What does the Bible say about saving for retirement?

"S." You ask, "Is it right to lay up money for the future?" This is entirely a question between the heart and the Lord. If one cannot fully trust the Lord for the future, both for himself and for his family — if one has not such a sense of what God is, and what the life of faith is, as to lift the heart entirely above the range of creature confidence, human hopes, and earthly expectations, he can, of course, only lay up money, or insure his life. In the case of a mere man of the world, it is very laudable to deny himself in order to lay up for his wife and children; but the man of God stands on different ground altogether. We believe it is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in a store of money, or in an insurance policy. "Leave thy fatherless children to me, and let thy widows trust in me." We have often seen the truth of the old proverb: "If you lay up for a rainy day, God will send you a rainy day." And as to children, the best provision you can make for them is, to teach them to provide for themselves by honest industry.

As to any other questions that may arise, such, for instance, as to whether one should lay up for one's family, they can only be settled by each one individually waiting on the Lord and receiving special guidance from Him. For his guidance he will find on the one hand such Scriptures as "I have been young and now am old, yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread. He is ever merciful and lendeth, and his seed is blessed" (Psalm 37:25-26); and on the other hand, "I will not be burdensome to you: for I seek not yours, but you; for the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children." (2 Cor. 12:14.) Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. One thing is, however, clear, that if a man does not make provision for his family, such as a prudent man of the world makes, and in consequence spends more upon himself than he would otherwise be able to do, expecting the saints to care for his family, and thus throwing them as a burden on the Church, then he is neither acting in faith, nor in an upright, godly manner. Such conduct can unhesitatingly be condemned as unrighteous. If he has faith to spend in the Lord's interests, not only what he would naturally do as a Christian, but also over and above what he would save up for his family, well and good, but without faith it is impossible to please God, and counterfeit faith is worthless.

In any case it is well to take heed to the words of our Lord: "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal; for where your treasure is there will your heart be also." (Matt. 6:19-21.)

We have read your letter with deep interest and we can enter into your feelings. We believe the Christian is bound to provide for his family, day by day — bound to educate his children and put them in the way of earning an honest livelihood. All this is so plainly commanded in the New Testament as to admit of no question. But these sacred duties leave wholly untouched the question of hoarding up and of speculation. We do not believe in these latter at all. We believe that hoarding covers the soul with rust and speculation fills the heart and mind with care and anxiety.

When they reached a certain place, therefore, it would be a mistake to sink their roots too deep, just as we too should remember that we are only pilgrims passing through a hostile world and are not to settle down as though we are permanent residents in a world that has rejected our Savior. Of course it is necessary to make preparations for winter, and necessary to provide for our own households (1 Tim.5:8), but such things can be done with an attitude of faith that is fully willing to leave our present circumstances at any moment the Lord should direct.

But why need I hoard up for my children? If I can trust God for myself, why not trust Him for them likewise? Cannot the One who has fed and clothed me, feed and clothe them also? Is His hand shortened, or His treasury exhausted? Shall I make them idlers, or give them money instead of God? Ah! my reader, let us bear in mind this simple fact, that if we cannot trust God for our little ones, we do not trust Him for ourselves. The moment I begin to hoard up a sixpence, I have, in principle, departed from the life of faith. I may call my hoard by all the fair names that were ever invented by worldly minds or unbelieving hearts; but the unvarnished truth of the matter is this. MY HOARD IS MY GOD. "Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." Let not the truth be misunderstood or misinterpreted. I am bound, by the powerful obligations of the word and example of God, to provide for my own; for, "if any provide not for his own, and especially for those of his own house, he has denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel." (1 Tim. 5:8.) This is plain enough. And, moreover, I am bound to fit my children, so far as God's principles admit, and my province extends, for any service to which He may be graciously pleased to call them. But I am nowhere instructed in the word of God to give my children a hoard in place of an honest occupation, with simple dependence upon a heavenly Father. As a matter of actual fact, few children ever thank their fathers for inherited wealth; whereas they will ever remember, with gratitude and veneration, having been led, by parental care and management, into a godly course of action for themselves.

'Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth.' The warning of the Lord Jesus however-which was first of all directed to His disciples-does not refer to the wished-for blessing of God. It is referring to something totally different, that is to the greedy striving for wealth and earthly security. About this we read already in Proverbs 23:4-5: 'Labour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom. Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven.'

