Definition and Context:
Failure, in a biblical context, refers to the lack of success in achieving a desired goal or outcome. It can manifest in various forms, including moral, spiritual, or practical failures. The Bible addresses failure as a part of the human experience, often highlighting the lessons and growth that can emerge from it.

Biblical Examples of Failure:

1. Adam and Eve (Genesis 3): The first recorded failure in the Bible is the disobedience of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. Their failure to obey God's command not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil resulted in the fall of humanity. This event underscores the consequences of disobedience and the introduction of sin into the world.

2. Moses (Numbers 20:7-12): Moses, a revered leader and prophet, experienced failure when he struck the rock at Meribah instead of speaking to it as God commanded. This act of disobedience prevented him from entering the Promised Land. Moses' failure illustrates the importance of obedience and faith in God's instructions.

3. David (2 Samuel 11): King David's moral failure with Bathsheba and the subsequent murder of her husband Uriah is a profound example of personal failure. Despite his sin, David's repentance and God's forgiveness are highlighted in Psalm 51, demonstrating the possibility of redemption and restoration.

4. Peter (Matthew 26:69-75): The Apostle Peter's denial of Jesus three times is a significant failure in the New Testament. Despite his initial fear and denial, Peter was restored by Jesus and became a foundational leader in the early Church, showing that failure is not the end but can lead to growth and renewed purpose.

Theological Insights:

· Human Nature and Sin: Failure is often linked to the sinful nature of humanity. Romans 3:23 states, "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." This verse acknowledges that failure is a common human experience due to sin.

· God's Sovereignty and Grace: Despite human failure, the Bible emphasizes God's sovereignty and grace. Romans 8:28 assures believers that "in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose." This promise provides hope that God can use failures for His greater purpose.

· Repentance and Forgiveness: The Bible consistently calls for repentance in the face of failure. 1 John 1:9 encourages believers, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." This assurance of forgiveness is central to the Christian faith.

· Perseverance and Growth: James 1:2-4 teaches that trials and failures can lead to perseverance and maturity: "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, when you encounter trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance." This perspective encourages believers to view failure as an opportunity for spiritual growth.

Practical Applications:

· Learning from Failure: Believers are encouraged to learn from their failures and seek God's guidance for future decisions. Proverbs 24:16 states, "For though a righteous man may fall seven times, he still gets up; but the wicked stumble in bad times."

· Encouragement and Support: The Christian community is called to support one another in times of failure. Galatians 6:1-2 advises, "Brothers, if someone is caught in a trespass, you who are spiritual should restore him with a spirit of gentleness. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. Carry one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ."

· Trust in God's Plan: Believers are reminded to trust in God's plan, even when faced with failure. Proverbs 3:5-6 encourages, "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight."

Failure, while often painful and challenging, is addressed in the Bible as an integral part of the human journey, offering opportunities for repentance, growth, and deeper reliance on God's grace and sovereignty.James 2:24
You see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.
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2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
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Galatians 6:7
Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatever a man sows, that shall he also reap.
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Revelation 21:8
But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and fornicators, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
Topicalbible.org

1. (n.) Cessation of supply, or total defect; a failing; deficiency; as, failure of rain; failure of crops.

2. (n.) Omission; nonperformance; as, the failure to keep a promise.

3. (n.) Want of success; the state of having failed.

4. (n.) Decay, or defect from decay; deterioration; as, the failure of memory or of sight.

5. (n.) A becoming insolvent; bankruptcy; suspension of payment; as, failure in business.

6. (n.) A failing; a slight fault.

266. hamartia -- a sin, failure
... a sin, failure. Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: hamartia Phonetic
Spelling: (ham-ar-tee'-ah) Short Definition: a sin Definition: prop: missing ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/266.htm - 7k

2275. hettema -- loss
... loss. Part of Speech: Noun, Neuter Transliteration: hettema Phonetic Spelling:
(hayt'-tay-mah) Short Definition: a defeat, failure Definition: defect, loss ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2275.htm - 6k

1500. eike -- without cause or reason, vainly
... without a cause, in vain. Probably from eiko (through the idea of failure); idly,
ie Without reason (or effect) -- without a cause, (in) vain(-ly). ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1500.htm - 7k

3152. mataios -- vain, useless
... ineffectual ("groundless"). 3152 ("aimless") emphasizes the " or failure to attain
any true purpose" (Moulton and Milligan). 3152 () refers ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3152.htm - 7k

4767. stugetos -- hateful
... [4767() describes what is odious (repulsive, disgusting) -- as when "self-revealed
failure" is apparent even to the perpetrator of a crime (see White, EGT, 4 ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4767.htm - 7k

5384. nasheh -- a vein (or nerve) in the thigh
... which shrank. From nashah, in the sense of failure; rheumatic or crippled (from
the incident to Jacob) -- which shrank. see HEBREW nashah. 5383, 5384. ...
/hebrew/5384.htm - 6k

1115. bilti -- not, except
... Constructive feminine of balah (equivalent to bliy); properly, a failure of, ie
(used only as a negative particle, usually with a prepositional prefix) not ...
/hebrew/1115.htm - 6k

1088. Balah -- a place in Simeon
... Balah. Feminine of baleh; failure; Balah, a place in Palestine -- Balah. see
HEBREW baleh. 1087, 1088. Balah. 1089 . Strong's Numbers.
/hebrew/1088.htm - 6k

1584. gamar -- to end, come to an end, complete
... A primitive root; to end (in the sense of completion or failure) -- cease, come
to an end, fail, perfect, perform. 1583, 1584. gamar. 1585 . Strong's Numbers
/hebrew/1584.htm - 6k

