Psalm 14:1
“The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.” (Psalm 14:1)
Our verse says, “The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.” It doesn’t just say, “The fool hath said, there is no God.” People may carelessly say there is no God to get rid of some Christian who wants to tell them about accepting Jesus as their personal Saviour. Yet saying there is no God, even carelessly, is not smart. For those who never accept Jesus as Saviour, they will regret those careless words one day: “For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.” (Matthew 12:37)
It also does not say, “The fool doubts there is a God.” People may doubt there is a God because they never heard the truth. If people were raised with no Bible influence or in a church where the Bible was not taken seriously, and they were taught from childhood that man came into existence spontaneously and evolved from lower life forms the same way, they may further doubt there is a God.
Yet Psalm 14:1 doesn’t say that, either. It says, “The fool hath said IN HIS HEART, there is no God.” (capitals added) A fool is beyond doubt or skepticism. God’s non-existence is a conclusion in his mind.
Psalm 19:1 says, “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handiwork.” The sky, stars, clouds, and heavenly bodies are God’s way of telling us of His glory, power, and creativity. Yet a fool, even an educated one, looks up in the sky and says, “There is no God who made these things.”
Romans 1:20 also says, “For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead;” Creation tells us that God is eternal and sovereign. Yet a fool can look at beautiful spring flowers, hear birds sing, and see creation in all its complex splendor and still say in his heart, “There is no God who created all these.”
A fool may claim to prefer science over religion. Yet the Bible talks of science. Moses grew up in Egypt and was “…learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians,” He may have learned how the pyramids were built, which are still engineering marvels today. Daniel the prophet knew science. When Babylon’s King Nebuchadnezzar took Judah captive, he wanted their best and brightest, “…well favoured, and skilful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and UNDERSTANDING SCIENCE,” (Daniel 1:4, capitals added)
Moreover, the Bible encourages learning: “Wise men lay up knowledge:” “The heart of him that hath understanding seeketh knowledge:” (Proverbs 10:14, 15:13) The Wright Brothers’ father was a preacher who encouraged their scientific pursuits. (“The Inventive Wright Brothers”, Library of Congress)
Dr. Edward Jenner, who discovered the smallpox vaccine, was a Christian (Edward Jenner “Wonder that they are not Grateful to God…” Augustine Pamplany, 5/20/2020). So was rocket scientist Wernher von Braun (Ann Lamont, Wernher von Braun, March 2020, Answers in Genesis).
Science cannot prove or disprove God’s existence. Facts are subject to interpretation. An evolutionist and a creationist may see the same set of facts differently. Yet God gave us a far easier way to know about Him and to know Him, without the need for an advanced scientific education. Romans 10:17 says, “So then faith cometh by HEARING, and HEARING by THE WORD OF GOD.” (capitals added)
The Bible can touch people’s hearts, no matter their background or education level, if they will pay attention. Most importantly, God’s word tells us how to receive the Lord Jesus as your personal Saviour and have forgiveness of your sins and eternal life. To learn more, please go to www.clevelandbaptist.org, click “Helpful Links,” then “How Do I Go to Heaven?”
Brian Miller 4/14/2024