Psalm 14:1
"To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.
The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good."
The Hebrew definition of the word "fool" is as follows:
a[fool]
Hebrew: nabal,
stupid, wicked, impious, vile, to fall away, lightly esteem. Translated
"fool" (Psalm 14:1; Psalm 53:1; 2 Samuel 3:33; 2 Samuel 13:13;
Job 30:8; Proverbs 17:7,21; Proverbs 30:22; Jeremiah
17:11); foolish (Deut. 32:6,21; Job 2:10; Psalm 39:8; Psalm 74:13,22;
Ezekiel 13:3); and vile person (Isaiah 32:5-6).
b[said
in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable
works, there is none that doeth good]
Two things fools say:
1.There is no God (Psalm 14:1; Psalm 53:1).
2.Take your ease, eat, drink, and be merry (Luke 12:18-19).
c[There
is no God]
Ten "Isms" in Error about God
1.Atheism. A denial of the existence of God. This
is the belief of fools (Psalm 14:1; Psalm 53:1).
2.Agnosticism. Not knowing—I do not know. It
denies the ability to know God, or that God can be known. This is contrary
to Scripture which pictures God as being clearly understood, even to His
eternal power and Godhead.
3.Polytheism. The belief in many gods—gods for
everything in nature and for every phase of life. This is the result of
apostasy (Romans 1:21-25).
4.Pantheism. All is God—God is in all things,
animals, trees, etc. This teaching, like others, is a result of apostasy
(Romans 1:21-25).
5.Dualism. Two eternal and opposing principles,
or beings—one good and the other evil.
6.Deism. God created the world, as a watchmaker
fashions a watch, and set it in motion to run by itself without divine
interference. This is based on natural reasoning, with disbelief in
revealed religion and the supernatural dogmas of Christianity; natural
religion based on reason.
7.Monism. All things are made of one substance;
man and God are one in essence and substance, though not necessarily the
same individuals. The whole universe and each thing in it is a
manifestation of God.
8.Materialism. This denies any distinction
between mind and matter. All
manifestations of life and all forces are properties of matter. It gives
priority to matter rather than mind. Man's brain secretes thought as the
liver secretes bile. Man is a mere machine, not responsible for his
actions.
9.Metaphysicalism. This is the speculative theory
of mind over matter. Everything is mind; there is no matter. God is
universal mind. Matter, material creations, sin, death, a personal God, a
personal Christ, a personal Holy Spirit, atonement, sickness, pain,
suffering, a personal devil, demons, and angels are said to be errors of
the mortal mind.
10.Unitarianism. A doctrine which denies the
Divine Trinity. See The Trinity.
d[is
no God]
Eight Arguments for God's Existence
1.Creation. That the material worlds had a
beginning is not only declared by Scripture, but is confirmed by geology,
astronomy, and other sciences.
Everything begun owes its existence to some
producing cause greater than its production. Since creations are great,
the cause of them must be infinitely greater. The cause must be
intelligent and personal, for pure force is not personal. The original
cause must be aside and apart
from the things caused. This is God—the cause of all causes. Creation
proves this.
To think of the vast array of creation—from the
stars and planets in the universe to the various forms of life—without
concluding that some intelligent being planned, designed, and formed them,
is blind and willful unbelief. It is like thinking there is no intelligent
person responsible for every watch, car, radio, television, or any other
human invention. If someone made all these things, certainly someone made
the vast
creations in space. The heavens do declare the glory of God. The firmament
does show His handiwork (Psalm 19:1-6;). We can
understand God by His creation (Romans 1:19-20; Job 12:7-25; Job
38:1-41:34).
2.Design. The design and purpose of all creation
proves an intelligent Designer to order and direct all things to useful
ends. Nature without God would be like a lifeless corpse. It would be like
a piece of complicated machinery without a designer, maker, and
maintenance man. Who but God orders, arranges, and maintains the vast
universe and all life in it to the minutest detail? Who causes the solar
systems to run eternally in their own orbits and spheres without the
slightest deviation from fixed laws? Just as the Bible was not written and
produced by the laws of spelling and grammar, but by intelligent minds
according to those laws, so
the universe was not created by the laws of nature, but by an intelligent
Being who made all things and upholds them by His own power (Hebrews 1:3).
Consider snow, for example. The average snow
storm produces about 1 trillion crystals. Yet out of thousands of pictures
of snow flakes catalogued, no two are exactly alike. Only an intelligent
Being could design so many forms. Each flake has 6 points crossing at a 60
degree angle. If one is like a fern it has 6 outpointing leaves; if like a
windmill, it has 6 sails; if like a starfish, 6 ribs; or if like a fir
tree, 6 stems with plumes set in perfect symmetry. This makes 3 distinct
triangles to each flake. The Hebrew word for snow equals 333 (Hebrew
letters stand for numbers). Couldn't God set His symbol of the Trinity in
each flake? This same infinite design is carried out with every detail of
creation, proving an infinite mind. If design is seen in such details as
snow, how much more are they seen in larger and more visible creations in
the earth and heavens?
