It is not difficult to agree with David when in Psalm 53:1 he declares that those who say in their hearts that there is no God are fools. But we ourselves so often need to be warned of our own folly. For there are times when we also say that there is no God.
To realize this we ought first of all to note that David is speaking of those who say in their hearts that there is no God. His words are, "The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God. Corrupt are they, and have done abominable iniquity: there is none that doeth good" Psalm 53:1.
We ought also to note further that when one says in one's heart that there is no God, that one behaves in a corrupt way, does abominable iniquity, and does nothing that is pleasing in God's sight.
We ought then to hang our heads in shame when we realize that every time we commit a sin, we do so because our hearts say that there is no God Whose laws we must keep. Never mind in what form that sin comes, every sin is an act that results from a heart that says that there is no God Whom we must serve. Every sin is abominable iniquity. In every sin we say in our hearts that we are God and have no one above us who can tell us what to do.
Listen then once again to the versification in our Psalter:
Fools in their hearts have said,
There is no God of might;
Corrupt are they and base their deeds,
In evil they delight.
The very reason why the heart says that there is no God is that this heart delights in evil and finds no joy in doing God's will.
What is more, such a heart also says that there is no Christ. For, if there is no God, there is no Son of God, Who came in our flesh to save us from our sins and to make us sons of God. In fact that heart says that it wants no salvation from sin. What a foolish delight that is!
The question, therefore, is whether it is only with our lips that we say that we are Christians. Let us also say it with the heart and reveal in our walk of life that we delight in that which is good in God's eyes.
Read: Proverbs 4
Psalter versification: 146:1
Devotions on the Heidelberg Catechism
Song for Meditation: Psalter #121
Why not sing along??
Through the Bible in One Year
Read today:
Numbers 10 ; Numbers 11:1-23
Mark 14:1-21
Psalm 51:1-19
Proverbs 10:31-32
****
Quote for Reflection:
A Father’s Example: “Be an example . . .in words, in temper, in diligence, in temperance, in faith, in charity, in kindness, in humility. Do not think your children will practice what they do not see you do. You are their model picture--and they will copy what you are! Your reasoning and your lecturing, your wise commands and your good advice--all this they may not understand. But they can understand your life! Children are very quick observers--very quick in seeing through some kinds of hypocrisy, very quick in finding out what you really think and feel, very quick in adopting all your ways and opinions. You will often find as the father is, so is the son.” --J. Ryle
Additional Info
- Date: 8-March