1097. beli -- a wearing out
... From balah; properly, failure, ie Nothing or destruction; usually (with
preposition) without, not yet, because not, as long as, etc. ...
/hebrew/1097.htm - 6k

3585. kachash -- lying, leanness
... leanness, lies, lying. From kachash; literally, a failure of flesh, ie Emaciation;
figuratively, hypocrisy -- leanness, lies, lying. see HEBREW kachash. ...
/hebrew/3585.htm - 6k

1077. bal -- not
... From balah; properly, a failure; by implication nothing; usually (adverb) not at
all; also lest -- lest, neither, no, none (that...), not (any), nothing. ...
/hebrew/1077.htm - 6k

Where the Reproach of Failure Lies.
... The Past Failure Where the Reproach of Failure Lies. ... Every failure that could have
been prevented by honest work and earnest faithfulness spells reproach. ...
/.../gordon/quiet talks with world winners/where the reproach of failure.htm

Failure Swallowed by victory.
... The Coming Victory Failure Swallowed by Victory. But God's failures are only for
a while. They are real. There is the tragic element in them. ...
/.../gordon/quiet talks with world winners/failure swallowed by victory.htm

The Impossibility of Failure.
... CHAPTER VI. THE IMPOSSIBILITY OF FAILURE. "But, beloved, we are persuaded
better things of you, and things that accompany salvation ...
/.../chapter vi the impossibility of.htm

The Failure of Plato and Other Ancient Philosophers to Construct a ...
... Section I. The failure of Plato and other ancient philosophers to construct
a Theodicy, not a ground of despair. The supposed want ...
/.../a theodicy or vindication of the divine glory/section i the failure of.htm

The Failure of Leibnitz not a Ground of Despair.
... Section II. The failure of Leibnitz not a ground of despair. ... His failure,
if rightly considered, is not a ground for despondency. ...
/.../a theodicy or vindication of the divine glory/section ii the failure of.htm

Taught by Failure. June 25.
... Taught by Failure. June 25. So I am content to have failed. I have learned
in the experiment priceless truths concerning myself, my ...
//christianbookshelf.org/kingsley/daily thoughts /taught by failure june 25.htm

Impossibility of Fixing the Horoscope; Failure of an Attempt to do ...
... Book IV. Chapter IV."Impossibility of Fixing the Horoscope; Failure of
an Attempt to Do This at the Period of Birth. For this ...
/.../the refutation of all heresies/chapter iv impossibility of fixing the.htm

victor's Perplexity and Failure.
... Book II. Chapter 21 [XV.]"Victor's Perplexity and Failure. For these
reasons I fail thus far to discover what this instructor ...
/.../augustine/anti-pelagian writings/chapter 21 xv victors perplexity and.htm

Out of the Deep of Loneliness, Failure, and Disappointment.
... IV. OUT OF THE DEEP OF LONELINESS, FAILURE, AND DISAPPOINTMENT. ... Don't be downhearted
if outward humiliation, disappointment, failure, come at first. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/kingsley/out of the deep/iv out of the deep.htm

Marcion's Cavils Considered. His Objection Refuted, IE , Man's ...
... good God. Chapter V."Marcion's Cavils Considered. His Objection Refuted,
ie, Man's Fall Showed Failure in God. The Perfection ...
/.../the five books against marcion/chapter v marcions cavils considered his.htm

Failure (5 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (n.) Cessation of supply, or total defect; a
failing; deficiency; as, failure of rain; failure of crops. ...
/f/failure.htm - 8k

Loss (90 Occurrences)
... 1. (n.) The act of losing; failure; destruction; privation; as, the loss of property;
loss of money by gaming; loss of health or reputation. ...
/l/loss.htm - 37k

Fail (130 Occurrences)
... 12. (vi) Miscarriage; failure; deficiency; fault; -- mostly superseded by failure
or failing, except in the phrase without fail. 13. (vi) Death; decease. Int. ...
/f/fail.htm - 43k

Offices (14 Occurrences)
... THE THREEFOLD OFFICE IN THE OLD TESTAMENT The Failure of the Offices to Secure Their
Desired Ends III. THE PROPHET The Forecast of the True Prophet IV. ...
/o/offices.htm - 43k

Lapse (9 Occurrences)
... 3. (n.) The termination of a right or privilege through neglect to exercise it within
the limited time, or through failure of some contingency; hence, the ...
/l/lapse.htm - 10k

Fault (42 Occurrences)
... dirt fault, etc. 6. (n.) A lost scent; act of losing the scent. 7. (n.)
Failure to serve the ball into the proper court. 8. (vt) To ...
/f/fault.htm - 23k

Decay (18 Occurrences)
... 4. (n.) Gradual failure of health, strength, soundness, prosperity, or of any species
of excellence or perfection; tendency toward dissolution or extinction ...
/d/decay.htm - 13k

Dew (35 Occurrences)
...Failure of either of these gifts of Nature would cause great want and hardship,
but the failure of both would cause famine and death. ...
/d/dew.htm - 26k

Collapse (9 Occurrences)
... 3. (n.) A falling together suddenly, as of the sides of a hollow vessel. 4. (n.)
A sudden and complete failure; an utter failure of any kind; a breakdown. ...
/c/collapse.htm - 9k

Crime (45 Occurrences)
... Breach of Covenant (parar 'eth ha-berith).-According to Poucher (HDB, article "Crimes"),
this term included: (1) failure to observe the Day of Atonement ...
/c/crime.htm - 51k

What does the Bible say about failure? | GotQuestions.org

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Failure: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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