Is Retirement Biblical?

Type of Doctrine: Tertiary

"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith."

-2 Timothy 4:7 ESV

Why Does It Matter?

Is it biblical to retire? If so, what is a biblical approach to retirement? Do unbiblical approaches to retirement exist? This article will cover the topic of retirement and whether it is biblical.

The biblical view on retirement is typically considered a tertiary issue. Believers can typically attend the same church and charitably disagree without problems.

What Is It?

Retirement means to stop working for a living. Typically, this happens later in life when someone has saved up enough money to afford it. (However, in some countries, there may also be money given to people from the government.) According to an article in Newsweek, "In the U.S., the average retirement age nationwide is 64, with state averages ranging from 61 to 67 years."[1]

The following will cover the purpose of retirement, the history of retirement, the Scriptures on retirement, and a few final reflections.

The Purpose of Retirement

There may be many possible purposes for retirement. This article won't be able to exhaustively cover all of them. However, some of the common reasons are listed below.

Why does someone retire? Some cease work for more time with a spouse, grandchildren, or extended family. Others may desire more time for vacations or hobbies. Still others desire more time for volunteering at church or at a nonprofit. Perhaps some may also be forced to retire due to the nature of their job, health, or layoffs.

The History of Retirement

Believe it or not, the rise of retirement took place relatively recently in human history. According to various sources, the rise of retirement took place in the 1880s.[2] As time has progressed, some countries have opted to pay retirement wages to elderly people.

However, while life expectancy increases, the years of retirement grow. More money is now needed to retire. For this reason, many people save up their own money as well. Due to increasing life expectancy, inflation, and rising health costs, some are even choosing to retire later.

Sarah Laskow comments,

The gradual increase in the retirement age is influenced by various factors, including longer life expectancies, changing financial needs, and adjustments to Social Security benefits. Many Americans are finding it necessary to extend their careers to secure adequate retirement savings and maintain their standard of living. As the cost of living rises and healthcare expenses grow, staying in the workforce longer has become a practical decision for many older Americans.[3]

Thus, in sum, the modern idea of retirement is only about one hundred and forty years old. With rising life expectancies along with inflation and costs, more money is needed to retire now.

The Scriptures on Retirement

Since Scripture does not directly address retirement (and since it is a fairly recent phenomenon), these Scriptures can be used to draw principles which can apply.

[Psa 37:25 ESV] 25 I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread.
[Psa 92:12-14 ESV] 12 The righteous flourish like the palm tree and grow like a cedar in Lebanon. 13 They are planted in the house of the LORD; they flourish in the courts of our God. 14 They still bear fruit in old age; they are ever full of sap and green,
[Pro 13:22 ESV] 22 A good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children, but the sinner's wealth is laid up for the righteous.
[Ecc 3:13 ESV] 13 also that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil--this is God's gift to man.
[Mat 6:19-21 ESV] 19 "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
[Mar 6:31 ESV] 31 And he said to them, "Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while." For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat.
[Luk 14:28 ESV] 28 For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it?
[1Ti 5:8 ESV] 8 But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
[1Ti 6:17-19 ESV] 17 As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. 18 They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, 19 thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.
[2Ti 4:7 ESV] 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

A Few Reflections

Is retirement biblical? I suppose it can be. Scripture does not command it or forbid it. This seems to be a conscience issue. Some may opt out of retirement while others choose to retire. Neither needs to judge the other.

Do unbiblical approaches to retirement exist? Absolutely. We are sinful people. As such, we can retire in a sinful manner (e.g., greed, selfishness, idolatry of comfort, etc.). This is worthy of reflection. In fact, it doesn't seem to be considered much by Christians in the West.

John Piper gives this cautionary note,

Another biblical principle I would stress is that the Bible has no conception of what Americans typically think of as retirement — that is, working for forty or fifty years and then playing for fifteen or twenty years: fishing, golfing, shuffleboard, pickleball, yard work, travel, hobbies, bucket lists, as if heaven was supposed to begin at 65 rather than death.[4]

Ouch. Heaven has not begun yet at retirement. That means, there are still good works to do. There is still a kingdom to advance.

However, on the other hand, it is also possible to avoid retiring and keep working in a sinful manner (e. g., idolatry of success, work, accomplishment, or money). Moreover, just because one can retire sinfully does not mean that these recreational types of activities are totally off-limits in retirement. Instead, these activities could be done as rest and recreation in a healthy manner during retirement. It's possible to do activities like these in a worshipful and thankful manner while keeping family, good works, spirituality, and church attendance (and service) in balance.

Moreover, it's important to note, we do not ever retire from being a follower of Christ. Even as we age, we are still "his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them" (Eph. 2:10). We should still love God and our neighbors (Mark 12:30-31).

Finally, for those who must retire due to a discouraging health concern, fight so that you don't lose hope. It may be helpful to think about the eternal bliss of the new heavens and the new earth (Rev. 21-22). As Paul has said, "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us" (Rom. 8:18). There will be nothing better; it will truly be paradise!

Application

Should you retire? Study the Scriptures which may apply to retirement and pray. If you choose to retire, then seek God for how to retire in a biblical, Christ-centered manner. If not, don't judge your brother or sister who may choose to retire. Regardless, remember that retirement is not heaven!

Where Can I Learn More?

End Notes:

[1] Billal Rahman, "Maps Show Retirement Age By US State—And Around The World," in Newsweek, September 13, 2024, https://www.newsweek.com/map-shows-retirement-age-us-states-world-1953633.

[2] See these two resources: (1) Dora L. Costa, "The Evolution of Retirement: An Economic History, 1880-1990," in National Bureau of Economic Research, January 1998, https://www.nber.org/system/files/chapters/c6108/c6108.pdf and (2) Sarah Laskow, "How Retirement Was Invented," in The Atlantic, October 24, 2014, https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2014/10/how-retirement-was-invented/381802/.

[3] Sarah Laskow, "How Retirement Was Invented,"in The Atlantic.

[4] John Piper, "How Much Money Do I Need to Retire?," Ask Pastor John, Episode 2090, October 17, 2024, https://www.desiringgod.org/interviews/how-much-money-do-i-need-to-retire.