Today, we begin a new sermon series entitled, Hello My Name is God. It’s a series designed to focus us on the character of God from the book of Psalms. This morning, I want to help you answer this question: “How Do I Live like God Exists?”
Today’s Scripture
TO THE CHOIRMASTER. OF DAVID.
The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.”
They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds;
there is none who does good.
The LORD looks down from heaven on the children of man,
to see if there are any who understand,
who seek after God.
They have all turned aside; together they have become corrupt;
there is none who does good,
not even one.
Have they no knowledge, all the evildoers
who eat up my people as they eat bread
and do not call upon the LORD?
There they are in great terror,
for God is with the generation of the righteous.
You would shame the plans of the poor,
but the LORD is his refuge.
Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion!
When the LORD restores the fortunes of his people,
let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad” (Psalm 14:1-7).
The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.
Day to day pours out speech,
and night to night reveals knowledge.
There is no speech, nor are there words,
whose voice is not heard.
Their voice goes out through all the earth,
and their words to the end of the world.
In them he has set a tent for the sun,
which comes out like a bridegroom leaving his chamber,
and, like a strong man, runs its course with joy.
Its rising is from the end of the heavens,
and its circuit to the end of them,
and there is nothing hidden from its heat” (Psalm 19:1-6).
This morning, I want to help you answer this question: “How Do I Live like God Exists?” Americans run around with money in their pockets that says, “In God we trust,” but we live our lives as if everything depends on me. According to a 2023 Pew Research Poll, only 4% of US adults are atheists.1 They are mostly men, and they are mostly young men, based on the poll research.
Did you hear about the child whose family was atheist who sat down at the dinner table one night? He asked, “Do you think God knows we don’t believe in Him?” But did you hear about the child whose family was Christian who sat down at the dinner the dinner table one night? He asked, “Do you think God knows we ignore Him all week except for one hour on Sundays?” While atheism is a problem, the bigger problem is practical atheism. Is This You?
For a lot of Americans, God may exist, but there’s no drive to worship God. If there is a god, they are not sure they care.
Tell me if you know someone like this:
• You’ve never had a serious interest in spiritual matters.
• You may have had a really strict religious upbringing, and you have since rejected everything you were taught to believe.
• Life is going so well for you at the moment, you don't even see why you need God at all.
• Life is going so bad with you that you have given up on the idea that there is a God who loves you and cares for you.
• You've come to the conclusion that science explains everything, and there simply is no need
for God and no evidence for God
• You feel it is either difficult or impossible to know whether God exists at all.
• You think this question is a waste of time.2
Knowing that the Bible says, “…whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him” (Hebrews 11:6).
Sermon Preview
1. Practical Atheists
2. Filtering God Out
How do I live like God exists?
1. Practical Atheists
“The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.’ They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds;
there is none who does good” (Psalm 14:1).
1.1 There Is No God
When you think of a fool, what do you think of? I didn’t ask, “Who do you think of?” I asked, “What do you think of?”
The Bible says the person who lives as if God doesn’t exist is a fool. The statement ‘There is no God’ is probably not a philosophical assertion that God does not exist.3 The statement is more likely for people who live like God doesn’t care more than those who think God doesn’t exist. Again, it’s not that they think God doesn’t exist. It’s that they think He doesn’t care how they live. The people David pictures here are people who may have been in the synagogue or in church but lived like practical atheists. Pay attention to three keywords in verse one: “heart,” “corrupt,” and “deeds.”4
1.1.1 Fool
The “fool” is someone who says God has no place in my life. A fool is someone who tries to live independent of God. When the Bible calls someone a fool, it doesn’t mean they are intellectually inferior or stupid. It’s not that their mind has told them there is no evidence of God. It’s their heart that tells them who doesn’t want God involved in his/her daily lives. A fool is someone who lives life as if there is no God. Right now, you should be asking yourself, “Am I a fool?” “Do I live my life as if there is no God?”
Of course, you can be a fool Monday through Saturday, but bring God back out of the hermetically sealed compartment you put Him in for one hour on Sundays. Romans helps us understand what a fool is when it says, “Claiming to be wise, they became fools…” (Romans 1:23). In fact, verses 19 and 28 hit the target perfectly: “For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them” (Romans 1:19). “…they did not see fit to acknowledge God…” (Romans 1:28a). It’s not as if they can explain how the world got here without God. But it’s as if they are saying, “There’s no God for me.”