It must be entirely a question of individual faith. The Word is plain, “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth.” If anyone says you ought to lay up, he must settle the matter with the Lord Christ. Ephesians 4:28 teaches us that the object for which a man is to work with his hands is, not to lay up, but that he may have to give to him that needs. It is a fine question to put to the heart — which would you rather have, a hoard of money or the living God? A genuine faith will not hesitate long about giving an answer. Back

Then follow the exhortations with regard to the things of this life. And, first, as to the laying up of treasures upon earth. The Lord brings in a principle, not of natural interest, but of spiritual wisdom and freedom from care, which the soul enjoys that does not want anything here below. Supposing there is something that one very much values upon earth, there is proportionate fear lest the thief or some corroding thing should spoil our treasure. Very different is that which the Lord enjoins that we should seek: "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal," a most solemn test for examining ourselves by. "For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also" (vers. 19-21). We may detect where we are by that which our thoughts chiefly rest upon. If they are heavenward, blessed are we; but if earthward, we shall find that those very things upon which our hearts are set will prove a sorrow one day or another. The Lord traces all this to one grand root — you cannot serve two masters. You have not two hearts, but one; and your heart will be with that which you value most. Everything is thus followed up to its source: God on the one hand and mammon on the other. Mammon is what sums up the lusts of the heart of man as to all things here. It may manifest itself in different forms, but this is the root — covetousness. "Ye cannot serve God and mammon." "Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought [be not anxious] for your life, what ye shall eat or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on." The great point is indifference to present things, or rather, a peaceful trust about them; not because we do not value the mercies of God, but because we have confidence in our Father's love and care about us. The apostle Paul shows us the most beautiful expression of this when he says, "I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content." He had known changes of circumstances — what it was to have nothing, and what it was to have abundance; but the great point was his thorough content with God's portion for him. This was not a thing that he passed through lightly, but he had learned it. It was a matter of attainment — of judging of things in the light of God's presence and love. The blessing is to be looking onward with this thought: our Father deals with us now with a view to glory; as the apostle adds, "My God shall supply all your need, according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus." How sweet that is! "My God" — the God that I have proved, whose affection I have tasted. I can count upon Him for you as well as for me; and He "shall supply all your need," not merely according to the riches of His grace, but according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. He has taken you from this world as His children: He is going to have you the companions of His Son above; and he deals with you now according to your place and position then. Whatever is suitable to this great plan of His glory and love, the Lord will give us to prove the consequence of that.

Now we come to another division of the chapter (vers. 19-24). As far as the christian is concerned, if he has money he simply has it as a steward. In early days they had all things common, when all the saints were in Jerusalem. But that could not be carried out now. We have further instructions since failure has come in; see 1 Tim. 6:6-10, 17-19, where raiment should read "covering"; the word in the original takes in a roof as well as raiment. That fits in a good deal with this chapter. Those who have money like to invest it wisely, and the Lord shows here how to do it. "He that gives to the poor, lends to the Lord." One could not have a safer investment, or better interest. We do not know what a day or an hour may bring forth. Three years ago people in Belgium little thought what would occur. Riches take to themselves wings and fly away. They will never fly away if invested thus. Heaven is the place to store them. The Lord is showing the place in which to deposit treasure. It is individual. What a blessed thing to be able to rightly appreciate what we have in heaven, and thus have our hearts set on things above, not on things on the earth!

Now let us consider the subject of this letter more directly. There are three principal features of the National Savings Certificates which have an analogy to higher things. First, "Savings" implies that they consist of money surrendered by the holders. Secondly, "National" implies that the Government guarantees the security of the money. Thirdly "Certificates" are warrants in writing which indicate to the holders that their money is secure. The whole scheme is to make a provision for the future, which will be as reliable as possible in this world.

Turning to the scriptural subject, we find the Lord, Jesus instructed His disciples to make provision for the future. He said, "Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal"(Matt. 6:19). This is doing something now which will be an absolutely certain advantage in the future. It is, as the apostle says, "Laying up in store a good foundation against the time to come (1 Tim. 6:19).

Shall I mention an example to make the matter quite clear? Our Lord said to His followers, "Whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in My name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward" (Mark 9:41). We may discern three principal features in this text. First, a cup of drinking water is surrendered. Secondly, the Lord Jesus gives His guarantee (Verily, I say unto you) that it shall not be forgotten and lost, like water spilt upon the ground. Thirdly, we have the Lord's own promise in writing that the cup of water shall not lose its reward, and these rewards are in heaven (Matt. 5:12). The cup given is our "Savings;" the Lord's word is our security, and He being on high where we shall be, makes it "Heavenly;" and the scripture we carry about with us is our "Certificate."