The Fool Who Says, ‘there Is No God’ — And The Grace That Says, ‘come Home’ — Psalm 14:1 Series

The Fool Who Says, ‘There Is No God’ — And the Grace That Says, ‘Come Home’ — Psalm 14:1

(Go! And Know the Truth — Psalm 14:1)

Introduction: A World That Thinks It Knows Better

Every age has its fools — not because people lack intelligence, but because they reject truth. We live in a world where humanity believes it has outgrown God. Science, technology, and philosophy promise progress — yet moral decay, despair, and violence reveal that something has gone terribly wrong. Psalm 14:1 confronts this delusion head-on.

Psalm 14:1 (NLT): “Only fools say in their hearts, ‘There is no God.’ They are corrupt, and their actions are evil; not one of them does good!”

David’s words are not spoken with arrogance but with sorrow. He looks upon humanity and sees spiritual blindness — people living as though God does not exist. This is not just ancient Israel’s problem; it’s the 21st century’s reality.

We live in a time when atheism is celebrated as enlightenment, sin is rebranded as freedom, and self becomes the new saviour. Yet, Psalm 14 reminds us — the denial of God is not an intellectual issue but a moral and spiritual one.

Today, let us “Go! And Know the Truth.” Let’s uncover what it really means to live as if “there is no God,” and how the Gospel — the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ — calls every fool to find wisdom, forgiveness, and eternal life in Him.

1. The Condition of the Fool — A Corrupt Heart

David writes, “Only fools say in their hearts, ‘There is no God.’”

The Hebrew word for “fool” here is ????? (nabal) — it doesn’t mean someone who lacks intelligence, but someone morally and spiritually bankrupt. The “fool” is not stupid; he is rebellious. He says in his heart — not his mind — “there is no God.” His denial flows from desire, not from reason. He wants a godless world because he wants to live a godless life.

Romans 1:21–22 (NLT): “Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship Him as God or even give Him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused. Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools.”

The Apostle Paul expands David’s thought: humanity suppresses truth. The Greek word for “fool” here is µ??a??? (moraino), meaning “to become dull, tasteless, or absurd.” It’s the same root where we get the word “moron.” Sin dulls our spiritual senses — it blinds us to God’s glory.

John Piper once wrote, “Sin is what you do when your heart is not satisfied with God.”

That statement cuts deep. Every time a person rejects God — in word, in thought, or in lifestyle — it’s because something else has captured their affection. The fool isn’t merely confused — he’s corrupted by misplaced worship.

The Man Who Dismissed the Sun

Imagine a man who wakes each morning, walks outside, and declares, “The sun does not exist.” He feels the warmth on his face, he sees the light around him, yet he insists it’s all coincidence. He builds theories, writes books, and gathers followers who all say, “There is no sun.”

But denial does not extinguish reality. The light still shines — just as God still reigns.

So it is with the fool. God’s presence fills creation, His truth echoes in conscience, yet hearts darkened by sin refuse to acknowledge Him.

2. The Consequence of Rebellion — Corruption and Depravity

David continues: “They are corrupt, and their actions are evil; not one of them does good.”

The Hebrew word for “corrupt” — ?????? (shachath) — means “spoiled, ruined, or decayed.” The picture is of something once good that has gone rotten. This is humanity without God: morally decayed, spiritually dead, and unable to please Him.

Jeremiah 17:9 (NLT): “The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?”

The problem isn’t simply behaviour — it’s the heart. The fool’s words flow from a corrupt inner nature. Sin is not a surface problem; it’s a systemic disease.

R.T. Kendall said, “Sin is not just breaking the law; it’s breaking the heart of God.”

How true that is. The fool’s corruption grieves God — for He created us for fellowship, not for rebellion.

Romans 3:10–12 (NLT): “As the Scriptures say, ‘No one is righteous — not even one. No one is truly wise; no one is seeking God. All have turned away; all have become useless. No one does good, not a single one.’”

Paul quotes Psalm 14 directly here. The diagnosis is universal — not one of us can claim innocence. Apart from grace, every person is the fool. The difference between the atheist and the self-righteous churchgoer is only this: both need the mercy of God.