1.1.1.1 Fool at Work?
Let’s get personal for a moment. Let’s dig a little deeper. “Do you act the fool at work? Do you act as if there is no God at your workplace?” “Do you act the fool at school? Do you act as if there is no God around classmates and teammates?” Do you flirt with people when you shouldn’t? Are you curt with people? Do you expect everyone around you to know what kind of pressure you’re under?
1.1.1.2 A Fool with Your Money
If an accountant did a forensic accounting of your money, would he/she conclude you are a godless fool? Would your accountant say you gave more money to entertainment and pets than you did the work of God? Would she see any evidence of God in your giving to works of ministry? The Bible says that when you act like there is no God, you are a clown show. Upstairs, you maybe believe God exists, but downstairs, you live as if you are an atheist. Do you act the fool at work? Do you act the fool at school?
1.1.2 Corrupt
In the middle of verse 1, David writes, “They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds.” The Bible divides the whole human race into two kinds and only two kinds. There is the seed of the serpent, and the seed of the woman, as the early part of Genesis puts it. The Apostle John refers to these two kinds as the children of God and the children of the devil.
When I think of a corrupt person, I think of King Herod of the Christmas story, who sought to kill the baby Jesus. He ended up wiping out every baby boy under the age of two in ancient Bethlehem in his maniacal attempt to rid his province of any rivals.
I think of Haman, who sought to eliminate the Jewish people in the book of Esther. The very gallows he built for his enemy were used to hang him. Someone who is “corrupt” is not intellectually dumb, but they are morally dumb. They fail to foresee the consequences of their actions. They are morally and spiritually complacent. When you hear the word “corrupt” you may think of Bernie Madoff or Jeffrey Epstein, but corruption is much closer to home than you think.
1.1.2.1 Big Rigs
Multiple employees inside the California Department of Motor Vehicles pleaded guilty to a scheme to sell Class A CDL licenses in 2015. Essentially, they were giving out a commercial driver’s license for people to drive semi-trucks without taking and passing the required written and behind-the-wheel driving tests.5 They were just handing out licenses to drive semi trucks to the highest bidder. Don’t you feel safe on the road now? When we fail to account for God in our daily decisions, it leads to a life of superficiality.6
1.1.2.2 Home Health Care
56-year-old Faith Newton was convicted in July 2024 of defrauding MassHealth of around $100 million. She paid kickbacks, creating fake employment relationships with patients’ family members to provide home health aide services that were not medically necessary, and billed for visits that did not occur. Here’s what the Massachusetts U.S. Attorney said about her: “Ms. Newton used the home health care agency she operated to perpetrate a massive, years-long fraud scheme that siphoned over $100 million from a program designed to support our most vulnerable residents. She used the stolen money to fund her lavish lifestyle, showing a callous disregard for those who were in dire need of care and assistance.”7
David says those who live as if there is no god are corrupt.
1.2 The Importance of Psalm 14
Psalm 14 is one of the most harsh and negative views of human nature you’ll encounter anywhere. The Bible repeats Psalm 14 two more times in the Bible to make sure we are really listening. Psalm 53 quotes Psalm 14 in its entirety with only a few minor changes. And then, in Romans 3:10–12 Paul quotes Psalm 14 to show that everyone is sinfully selfish. It’s not just your ex, it’s you, too. Psalm 14 informs the Bible’s teaching that we are all sinners. It’s what we call the total depravity of humans.
1.3 Abominable Deeds
David next uses the word “deeds” there in verse 1: “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.’ They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds; there is none who does good” (Psalm 14:1).
If you want to see if a person is a fool, don’t ask them if they believe in God. Instead, watch their life to see if they believe in God. Again, the essence of being a fool is that it leads to these deeds of corruption. By the way, every single one of us questions and doubts God at some point in our lives Even as a pastor, I’ve had times in my life where I question. I’ve asked myself, “Is religion and Christianity just a fairy tale?” Just because you have the passing thought of doubt doesn’t make you an atheist. Again, watch a person’s life, or their deeds.
