Psalm 14:1

‘The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.”’
(Psalm 14:1)

It’s foolish to say ‘“There is no God”’ for several reasons, one being that a reasonable person would at least acknowledge it’s possible that God exists. Only a very hardened heart/mind, impervious to reason, would rule out the possibility altogether. In fact, such hardness often stems not from reason, but a reluctance to accept the implications for our lives of God being real.  However, through His very reality, God can help us not only to see Him, but discover that in His ‘presence is fullness of joy’(Psalm 16:11). So it’s wise to wonder about God’s existence, and even ‘“reach out for Him”’(Acts 17:27), because He has promised, ‘“You shall seek me and find me, when you search for me with all your heart”’(Jeremiah 29:13).

Some devote their lives to arguing against the existence of God, which seems a strange pursuit. Why spend life fighting against nothing – isn’t that a rather foolish use of time? Perhaps a hidden curiosity underlies such behaviour, in some at least, which is a good thing – sometimes the first step towards life changing encounter. Worse is a prideful disregard for God, as another psalm warns: ‘The wicked, in the pride of his face, has no room in his thoughts for God’(Psalm 10:4). That’s what the Bible describes later as ‘professing themselves to be wise, they became fools’(Romans 1:22), consumed by the ‘pride of life’(1 John 2:16) and ‘“other things”’(Mark 4:19) that choke off such valuable speculation leading to encounter. As the proverb puts it: ‘Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him’(Proverbs 26:12). So it’s better to be the fool who engages, even if that begins with denial/argument, or even mocking.

The first thing to realise is that we all begin with this hardness to spiritual truths, having ‘together become corrupt’(Psalm 14:3, cf. Romans 3:12ff.) as this psalm puts it. So, rather than mocking others who’ve seen something of God’s reality, arguing against what they’ve heard through ‘words which… are spiritually discerned’(1 Corinthians 2:13-14), it’s wiser to consider the possibility that we might actually be spiritually calcified, in need of descaling? Jesus quoted Isaiah on this topic: ‘“‘this people’s heart has grown callous, their ears are dull of hearing, and they have closed their eyes; or else perhaps they might perceive with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their heart, and… turn… and I would heal them’”’(Matthew 13:15). He also said: ‘“Those who are healthy have no need for a physician, but those who are sick”’(Matthew 9:12), followed by sharing His heart towards any who realise this about themselves, i.e. ‘“‘mercy’”’(Matthew 9:13). So listening to Jesus is the ‘“way”’(John 14:6, cf. Acts 9:2ff.) forward for us all, if we really want to understand, and be healed.

It’s helpful to realise the effects this calloused spiritual state might be having on our lives – both as individuals and for our societies in general. At best it involves living out a meaningless ‘under the sun’(Ecclesiastes 1:3) existence. At worst such vain ‘futility’(Ephesians 4:17ff., cf. Romans 1:21ff.) leads to ‘living in malice and envy… and hating one another’(Titus 3:3, cf. Galatians 5:19ff.), alongside all manner of other degenerate and destructive behaviours. It’s folly wanting to persist in such a state of affairs, even in its milder forms, when instead we could be ‘transformed’(Romans 12:2), both collectively and as individuals, to live ‘tranquil and quiet [lives] in all godliness and reverence’(1 Timothy 2:2), clothed with ‘compassion, kindness… humility’(Colossians 3:12) and the like, and filled with ‘love, joy, peace, patience, kindness’(Galatians 5:22) and more.

It’s a start to see the cultural wisdom in all this, but there’s so much more to be found – a life changing awareness of God Himself, that He’s real, tangibly present with His people, defined by ‘love’(1 John 4:8,16&19), and the very definition of all that’s right and good. As this psalm adds, ‘God is in the generation of the righteous’(Psalm 14:5), meaning the presence of God is with His faithful people in a very special way. Now the ‘Spirit of God’(Romans 8:9) can even dwell within us, helping us to ‘walk’(Galatians 5:16&25) in His ways – ‘Oh taste and see that Yahweh [i.e. God] is good. Blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him’(Psalm 34:8).

Finally, seeing all of this brings into sharp focus an even greater folly: choosing a fate worse than ‘death’(Revelation 20:14ff.) when ‘“life”’(John 3:16&10:10) is on offer instead – and one that’s increasingly out of this ‘world’(1 John 2:17, cf. 2 Peter 3:8-13), ultimately involving even a ‘new heaven and… earth’(Revelation 21:1ff.). Oh taste…

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