What Age Will People Be in Heaven?

Many Christians wonder how old people will be in heaven. Some think that if people are too young, like the age of a toddler, or elderly, given the physical and mental limitations of old age, their experience of heaven will be inferior. Others wonder if babies will grow up in heaven or if elderly people will become young.

Though the Bible doesn’t state how old people will be in heaven, many scholars and theologians believe men and women will be in their 20s or 30s. This estimate is largely based on the peak condition of the human body. Others think the answer requires more nuance because “age” in heaven may be different than now.

What are the key questions in determining how old people will be in heaven? What will time be like in heaven? What is the peak age of a human being? Will “age” be uniform or relative in heaven? How old will babies be in heaven? Keep reading to find out the answers to these questions and others.

Also see Will We See Our Loved Ones In Heaven? to learn more.

What are the key factors in determining how old people will be in heaven?

Since the Bible doesn’t clearly state what age men and women will be in heaven, people attempt to make informed, logical best guesses. They attempt to draw inferences from certain passages of Scripture to support their ideas. Sometimes what heaven won’t be like is clearer than what heaven will be like.

For example, it’s unlikely people will continue to age indefinitely in heaven because growing old is the result of sin. While God, in his mercy and grace, enables men and women to grow old with dignity (e.g. Prov. 16:31), the Bible is clear that physical death is the consequence of humanity’s sin (e.g. Rom. 6:23).

What are the key questions in determining how old people will be in heaven? The discussion over what age people will be in heaven involves having a perspective on several aspects of the nature of life after death for Christians. Scholars, theologians, pastors, and other Christians may answer these questions differently.

What will time be like in heaven?

In the present world, time defines age. When people refer to someone’s age, they mean the number of years that a person has lived. The question concerning heaven is, will time operate the same way there as it does now?

In the present world, the ongoing succession of moments results in people getting older. In heaven, where people will live forever, the ongoing succession of moments won’t result in people getting older. If this is true, what does it say about how time itself will change? Do people in this world have the mental ability to understand that change?

In the present world, celestial bodies help people measure the passage of time. The sun and moon, and days and nights, organize the ongoing succession of moments that people experience. It’s a fact that this will be different in heaven because, for instance, the Bible says there will be no sun there.

“And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.” (Revelation 22:5, ESV)

Also see Will There Be Romantic Relationships In Heaven? to learn more.

What is the peak age of a human being?

For those who argue that people will be their peak age in heaven, the question becomes what is people’s peak age? If the physical condition of the human body is considered a person’s peak, then most speculate people will be in their 20s or 30s. However, if mental capacity, including the height of wisdom, is considered a person’s peak age, then people may be in their 40s or 50s.

What is the prime age of a person? According to scientific studies, it depends on the aspect of a person. One non-theological study about the prime age of a person concludes:

“So what are we to take away from these findings? Crudely speaking, you may conclude that you are at your sexual peak in your 20s, your physical peak in your 30s, your mental peak in your 40s and 50s and at your happiest in your 60s – but these are just averages, so your own trajectories may follow very different paths.” [1]

Will “age” be uniform or relative in heaven?

Some scholars and theologians believe that age may not be uniform in heaven. In terms associated with the present world, not everyone will be 23. Some may be 22, and others 32 or 42. Why do some believe this?

• A person’s optimal age is partially relative. While it’s generally true that most people are healthier in their 20s and 30s compared to their 50s or 60s, individuals have different genetic makeups. The prime age for one person is 22, but for another it is 28. Is this a factor in how old a person will be in heaven? Some believe it is.

• A person’s age is determined by other people. Others believe that a person will look different in heaven depending on who is looking at them. These differences are determined by relationships. For instance, a woman may be seen as 23 by her brother, 43 by her children, 73 by her grandchildren, and 13 by her parents. While there is no biblical basis for this speculation, it doesn’t directly contradict anything the Bible clearly teaches about heaven.

Also see What Does Heaven Look Like? to learn more.

How old will babies be in heaven?

Not every child gets to grow up. Sadly, for different reasons, some babies die. When this happens, their loved ones wonder what the child’s experience will be like in heaven. Will the baby remain a baby forever if there is no aging in heaven? Will the baby get to grow up in heaven somehow?

Is there an inherent theological problem with babies remaining their age in heaven? Potentially. Babies who die in the womb and those that die at an early age after birth don’t have the mental capacity for activities the Bible says will occur in heaven.

For example, fetuses and newborns don’t have the capacity to understand the gospel of Jesus Christ and the love of God. Likewise, they wouldn’t be able to worship God in heaven unless they were older.

Do some believe people’s age will be frozen in time? Some speculate that this is the case. If a baby dies at 14 months, he or she will be 14 months for eternity. If a man or woman dies at 95, they will be 95 for eternity.

With regard to an elderly person, the theological issue that arises is that aging is a result of sin, and neither sin nor its effects will be part of the experience of heaven. Following this argument, if elderly people won’t be the same age, then babies won’t be either.

Also see Our Father Which Art In Heaven to learn more.

References:
[1] Source