PSALM 14:1 THE FOOL

Greetings Fools and Non-Fools alike...no foolin'.

"The FOOL has said in his heart...there is NO GOD." (Psalm 14:1; Psalm 53:1)

"You have heard that the ancients were told...you shall not commit murder and whoever commits murder shall be liable to the court. But I (Jesus) say to you that everyone who is ANGRY with his brother shall be guilty before the court...and whoever say to his brother YOU GOOD FOR NOTHING (empty head) , shall be guilty before the supreme court and whoever says YOU FOOL, shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell." (Matthew 5:21)

Well...that is quiet a contrast with the Psalmist calling people a FOOL and Jesus underscoring that if you say YOU FOOL...you will be dealing with a fiery hell (Gehenna...the valley of Hinnom where human sacrifices and a continual burning of garbage takes place).

If you combine that with Paul's self assessment of himself as.."FOOLS for Christ"...it gets even more confusing...unless you realize that Jesus is dealing with attitudes of the heart and anger...and not the mental condition of someone who says...THERE IS NO GOD. And Paul is comparing himself to the intellectuals of the time who thing they had all the wisdom in the world...while everyone else is foolish.

We are all FOOLS in one way or the other...you are either a FOOL for Christ or a FOOL for the devil. It is like Bob Dylan's song on SLOW TRAIN COMING..."You got to SERVE somebody...it may be the devil (little d) or it may be the Lord...but you're gonna have to SERVE somebody." You could interject the word FOOL in place of somebody..."You're gonna be the FOOL for somebody...it may be the devil (little d) or it may be the Lord...but you're gonna have to be a FOOL for somebody."

Sometimes...I act the FOOL. How? Well...I act as if I believe there is NO GOD. I may not say it...but I sure do act like it sometimes.

As you read through Psalm 14 you begin to get a picture of this FOOL:

1. The fool has said IN HIS HEART there is no God

NOTE: It is an inside out job. What you believe inside will be revealed on your lips...and then in your actions. "Unrestrained thoughts, produce unrestrained words, resulting in unrestrained actions."

2. They are corrupt

NOTE: When you have a corrupt file...it just messes up the entire computer system.

3. They have committed abominable deeds

NOTE: The outward manifestation of the inward thought.

4. There is no one who does good

NOTE: With no belief in God...there are no restrictions...if it feels good do it...whether it is good or bad.

5. They have all turned aside.

NOTE: Temptation is designed not to pull you into something as much as it is to pull you AWAY...aside from who you really are.

6. Together they have become corrupt

NOTE: Misery loves company...and when you have a collective group of FOOLS (plural)...who reinforce their belief that there is no God...they they become CC (Collectively Corrupt)

7. There is no one who does good, not even one.

NOTE: If you had a FOOL lineup...you could not pick out ONE who does good in the eyes of God. Oh sure...there are people who are atheists and agnostics who are good people...and maybe even better at doing Christian things than actual Christians...but they are still FOOLS... and shame on the Christian for not living up to the name. Paul quotes this section about sin and sinners...in Romans 3:10-12)

"The fool (one who is morally perverse, not mentally deficient) is described as t his belief (no God) and behavior (no one who does good)..His is a practical rather than theoretical atheism." (Ryrie Study Bible note.)

Well...there ya have another dynamic Psalm...singing about the FOOL.

Love and Non-Foolish Kisses
Rodney "Fool For Christ" Boyd