3.Intuition. This means direct, inborn,
self-conscious,
sense-perception knowledge; comprehension without effort or reasoning;
instinctive knowledge. All men have an intuitive belief in God. Some
have so ignored and stifled such natural faith by unnatural and
destructive efforts that they no longer recognize it. However, in times
of sudden danger and in the face of difficulties they automatically call
out to God for help. This proves the intuition is still there, but
suppressed. Such faith is as much a part of man's faculties as
breathing, eating, drinking, etc. It is as natural as the
instinct of a chicken out of the shell who starts to peck in the sand
for something to eat, or a calf who knows where to get its first milk.
The calf doesn't peck the sand and a chicken would never go to a cow for
milk. Nothing in nature has to be educated to act according to its own
special nature. So man does not have to learn that there is a God. He
knows intuitively that there is one and that in Him he lives, moves, and
has his own being (Acts 17:22-28).
4.Nature. Man's moral and spiritual nature
knows there is a God who approves or condemns all acts of right or
wrong. Conscience is the voice of God in man. Moral law makes him a
responsible creature and requires him to consecrate himself to
fulfilling the highest good of being and of the universe. The belief that there is
not a God or moral nature is a lie. It lives in constant
respect and fear of the pleasure or displeasure of Him. Man's native
obligation to moral law implies a moral Lawgiver and moral Governor of
the universe. Willing or unwilling, man lives in the sense of
such a Presence in his life and conduct. Conscience does not lay down
the law but it recognizes it. Thus man's moral and intellectual being
proves the existence of God to whom he is responsible.
5.Universal Hunger. Physical hunger argues and
demands something to satisfy it. When a man hungers for God, that hunger
likewise argues and demands someone to satisfy it. All men hunger for
spiritual satisfaction and long for a Savior to deliver them from the
ills and curses of life. There must be a supreme Being capable of
meeting this universal craving when men turn to Him and meet His terms
of reconciliation and fellowship (John 3:16-20; 2 Cor. 5:17-21; 2 Cor.
6:14-18; 1 John 1:1-9)
6.Harmony. To believe in the existence of God
is the only natural, practical, beneficial, satisfying, factual,
necessary, and Scriptural way to believe. When one has the key that will
unlock a door he knows he has the right key. Even so, when one has the
answer to every question, the explanation for every mystery, the
satisfaction to every hunger and desire, the answer to the perplexing
problems of the past, present, and future—he knows that he is right in
believing there is a God. Atheism doesn't solve a single problem. It
makes lies of nature, creation, the Bible,
and God, and leaves helpless and floundering man a victim of misery and
despair.
7.History. The record of events in all history
gives overwhelming evidence of the existence and providence of God—in
the rise and fall of nations, the preservation of races, the government
of peoples, and innumerable events which had no natural or possible
explanation other than the acts of a supernatural Being called God.
Multitudes of men have been blessed by Him and redeemed from lives of
sin and shame. Some have seen God with the natural eyes. Others have had
visions and revelations from Him. Still others have known God in an
intimate and personal way. These millions of actual contacts and
experiences cannot be denied. Healings,
miracles, deliverances, and real contacts with God have revolutionized
individual lives and whole nations countless times. To deny the
existence of God is as foolish as to deny the existence of creation,
electricity, heat, light, cold, and innumerable other things, seen and
unseen. Multitudes today can testify of changed lives by faith in God,
answers to prayer, and personal experiences of many kinds. While this is
true among Christians, not one infidel, agnostic, or atheist can boast
of any benefit whatsoever from his unbelief. The acid test of
Christianity and atheism is the actual
benefits of their converts.
8.Scriptures. The Bible begins by assuming the
existence of God and His creation of all things (Genesis 1:1; Job
38-40). In over 20,000 statements about God in Scripture we get to know
all that we need to know about the subject.
e[God]
Twenty-two Attributes of God
1.A Spirit Being with a personal spirit body,
soul, and spirit through which He manifests Himself.
2.Invisibility.
3.Immortality.
4.Eternality.
5.Infiniteness: in presence (1 Kings 8:27); power (Matthew 28:18); acts (Matthew 19:26); in time (Deut. 33:27; Psalm 90:2; Isaiah
57:15); knowledge (Romans 11:33); and in greatness (Psalm 145:3).
6.Oneness—in unity with others of the Godhead (see The Trinity).
