotaged. I become more of a burden to family and friends due to the negative atmosphere I create.

If material prosperity in retirement leads to a self-centered lifestyle, I’m not finishing well. With excessive travel, hobbies, and extravagant adult toys, I waste time, energy and resources during a period of life when I am most free to serve the Lord through giving to Kingdom work and ministry in my local church. Too many seniors no longer volunteer in their church or community, concluding, “I’ve already paid my dues.”*

Bitterness often builds up in old age. Resentment toward God for unanswered prayer or career paths that did not pan out, or toward people who sinned against us years ago, hardens the heart and siphons off joy. Bitterness is a poison we drink in an attempt to hurt someone else. Realizing how much Christ has forgiven us is a prerequisite for forgiving others (Ephesians 4:31-32).

False guilt badgers some sensitive older believers. They can’t forgive themselves for hurting people they loved, for neglecting a spouse and children for the pursuit of worldly success. This happens even when they confessed sins and left them behind. In a sense, they forget that they’re forgiven and fail to grasp the depth of God’s grace.**

Recently I wrote a poem, a prayer to the Lord to help me to finish well.  I include references to physical and mental decline, which is part of God’s providence for many seniors. But I plead that if loss of physical strength and mental acuity characterizes my final years, that He’ll give me strength to endure it. By necessity, I often ask Him to help me finish well.

Will I Finish Well?
Lord, let me die before I sell