The verse “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God'” first appears in Psalm 14:1 and is repeated in Psalm 53:1. This verse has profound meaning and application. At its core, it reveals the foolishness and dangerous implications of denying God’s existence.
The Identity of the Fool
First, we must identify who is being referred to as a “fool” in this verse. In the Bible, the word “fool” does not necessarily mean a silly or stupid person. Rather, it refers to someone who is morally deficient – someone who lacks godly wisdom and lives apart from God. As Psalm 14 and 53 make clear, the “fool” is someone who denies or lives as if there is no God, despite the abundant evidence in creation of God’s existence and identity (Psalm 19:1-6; Romans 1:18-23). By asserting in his heart that “there is no God,” the fool lives an irrational lifestyle that will ultimately lead to moral and spiritual ruin.
The Fool’s Fundamental Flaw
At the most fundamental level, the fool denies in his heart the existence of God. Saying “there is no God” exposes the deepest flaw in the fool’s thinking – he suppresses the truth that is plain for all to see, that God exists and created all things (Romans 1:18-20). Only a deceived and deficient mind would deny the self-evident reality of God’s existence, character, and work in the world.
The fool’s denial of God’s existence leads him to think and behave in ways that dishonor God and show disregard for God’s moral law. As Romans 1:18-32 demonstrates, denying God’s existence leads to futile thinking, idolatry, sexual immorality, wickedness, greed, envy, murder, strife, deceit, gossip, slander, hatred of God, arrogance, disobedience and more. The fool wants to run his own life by his own rules, free from accountability to the God who created Him.
At the Heart Level
This verse also reveals that the fool’s denial of God is primarily a heart issue, not merely an intellectual one. The fool professes in his “heart” that there is no God. The heart refers to the innermost moral/spiritual orientation of a person. While the fool may make an intellectual argument against God’s existence, such arguments merely serve to justify the moral position of his unbelieving heart.
Ultimately, the fool denies God in his heart because he does not want to submit his life to God or admit that God is worthy of worship. He foolishly thinks that denying God’s existence will somehow allow him to live as he pleases without facing consequences from his Creator (Psalm 10:4, 11). This moral rebellion exposes the folly in the unbelieving heart.
The Fool’s Consequences
The biblical portrait of those who say “there is no God” clearly reveals that denying God’s existence leads to disastrous moral and spiritual consequences.
By refusing to acknowledge evidence of the one true God, the fool is prone to worship false gods or idols (Romans 1:22-23). Denying God also leads to all kinds of sinful behaviors, such as murder, deceit, gossip, arrogance and disobedience of parents (Romans 1:28-32). The fool ends up hating knowledge of the truth that could save him (Proverbs 1:7, 22). So denying God leaves the fool trapped in his own spiritual blindness and under the wrath of God (Psalm 14:1; Romans 1:18). As Psalm 14:2-3 states, the fool ultimately does “abominable deeds” and lacks spiritual understanding to do genuine good. Tragically, denying God has horrific consequences in this life and the life to come.
That said, the fool’s rebellion against God does not diminish God’s sovereignty and glory. God remains King and Lord over heaven and earth regardless of what the fool wrongly believes (Psalm 14:4-7). But the fool who persists in his denial of God will face God’s judgment for his rebellion and lack of understanding (Romans 1:18-20). So denying God’s existence proves to be dangerously foolish.
Apostasy in the Church Age
During the church age, there is an important additional application of “the fool says in his heart, ‘there is no God.’” Hebrews 3:12 warns believers against unbelief and developing “an evil, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God.” Speaking this lie can mark those in the church who persist in unbelief, reject the word of God and apostatize (1 John 2:22-23). This apostasy in the church proves these people to be fools who have hardened their heart against God.
Hope for the Fool
While the fool’s spiritual state is dire, there is hope if he repents and believes in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior (Acts 17:24-27). God can grant repentance leading to life and spiritual rebirth to those who previously rejected Him (2 Timothy 2:24-26). When by God’s grace a person renounces the lie in his heart that there is no God, he can receive forgiveness and eternal life through faith in Christ (1 John 1:9). Salvation is available even for the blasphemous fool who formerly reviled the existence of God. No one who believes in Christ will be put to shame (Romans 10:11-13).
How Should We Respond to the Fool?
1) Pray – We must pray that God grants repentance to the fool to believe the truth (2 Timothy 2:25).
2) Proclaim the Gospel – We must lovingly share the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which is the power of God for salvation (Romans 1:16).
3) Provide Evidence – We can point to evidence in creation, conscience, history, prophecy, Scripture, and the person of Jesus Christ that affirms God’s existence and identity.
4) Expose Sin – We can biblically expose the sins that may underlie a denial of God (John 3:19-21).
5) Exalt Christ – We must exalt Jesus Christ as the image of the invisible God and gracious Savior (Colossians 1:15-23).
6) Avoid Foolish Arguments – We should avoid foolish, ignorant controversies and speculations that breed quarrels (2 Timothy 2:23).
7) Trust God – Knowing that only God’s Spirit can change a hardened heart, we must trust Him to bring the fool to repentance in His timing (2 Timothy 2:24-26).
With both grace and truth, we can humbly point people to the truth of God’s glorious existence, character and gospel. We should pray that God will open blind eyes to see His glory and transform even the most foolish unbelieving heart.
Conclusion
Denying or living as if there is no God demonstrates great foolishness and the most fundamental spiritual and moral flaw. But God can mercifully grant salvation even to the blasphemous fool who embraces the truth of the gospel. Both for the skeptic and the believer, the sobering reality of “the fool says in his heart, ‘there is no God'” should drive us to worship the true and living God.