7.Omnipotence (all powerful, Rev. 19:6). God can do all things consistent with His nature and plan, but He cannot lie or act contrary
to Himself and the best good of all.
8.Omnipresence (not omnibody, 1 Kings 8:27; Psalm 139:7-12). Presence is not governed by physical contact, but by
knowledge and relationship (Matthew 18:20; Matthew 28:20; cp. 1 Cor.
5:3-4). God's body is not omnipresent, for it is only at one place at
one time like others (Genesis 3:8; Genesis 11:5; Genesis 18:1-8,33;
Genesis 19:24; Genesis 32:24-32), but His presence can be realized
any place where men know Him and seek Him (Matthew 18:20).
9.Omniscience (all-knowing) as far as His nature, plan, and work are concerned (Romans 11:33). As to free moral agents, God learns certain things about them (Genesis 6:5-7; Genesis 11:5-7;
Genesis 18:21; Genesis 22:12; 2 Chron. 16:9; Job 12:22; Job 24:23;
Psalm 7:9; Psalm 44:21; Psalm 139:1-6; Proverbs 24:12;
Jeremiah 17:10; Ezekiel 11:5; Zech. 4:10; 2 Cor. 2:10-11; Romans 8:27;
1 Thes. 2:4). God sends messengers on innumerable errands to help Him
carry on His rulership of all things (Daniel 10:13-21; Daniel
11:1; Daniel 12:1; Zech. 1:7-11; Zech. 6:1-8; Matthew 18:10-11; Hebrews
1:14). He permits free moral agents freedom of action as to their
conduct and destiny.
10.Life (Jeremiah 10:10; John 5:26; 1 Thes. 1:9; Hebrews 7:16; Rev.11:11).
11.Self-existence (Exodus 3:14; Exodus 6:3; John 1:4; John 5:26).
12.Immutability (Psalm 102:27; Malachi 3:6; 2 Tim. 2:13; Hebrews 6:18; James 1:17). He is immutable as to His plan for
the highest good of being and of the universe. His plan includes
change of methods or ways to save as many men as possible. For
example, when He abolished the law of Moses it was no change in
God's plan, but rather the execution of that plan (2 Cor. 3:6-15;
Galatians 3:19-25; Galatians 4:21-34; Hebrews 7:11-10:18). When man
fell and He had to send Christ, it was simply the fulfillment of
the plan (Genesis 3:15; Galatians 3:13-14; Galatians 4:4-5). The plan was
made to be executed when obedience was rendered and terms
met. When the terms are not met, it is not failure or change
with God, but with man.
13.Perfection (Deut. 32:4; Psalm 18:30; Matthew 5:48). If any imperfection is noted in creation or redemption
it is sin and rebellion in free moral agents that have caused it. God does
not change His original plan of creation and redemption. He
plans to redeem and restore all creation (except rebels) to
perfection (Acts 3:21; Ephes.1:10; 1 Cor. 15:24-28; Rev. 21-22).
14.Truth—the perfect harmony of God's Word (Deut. 32:4; John 17:3; 1 John 5:20).
15.Wisdom (Romans 11:33; 1 Tim. 1:17).
16.Love by which God communicates to others His infinite goodness (John 3:16; Romans 15:30; 1 John 4:8).
17.Holiness—absolute purity of nature (Exodus 15:11; Isaiah 6:3; 1 Peter 1:16).
18.Righteousness—holiness in action. All His acts are right (Romans 3:21-31; Hebrews 12:5-12; 1 John 1:9).
19.Faithfulness—absolutely trustworthy (1 Cor. 10:13; 2 Cor. 1:20; Hebrews 6:18).
20.Mercifulness, which is divine goodness manifest to relieve His creation of misery and suffering (Romans 12:1-2; 2 Cor.
1:2; Titus 3:5).
21.Goodness—divine goodness by which life is preserved and mercy extended (Matthew 5:45; Acts 14:17; Romans 2:4).
22.Providence. God cares for and provides for all creation (Job 38:41).
All these attributes require a concept of God as
having a soul with feelings, emotions,
passions, and desires; as having a spirit of intelligence, will,
self-consciousness, and self-determination; and as having a spirit body
through which these faculties are manifested.
f[corrupt,
they have done abonimable works]
Twelve Characteristics of Fools
1.Deny the existence of God
2.Live corrupt lives
3.Do abominable works
4.Are without understanding (Psalm 14:2)
5.Ignore God—do not seek Him
6.Are not good, not one (Psalm 14:1,3)
7.Have all gone astray from God (Psalm 14:3)
8.Have become filthy in life
9.Live in ignorance of God (Psalm 14:4)
10.Destroy God's people
11.Never pray
12.Oppress the poor (Psalm 14:5)
g[there
is none that doeth good] Quoted in Romans
3:10-12.
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