What Does the Bible Say About Retirement?

In the financial planning world, there isn’t a topic that gets more press or more discussed than retirement.

In fact, retirement is one of the main reasons that people seek financial planning in the first place. Yet, the modern view of retirement is relatively new.

There was no concept of retirement back when Jesus lived or the Bible was written.

So then, what does the Bible actually say about retirement and how we should live our later years? 

The Evolution of Retirement in America 

One hundred years ago, most people worked until they died or close to it. Social Security didn’t exist and very few companies offered their employees any type of pension. When Social Security commenced in 1935, the average life expectancy was 58 for men and 62 for women and full Social Security retirement benefits weren’t available until age 65. At this time, the poverty rate among senior citizens exceeded 50 percent and the program was designed to provide “social insurance” during the Great Depression of the 1930s.   

Although life expectancy has increased significantly over the last 80 years (now 76 for men and 81 for women), the Social Security retirement age has increased by only two years to age 67.  Over the years, Social Security has evolved from a program that only provided a significant benefit to a small minority of people to a program from which most Americans expect to receive a significant benefit. It has also created a season of life for many that simply didn’t exist until the last few generations—a season in which someone is no longer working or expected to earn an income, but is still in good health. 

Today, the American view of retirement seems to revolve around paying the price at work for 30-40 years so that you can kick back and pursue a life of leisure in your “golden years.”  There seems to be a focus on looking inward and making life as fun and easy as possible.   

The Bible and Retirement  

That doesn’t sound very biblical, so what does the Bible have to say about this relatively new phenomenon known as retirement? 

Very little actually. The only passage I’m aware of that references anything even close to what we would consider modern retirement is found in Numbers 8:24-25, which contains instructions to the Levite priests to stop working in the tent of meeting once they reach age 50, at which point they could only assist those who were performing the work.  

While the Bible says very little about the act of retiring from a job, it says A LOT about how we are to live during our years on earth. And that would include a season in which we do not earn an income. Some of these verses are: 

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 

Romans 12:1 (ESV)

For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 

Galatians 5:13 (ESV)

As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace:  whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. 

1 Peter 4:10-11 (ESV)

What we can see from these passages is that we were put on earth to serve others and glorify God, which is not dependent on whether or not we are working a full-time job. 

Our Focus in Later Years 

While I do think that most people will reach a season in their life when they no longer have the physical health or energy to get paid from a full-time job, I believe it’s important for Christians to think carefully about how they will spend their later years in life.

Shakespeare wrote, “leisure is a beautiful garment for a day, but a horrible choice for permanent attire.” You see, for many of us, our later years are when we will have the most resources, the most wisdom, and the most time—these are the years when we have an opportunity to make a significant impact for the Kingdom.

Similarly, rather than viewing retirement as a finish line, I think that we should view it as a mile marker. Like passing a mile marker in a race, retirement is certainly something worth noticing and celebrating, but it shouldn’t distract us from the finish line. For the Christian, death is the finish line—this is when the real party starts!  

When we lack an eternal mindset, we begin to put our later years on a pedestal, and in a way, try to create our own heaven on Earth. The problem is, our retirement years are finite. An eternal view reminds us that the best is yet to come, and once it does, it never ends! 

It is wise to save for retirement, but you must keep it within a healthy biblical perspective. If you’re looking for help in preparing for retirement—whatever that will look like for you—visit our advisor page. Our advisors can help you prepare materially for your later years while keeping an eternal perspective.