1.3.1 Georgia School Fraud
Several teachers and principals in the Atlanta Public Schools (APS) district cheated on state-administered standardized tests in 2009. It’s been described as one of the biggest scandals in United States education history. The award-winning gains by an Atlanta student were based on widespread cheating.8 The trial itself lasted eight months, where multiple teachers were convicted on racketeering charges. 178 teachers and principals were named by the Governor of Georgia. Some forty-four schools were thought to have cheated on the standardized Georgia tests. People like this may show up in church, but they are practical atheists.
1.3.2 Church Fraud
Melissa Ganey English is a forty-four -year-old financial secretary for a Southern Baptist church in Florida. In her five years on the job, she stole $570,000 as she put personal charges on a church credit card. She used to card for Amazon and Walmart purchases as well as extravagant items like Sea World tickets, Airbnb rentals, hotel stays, and even a helicopter flight over the Grand Canyon.9 English has been charged with grand theft over $100,000, a first-degree felony. The truth is in every area of life, you’ll see people who are “corrupt” and capable of committing “abominable deeds.”
1.4 Foolish Pride
The essence of the spirit of foolishness is, “I don’t need anybody’s help. I don’t need anybody to tell me what to do. I can do it myself. Nobody tells me how to live my life.” The Bible says every human being is born with a heavy streak of foolishness. The biggest fool in the world is not the person who says he doesn't believe in God. The biggest fool in the world is the person who says he believes in God, but then doesn't live like it.
1. Practical Atheists
2. Filtering God Out
“The LORD looks down from heaven on the children of man, to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God” (Psalm 14:2).
God says in effect, “I look down from heaven to see if anyone is seeking after me.” God’s conclusion is simple: No one seeks after God. Our lack of seeking isn’t because we don’t know He’s there. Yes, People pray for God to do things for them. But nobody seeks God for God’s sake, David says. We don’t look for God anymore than a thief looks for a cop. If you can’t believe in God, it’s because your heart has already put its faith in something else, a rival.10
2.1 The Evidence is There
Let’s attack the intellectual side to this question for a moment. A few minutes ago, you heard the words of Psalm 19: “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge” (Psalm 19:1-2).
When we look at this world, we see evidence of a Creator. We have to ask ourselves a really basic question: Did the universe and the human race begin by chance or by purpose and design? I was a teenager when I first discovered a little book entitled, Know Why You Believe by Paul Little. Little said, “No one would think a computer could come into being without an intelligent designer. It is unlikely that a monkey in a print shop could set Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address in type. If we found a copy of it, we would conclude that an intelligent mind was the only possible explanation for the printing. How much more incredible is it to believe that the universe, in its infinite complexity, could have happened by chance?”11 Again, if you don’t believe in God, it’s because your heart has already put its faith in something else, a rival.12
Almost none of us really think the universe got here by chance. It’s not that we think God doesn’t exist. It’s that they we He doesn’t care how they live. Everything tells us a Designer designed our universe. We see a book, and we know there is an author. We see a painting, and we know there is a painter. But we make this tremendous miscalculation.
2.3 Filtering God Out
The Bible tells us that our foolishness is a proud willfulness that keeps us from learning, from seeing the evidence. We filter God out, as many of us are practical atheists. We see evidence of God, but we have decided it’s not there. We have filtered God out, because we don’t want to honor Him.13
2.5 The Parrot and the Church Lady
But, only fools fail to think about the long-term consequences of their actions. You heard about the church lady who really wanted a parrot, but she couldn’t afford one? She kept going into the pet store time and time again. One day, she goes into the store, and there is the most beautiful parrot at an affordable price. She tells the manager, “I’ll take it.” The manager knew the church lady in the small town, and said, “No ma’am. I cannot let you purchase this parrot. The mouth on him is terrible. You’ve never heard such language, ma’am.” The church lady insisted, saying she had her ways to take care of such things. She brings the parrot home, and sure enough, he cusses up a storm. She warns the parrot repeatedly about such salty language, but to no avail. The parrot keeps cussing up a blue streak. Knowing that some church ladies were coming over to play games in a week, she had had enough. She put the parrot in the freezer for 10 minutes a punishment for his potty mouth. Ten minutes come and go, and she pulls the parrot out of the freezer. His lip is quivering, and he’s nearly a popsicle when he profusely apologizes to the church lady. “I’m so sorry, Ma’am. I profusely apologize to you. Please forgive my behavior from before. I was entirely out of line.” “I promise you, you’ll never hear another ugly word come from my mouth,” the parrot said quivering. “But, if I may ask,” asked the shivering parrot, “what on Earth did that turkey in the freezer say to you?” Like our parrot friend, we fail to see the long-term consequences of living life devoid of God.
