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 Est 1:4 See also 1Ki 10:23 pp 2Ch 9:22; 1Ki 10:26-27 pp 2Ch 9:27; Job 42:12; Ecc 2:4-9

Political power Ge 41:41-43 See also 1Ki 4:21 pp 2Ch 9:26; Est 1:1; Est 10:2-3; Da 2:37-38,48

Buildings 1Ki 7:1-12; Da 4:30; Mk 13:1

Great learning 1Ki 4:32-34; Ecc 1:13-16; Da 1:17

Military victory Ge 14:14-16; Ex 17:8-13; Jos 8:24-26; Jdg 4:14-16; 1Sa 18:7; 2Sa 22:35-43 pp Ps 18:34-42

Acts of courage 1Sa 14:6-14; 1Sa 17:50; 2Sa 23:8-21 pp 1Ch 11:11-23

Spiritual achievements Ro 15:19 See also Lk 10:17; Jn 14:12; Ac 14:3; Ac 20:26-27; 2Co 3:1-3; 1Jn 2:13-14; Rev 2:19

Limitations of human achievements

Human achievements can lead to pride Isa 10:12-15 See also Dt 8:10-18; 2Ch 26:16; Da 4:29-30

Human achievements can give false security Lk 12:16-20 See also 2Ki 19:11-13 pp Isa 37:11-13; 2Ki 19:21-28 pp Isa 37:21-29; Jer 48:7; 1Ti 6:17; Rev 18:7-8

Human achievements are ultimately futile Ecc 2:11 See also Ps 39:6; Ecc 2:17-23; Isa 40:6; Hab 2:13

Human achievements do not lead to justification Ac 13:39; Ro 5:1; 1Co 6:11; Gal 2:15-16,21

God can thwart human achievements

Ge 11:1-9 God will overthrow all human achievement that is in opposition to him. See also Job 5:12; Ps 33:10; Isa 13:19; Rev 18:10,16-19

God’s achievements

God’s purposes are always accomplished Isa 46:10 See also Job 42:2; Isa 14:24; Isa 55:10-11; Jer 23:20; Jer 30:24

Creation as God’s achievement Ps 104:24 See also Ge 1:1,31; Ps 104:2-23; Isa 40:25-26

Salvation as God’s achievement Heb 7:25 See also Jn 17:4; Jn 19:28,30; Ac 4:12; Php 1:6; Heb 10:14; Heb 12:2

Spiritual resources for human achievements

Achieving things with God’s help Ps 127:1 See also 2Sa 22:30 pp Ps 18:29; 2Ch 26:5; Zec 4:6-9; Jn 15:5; Ac 1:8; Ro 15:18-19; 1Co 3:6; Php 2:13; Php 4:13

Achieving things by faith Mk 9:23 See also Mt 17:20; Mt 21:21 pp Mk 11:22-23; Lk 17:6

Achieving things through prayer Jn 14:13-14 See also 1Sa 1:27; Jas 5:16-18

Achievements out of trials and sorrows 2Co 4:17 See also Ro 5:3-4; 2Co 7:10; 2Co 12:7-10; Jas 1:2-4

Achieving things with the help of fellow believers Gal 6:2 See also Ac 2:42-45; Ac 4:32-37; Ac 5:12-16; Php 4:13-14,18; Heb 10:24-25

See also