What other scriptures emphasize the reliability of God's word like 1 Timothy 4:9? The core verse: 1 Timothy 4:9 “This is a trustworthy saying, worthy of full acceptance.” Paul calls the gospel message “trustworthy,” anchoring believers’ confidence in God’s irrevocable word. Echoes from the Old Testament: a foundation of trust • Psalm 119:89 — “Your word, O LORD, is forever; it is firmly fixed in the heavens.” • Psalm 119:160 — “The entirety of Your word is truth, and all Your righteous judgments endure forever.” • Psalm 12:6 — “The words of the LORD are flawless, like silver refined in a furnace, purified seven times.” • Proverbs 30:5 — “Every word of God is flawless; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him.” • Isaiah 40:8 — “The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever.” These passages lay the groundwork: God’s speech is eternal, pure, and immovable. Jesus’ testimony about Scripture • Matthew 5:18 — “Truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not a single jot, not a stroke of a pen, will disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.” • Matthew 24:35 — “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away.” • John 10:35 — “… and the Scripture cannot be broken …” • John 17:17 — “Sanctify them by the truth; Your word is truth.” The Lord Himself stakes His authority on the unbreakable character of both the written Word and His own words. Apostolic confirmations • 2 Timothy 3:16 — “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for instruction, for conviction, for correction, and for training in righteousness.” • 2 Peter 1:20-21 — “No prophecy of Scripture comes from one’s own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” • Hebrews 4:12 — “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any double-edged sword …” • Titus 1:2 — “In the hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began.” • Numbers 23:19 — “God is not a man, that He should lie … Has He spoken, and will He not fulfill?” Each writer reaffirms that Scripture originates with a truth-telling God and therefore carries unfailing authority. Putting it together: why this matters for us • The same “trustworthy saying” Paul presents in 1 Timothy 4:9 rests on an unbroken chain of testimony—from Moses and the psalmists, through the prophets, to Jesus, and finally the apostles. • Because God’s nature is truthful and unchanging, His word is reliable in every generation and in every circumstance. • Confidence in Scripture’s reliability fuels our worship, steadies our obedience, and equips us to share the gospel with boldness, knowing we stand on a foundation that cannot crumble. |
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