Dictionary of Bible Themes  »  8000 The life of the believer  »  8700 Threats to the life of faith  »  8834 unbelief  »  8835 unbelief, nature and effects of

Unbelief, or the failure to trust God, holds back his blessing and leads to condemnation and spiritual death.

The nature of unbelief

Not trusting God

Psalm 78:22

Rebelling against God

Hebrews 3:12 See also Psalm 78:40; Hebrews 3:16

Disobeying God

Hebrews 11:31 NIV footnote. See also Ephesians 2:2; Hebrews 3:18-19; Hebrews 4:11

Questioning God's truthfulness

1 John 5:10 See also Psalm 106:24; 1 John 1:10

Unbelief as the result of the devil's work

Taking away God's word

Luke 8:12 pp Matthew 13:19 pp Mark 4:15

Causing spiritual blindness

2 Corinthians 4:4 See also Romans 1:21; 2 Corinthians 4:3; Ephesians 4:18

Unbelief as the result of not belonging to God

John 10:26 See also John 5:38; John 8:44-45; John 12:37-40; 1 Corinthians 2:14

Unbelief hinders Jesus Christ's miracles

Matthew 13:58 pp Mark 6:5-6

The consequences of persistent unbelief

Failure to receive God's reward

Hebrews 3:19 The “rest” that God's people enjoyed on entering the promised land is here taken to symbolise the final reward prepared by God for his people. See also Hebrews 4:1-2,6; Jude 5

Exclusion from the people of God

Romans 11:20 See also Hebrews 6:4-6

Death in sin

John 8:24 See also Psalm 106:43; Mark 4:12; Acts 10:43

God's wrath

John 3:36 See also Romans 1:18; Romans 2:5,8

Condemnation by God

John 3:18 See also Mark 16:16; Luke 12:46; John 12:48; 2 Thessalonians 2:12; Revelation 21:8

See also

1025  God, anger of
1310  God as judge
5135  blindness, spiritual
5484  punishment by God
6026  sin, judgment on
6125  condemnation, divine
6245  stubbornness
8032  trust, lack of
8718  disobedience
8742  faithlessness
8840  unfaithfulness to God
9024  death, spiritual