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
He is the Rock, His work is perfect; all His ways are just. A God of faithfulness without injustice, righteous and upright is He.
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
Know therefore that the LORD your God is God, the faithful God who keeps His covenant of loving devotion for a thousand generations of those who love Him and keep His commandments.
God's love is reliable
Psalm 89:1–2 See also Exodus 20:6 parallel Deuteronomy 5:10; Exodus 34:6–7; Numbers 14:18; Psalm 103:17–18; Lamentations 3:22–24; 1 John 4:16
A Maskil of Ethan the Ezrahite. I will sing of the loving devotion of the LORD forever; with my mouth I will proclaim Your faithfulness to all generations. For I have said, “Loving devotion is built up forever; in the heavens You establish Your faithfulness.”
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
“Blessed be the LORD, who has given rest to His people Israel according to all that He promised. Not one word has failed of all the good promises He made through His servant Moses.
God's presence is reliable
Deuteronomy 31:6 See also Genesis 28:15; Isaiah 41:10; Matthew 28:20; Acts 18:10
Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid or terrified of them, for it is the LORD your God who goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.”
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 Chronicles 16:8; Psalm 71:5–7; Philippians 1:6; 2 Thessalonians 3:3; Jude 1:24
For the choirmaster. Of the sons of Korah. According to Alamoth. A song. God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in times of trouble.
He will sustain you to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God, who has called you into fellowship with His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.
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
“I have much to say about you and much to judge. But the One who sent Me is truthful, and what I have heard from Him, I tell the world.”
The reliability of times and seasons
Genesis 8:22 See also Genesis 1:14; Psalm 104:19; Ecclesiastes 1:4–5
As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night shall never cease.”
The reliability of God's people
Reliability in witness
Isaiah 8:2 See also Proverbs 12:17, Proverbs 14:5, Proverbs 14:25; John 19:35; Acts 4:20
And I will appoint for Myself trustworthy witnesses— Uriah the priest and Zechariah son of Jeberekiah.”
Reliability in teaching
Proverbs 22:20–21 See also Ecclesiastes 12:10; 2 Timothy 2:2
Have I not written for you thirty sayings about counsel and knowledge, to show you true and reliable words, that you may soundly answer those who sent you?
Reliability of character
Examples of reliable people
Genesis 21:23–24 Abraham; Numbers 12:7; Hebrews 3:5; 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 IsraelEzekiel 13:9; Zechariah 10:2; Matthew 7:15 Galatians 2:4 Judaisers; Hosea 10:4 Israel's kings
They turned back and were faithless like their fathers, twisted like a faulty bow.
Examples of things proving unreliable
Jeremiah 17:5 See also 2 Kings 18:21 parallel Isaiah 36:6 false dependence upon EgyptPsalm 33:16; Hosea 10:13 Isaiah 30:12–13 false dependence upon human schemingGalatians 3:18; Colossians 2:8
This is what the LORD says: “Cursed is the man who trusts in mankind, who makes mere flesh his strength and turns his heart from the LORD.
Related themes
Dictionary of Bible Themes © 1999 Martin Manser, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Bible Aquifer. Formatted for this site, with Scripture from the Berean Standard Bible.