Dictionary of Bible Themes  »  5000 Humanity  »  5760 Human attitudes and behaviour  »  5776 achievement

Human beings can achieve many things, though any achievement which disregards God is futile. God always achieves what he intends. Anything of eternal value needs God-given resources.

Kinds of human achievement

Accumulation of wealth

Esther 1:4 See also 1 Kings 10:23 pp 2 Chronicles 9:22; 1 Kings 10:26-27 pp 2 Chronicles 9:27; Job 42:12; Ecclesiastes 2:4-9

Political power

Genesis 41:41-43 See also 1 Kings 4:21 pp 2 Chronicles 9:26; Esther 1:1; Esther 10:2-3; Daniel 2:37-38,48

Buildings

1 Kings 7:1-12; Daniel 4:30; Mark 13:1

Great learning

1 Kings 4:32-34; Ecclesiastes 1:13-16; Daniel 1:17

Military victory

Genesis 14:14-16; Exodus 17:8-13; Joshua 8:24-26; Judges 4:14-16; 1 Samuel 18:7; 2 Samuel 22:35-43 pp Psalm 18:34-42

Acts of courage

1 Samuel 14:6-14; Samuel 17:50; 2 Samuel 23:8-21 pp 1 Chronicles 11:11-23

Spiritual achievements

Romans 15:19 See also Luke 10:17; John 14:12; Acts 14:3; Acts 20:26-27; 2 Corinthians 3:1-3; 1 John 2:13-14; Revelation 2:19

Limitations of human achievements

Human achievements can lead to pride

Isaiah 10:12-15 See also Deuteronomy 8:10-18; 2 Chronicles 26:16; Daniel 4:29-30

Human achievements can give false security

Luke 12:16-20 See also 2 Kings 19:11-13 pp Isaiah 37:11-13; 2 Kings 19:21-28 pp Isaiah 37:21-29; Jeremiah 48:7; 1 Timothy 6:17; Revelation 18:7-8

Human achievements are ultimately futile

Ecclesiastes 2:11 See also Psalm 39:6; Ecclesiastes 2:17-23; Isaiah 40:6; Habakkuk 2:13

Human achievements do not lead to justification

Acts 13:39; Romans 5:1; 1 Corinthians 6:11; Galatians 2:15-16,21

God can thwart human achievements

Genesis 11:1-9 God will overthrow all human achievement that is in opposition to him. See also Job 5:12; Psalm 33:10; Isaiah 13:19; Revelation 18:10,16-19

God's achievements

God's purposes are always accomplished

Isaiah 46:10 See also Job 42:2; Isaiah 14:24; Isaiah 55:10-11; Jeremiah 23:20; Jeremiah 30:24

Creation as God's achievement

Psalm 104:24 See also Genesis 1:1,31; Psalm 104:2-23; Isaiah 40:25-26

Salvation as God's achievement

Hebrews 7:25 See also John 17:4; John 19:28,30; Acts 4:12; Philippians 1:6; Hebrews 10:14; Hebrews 12:2

Spiritual resources for human achievements

Achieving things with God's help

Psalm 127:1 See also 2 Samuel 22:30 pp Psalm 18:29; 2 Chronicles 26:5; Zechariah 4:6-9; John 15:5; Acts 1:8; Romans 15:18-19; 1 Corinthians 3:6; Philippians 2:13; Philippians 4:13

Achieving things by faith

Mark 9:23 See also Matthew 17:20; Matthew 21:21 pp Mark 11:22-23; Luke 17:6

Achieving things through prayer

John 14:13-14 See also 1 Samuel 1:27; James 5:16-18

Achievements out of trials and sorrows

2 Corinthians 4:17 See also Romans 5:3-4; 2 Corinthians 7:10; Corinthians 12:7-10; James 1:2-4

Achieving things with the help of fellow believers

Galatians 6:2 See also Acts 2:42-45; Acts 4:32-37; Acts 5:12-16; Philippians 4:13-14,18; Hebrews 10:24-25

See also

1130  God, sovereignty
2530  Christ, death of
5785  ambition
5811  compromise
5864  futility
5954  strength
5960  success
8023  faith, necessity
8420  equipping
8441  goals
8610  prayer, asking God
8802  pride