Dictionary of Bible Themes  »  8000 The life of the believer  »  8200 The character of the believer  »  8331 reliability

The quality of consistency and dependability which is the basis for confidence and reliance. It is exemplified by God in his changelessness and is required of God's people in their service and witness. Scripture gives warning, too, of those things which may prove unreliable.

The reliability of God

God's character and nature are reliable

Deuteronomy 32:4 See also 1 Samuel 2:2; Psalm 18:2; Psalm 62:7; Psalm 78:35; Isaiah 26:4

God is faithful to his covenants

Deuteronomy 7:9 See also Genesis 9:15-16; Psalm 105:8-11; Psalm 111:5; Isaiah 54:10; Ezekiel 16:60

God's love is reliable

Psalm 89:1-2 See also Exodus 20:6 pp Deuteronomy 5:10; Exodus 34:6-7; Numbers 14:18; Psalm 103:17-18; Lamentations 3:22-24; 1 John 4:16

God's promises are reliable

1 Kings 8:56 See also Joshua 21:44-45; Joshua 23:15; Jeremiah 29:10; Hebrews 6:13-18

God's presence is reliable

Deuteronomy 31:6 See also Genesis 28:15; Isaiah 41:10; Matthew 28:20; Acts 18:10

God's strength and protection are reliable

Psalm 46:1; 1 Corinthians 1:8-9 See also Joshua 14:9; 2 Chronicles 13:18; 2 C 8; Psalm 71:5-7; Philippians 1:6; 2 Thessalonians 3:3; Jude 24

God's words are reliable

John 8:26 See also Psalm 33:4; Ezekiel 12:25; Matthew 5:18; Luke 21:33; Romans 3:4

The reliability of times and seasons

Genesis 8:22 See also Genesis 1:14; Psalm 104:19; Ecclesiastes 1:4-5

The reliability of God's people

Reliability in witness

Isaiah 8:2 See also Proverbs 12:17; Proverbs 14:5,25; John 19:35; Acts 4:20

Reliability in teaching

Proverbs 22:20-21 See also Ecclesiastes 12:10; 2 Timothy 2:2

Reliability of character

1 Timothy 3:2-10; Titus 1:6-9

Examples of reliable people

Genesis 21:23-24 Abraham

Moses:

Numbers 12:7; Hebrews 3:5

Caleb:

Numbers 14:24; Joshua 14:9-12 2 Chronicles 34:12 men working on the temple; Nehemiah 7:2 Hanani; Ezekiel 44:15 Priests; Malachi 2:6 Levi; 1 Corinthians 4:17 Timothy; Colossians 1:7 Epaphras; Colossians 4:7-9 Tychicus and Onesimus; 2 Timothy 4:11 Luke

Warnings against unreliability

Examples of unreliable people

Psalm 78:57 See also 1 Samuel 29:6 David was trusted by Achish, but was secretly deceiving him; Jeremiah 2:21 the people of Israel

False prophets:

Ezekiel 13:9; Zechariah 10:2; Matthew 7:15 Galatians 2:4 Judaisers; Hosea 10:4 Israel's kings

Examples of things proving unreliable

Jeremiah 17:5 See also 2 Kings 18:21 pp Isaiah 36:6 false dependence upon Egypt

False dependence on military strength:

Psalm 33:16; Hosea 10:13 Isaiah 30:12-13 false dependence upon human scheming

False dependence upon human effort to achieve salvation:

Galatians 3:18; Colossians 2:8

See also

1155  God, truthfulness
1240  God, the Rock
1340  consistency
1460  truth
2021  Christ, faithfulness
5466  promises
5973  unreliability
8224  dependence
8248  faithfulness
8275  honesty
8304  loyalty
8354  trustworthiness