I like how the NET translation words verse 5: “They are absolutely terrified, for God defends the godly” (Psalm 14:5). Down deep, the godly knows there is a God who comes to the aid of His people.
2.6 Personal Application
2.6.1 A Fool in the Bedroom
Let’s get personal for a moment. If a camera were placed in your bedroom (as creepy as that sounds), would the person watching think your sex life is foolish? Would people know you think there is a God who cares about who you sleep with? Again, foolishness isn’t a product of your intelligence.
2.6.2 A Fool Online
If I had the ability to capture your every keystroke, would you act foolish online? Do your comments online range from using salty language in one post to sounding like a preacher later? Do you act the fool online?
2.7 Summary
What are the chances that if a paint factory exploded, it would create the Mona Lisa by chance? You wouldn’t believe it, and I wouldn’t either. When I filter God out of my everyday decisions, I’m living like the paint factory creates world-class art. When I filter God out of financial habits, I’m living like an explosion in a print factory creates Pride and Prejudice. Only fools don’t think about the long-term consequences of their actions. When you admit there is a God, but fail to account for Him in your daily life, you’re living like a practical atheist.
1. Practical Atheists
2. Filtering God Out
3. Factor Grace In
“Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion! When the LORD restores the fortunes of his people, let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad” (Psalm 14:7).
3.1 Zion
What was Zion? The word Zion is the name of one of the hills inside the city of Jerusalem. Jerusalem was a city of a number of hills and Zion was one of the hills. But Zion was the hill on which the temple was built. Jesus says in John 2, “I am the temple.” That’s the place where he says to the Pharisees, “Tear down this temple, and in three days I will raise it up again.” Jesus is our Zion. He is our Zion where we go for grace and salvation.
3.2 Admitting You’re a Fool
A fool is somebody who thinks he or she is NOT a fool. A Christian is somebody who knows he or she is a fool. We’re all foolish, and the only way to keep from being a fool is to realize you’re foolish and to approach the Father through Jesus Christ, through the temple, through Zion.
EndNotes
1 https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2024/02/07/8-facts-about-atheists/; accessed April 22, 2025.
2 Thanks to James Merritt for this list from his message, “No God? Yes God.” https://www.sermonsearch.com/sermon-outlines/129204/no-god-yes-god-1-of-4/; accessed April 23, 2025.
3 Biblical Studies Press, The NET Bible First Edition Notes. (Biblical Studies Press, 2006).
4 Michael Wilcock, The Message of Psalms: Songs for the People of God, ed. J. A. Motyer, The Bible Speaks Today (Nottingham, England: Inter-Varsity Press, 2001), 52.
5 https://www.justice.gov/usao-edca/pr/two-plead-guilty-scheme-bribe-dmv-employees-issue-commercial-driver-s-licenses-four; accessed April 27, 2025.
6 Timothy J. Keller, “The Search for Certainty” The Timothy Keller Sermon Archive. (New York City: Redeemer Presbyterian Church, 2013).
7 https://www.masslive.com/news/2025/01/westford-woman-sentenced-for-100-million-home-health-care-fraud-scheme.html?utm_campaign=masslivenews_sf&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook; accessed April 22, 2025.
8 https://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Education/2011/0705/America-s-biggest-teacher-and-principal-cheating-scandal-unfolds-in-Atlanta; accessed April 22, 2025.
9 https://www.baptistpress.com/resource-library/news/church-secretary-steals-more-than-570k-from-church-coffers/; accessed April 22, 2025.
10 Timothy J. Keller, “The Search for Certainty,” The Timothy Keller Sermon Archive. (New York City: Redeemer Presbyterian Church, 2013).
11 Paul E. Little, Know Why You Believe (Westmont, IL: IVP Books, 2008), 32-33.
12 Timothy J. Keller, “The Search for Certainty,” The Timothy Keller Sermon Archive. (New York City: Redeemer Presbyterian Church, 2013).
13 Timothy J. Keller, “The Search for Certainty,” The Timothy Keller Sermon Archive. (New York City: Redeemer Presbyterian Church, 2013).
