(Psalm 14:1-3)…..The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none who does good. 2 The Lord looks down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there are any who understand, who seek God. 3 They have all turned aside, they have together become corrupt; there is none who does good, No, not one.
The word fool describes one who is without wisdom. In this text the Hebrew word for fool is nabal, which describes one who expresses contempt or disgust for worthwhile things. Consider (1 Samuel 25:25). The husband of Abigail, who was named Nabal, he refused to help David and his men after they had helped him showing foolish and selfish behavior. The fool is one who chooses to act without wisdom in his life (Isaiah 32:5-8) (Proverbs 1:7) (Proverbs 12:15-16) (Proverbs 14:16) (Proverbs 18:2) (Ecclesiastes 2:14) (Matthew 7:24-27).
It is the fool who says in his heart “there is no God” – (53:1). It is such a person who is corrupt, doing abominable (detestable) works, who does no good in anything they do (Psalm 10:3-4) (Romans 1:18-22).
Most people today (around us) claim to believe in God and even in Christ, yet the vast majority live like there is no God. They live without the fellowship of Christians, without Bible reading, without prayer, without obedience to the commands of God. They live, breathe, and plan their life without ever once thinking of God and His ways. They say God exists, but act as if He doesn’t, even this type acts the fool.
d. What constitutes a fool? – What is he/she like?
- One who trusts in himself – (Proverbs 12:15) (Proverbs 28:26)
- One who is deaf to instruction – (Proverbs 1:7) (Proverbs 15:5) (Proverbs 23:9)
- One who will not change – (Proverbs 13:19) (Proverbs 26:11)
Certainly, one who does not listen to the words of God is a very foolish person. To say there is no God is an important issue because if God does not exist…..
- Then there is no Sovereign God to which we must give an account
- There is no – Judgment Day – no heaven – no hell – no right – no wrong
- There is no good or evil – no reason to be accountable to anyone but ourselves
But if God does exist (which He does)…..
- Then there is a Sovereign God to Whom we must give an account
- We must learn the nature of this God – and what He requires of us