Are Christians Created to Retire?
Retirement, as it’s known today in the US, is not biblical. That’s a pretty bold statement coming from an advisor who helps people within 10 years of retirement and beyond build financial plans and manage investments.
The American version of retirement is to completely cease working at a certain age and enjoy the rest of your years chasing a life of leisure and travel. While those things in and of themselves aren’t bad, I’d argue that’s not what we were created to do. We were created for a lifetime of work. However, while the form of work may change, the calling does not.
This article is Part one of a two-part series on retirement from a biblical and financial perspective. In this first article, we’ll explore what Scripture says about work, purpose, and retirement. In Part 2, we’ll examine how Christians should think practically about retirement planning, stewardship, investing, and preparing for later seasons of life. We'll update this post with the link to the second article once it's published.
We were created to work
Genesis 2:15 says “The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.”
And in Genesis 2:18, the LORD God said, “It is not good that man should be alone; I will make a helper fit for him.” Eve was created to be what Adam needed, so they could carry out their God-given work together.”
At the very beginning of the biblical story, we have Adam and Eve created by God and placed into the garden He created to cultivate it as His image bearers! Most people know this story, and familiarity with a biblical story often has us breeze by it quickly without pausing to think. But here is the interesting thing most people miss: work was part of God’s good plan for mankind before sin ever entered the picture.
When you’re reading the shortened account in Genesis 1, you see that everything God created was good (or very good on the day He created mankind). We can take this to mean that work was good too! But then we get to Genesis 3 where the whole world gets turned upside down as a result of sin and everything changes:
Genesis 3:17b-19a “…cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life; thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground…”
Work was good, but now the conditions have changed the way in which it’s done. I think it’s easy to understand why the American dream of retirement is so appealing!
Work became painful after the fall, but Scripture never presents the solution as escaping work altogether. Instead, the rest of the biblical story continues to show men and women called to meaningful labor, stewardship, and service throughout every season of life.
What does the Bible Actually Say About Retirement?
Everyone in the Bible worked. The patriarchs of the faith were shepherds, there were craftsmen who made the ornate things of the tabernacle, judges and kings had to go to war and oversee a nation. Then you have the Levites who were constantly working at the tabernacle and temple.
The Levites
Priests were responsible for offering sacrifices, burning incense, maintaining the altar, and teaching the people. Let’s also remember under the tabernacle structure, Levites were responsible for setting up, tearing down and transporting it to the next location - very labor intensive. Then you had guards and gatekeepers, musicians and singers. Most of these duties were demanding both physically and spiritually.
And here is the only place in all of scripture where I can find a concept of retirement:
Numbers 8:23-26: “And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “This applies to the Levites: from twenty-five years old and upward they shall come to do duty in the service of the tent of meeting. And from the age of fifty years they shall withdraw from the duty of the service and serve no more. They minister to their brothers in the tent of meeting by keeping guard, but they shall do no service. Thus shall you do to the Levites in assigning their duties.”
At age 50, they aren’t grabbing their beach chair and umbrella to head to the Mediterranean Sea for a day in the sun. They are reassigned to a new kind of work in ministering to their brothers by keeping guard. The heavy lifting is done by age 50, but they are still useful and called to serve the Lord. And there is no end date for this kind of service found in scripture. In fact, we see more around this as we continue into wisdom literature.
Wisdom Literature
The wisdom literature within the Bible brings in a ton of references to work. The book of Proverbs contains close to 100 verses that deal with work, diligence, laziness, productivity, stewardship, planning, wealth from labor and vocational excellence. There is a contrast of diligence vs laziness.
You could simply look at Proverbs 31 alone and get an excellent picture of the kind of work that is good! This woman works with willing hands, rises early to bring in food, she engages in trade, works out (get those strong arms), runs a business, serves the poor, prepares her family for hard seasons, and does not eat the bread of idleness. She has purpose and is diligent in all she does. Yet scripture is also realistic about the difficulty and reward of work in a fallen world.
Let’s not forget Ecclesiastes. Solomon explored every earthly pleasure and accomplishment (and was still found wanting). Solomon acknowledges that he hated his work under the sun, yet he eventually came around to say that there is nothing better than to enjoy food and drink and find satisfaction in work. He even goes on to say that this is God’s gift to man and that man should rejoice in his work! When we reach the New Testament, retirement still never appears as an end goal for God’s people.
New Testament
As we get into the New Testament, we still have plenty of examples of our call to work and none that talk about retirement. Paul has the most to say and here are a few examples of them:
2 Thessalonians 3:10-12 - “For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat. For we hear that some among you walk in idleness, not busy at work, but busybodies. Now such persons we command and encourage in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living.”
Work is clearly commanded to the point that if you don’t work, you don’t eat. Note, this is coming from a place of unwillingness to work, not as an inability to work. Even Paul worked as a tent maker when he could have claimed a salary from his position in sharing the gospel.
Colossians 3:23-24 - “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.”
While this is addressing bondservants during this time period, we can apply the same principle to employer and employee relationships.
Ephesians 4:28 - “Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need.”
Work goes beyond taking care of yourself, but it’s an opportunity to provide for those in need.
1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 - “and to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one.”
I think this is a good verse on not only working, but also to be diligent in saving so you don’t have to be dependent on anyone.
1 Corinthians 10:31 - “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”
We should do everything, including work, to the glory of God. This is a redemptive view of work.
Work in the New Heavens and New Earth
Without getting too deep into an end-times discussion, I would surmise that the biblical story ends much like it began: with God’s people actively serving, reigning, building, and enjoying the fruit of meaningful labor without the curse of sin. The biblical story begins with humanity cultivating creation and ends with God’s people serving and reigning with Him. Work is not eliminated in eternity.
If Scripture presents work as part of God’s design from creation to eternity, then retirement cannot simply mean withdrawing from usefulness and responsibility. The better question becomes this: how should Christians think about retirement planning in light of that truth? That’s what we’ll explore in part two.
