Recently, during an exhortation at my local church, the preacher made reference to Psalm 14:1. The passage stuck with me; a testament to how the Holy Spirit uniquely applies the text of Scripture to each individual soul. “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.'”, it reads. As with most other people, my mind had always rushed to the Atheist whenever I read this Psalm. But then I wondered, is the Atheist the only fool in this context?
There is an unlikely category of people that, like the Atheist, Psalm 14:1 charges with folly: people who honor God with their lips but whose hearts are far from him (Matthew 15:8). Lest any one of us supposes himself standing when, in fact, he is falling (1 Corinthians 10:12), consider these handful traits that would betray an abhorrence of God in the heart, however filled with praise one’s lips might be.
Cherishing Sin
In Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians, he expounds on what it means to be born again in 2 Corinthians 5:17. He writes, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” In other words, since we have been born again, we are to walk in a manner different from the way we walked before, when we were in the dark. While in the dark, we were slaves to sin, and hence our lives were characterised by sinful actions as listed in Galatians 5:19-21. However, now that we have come to the marvelous light of Christ, we must work to put off our old self, which belongs to our former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires (Ephesians 4:22).
Hence, a telling characteristic of a genuine Christian is an unabated hatred for sin. Even though we may fall time and again, the great goal remains: to continually overcome sin and become more like Christ. You have every reason to question your walk of faith if you catch yourself making no effort to defeat sin, even the seemingly insignificant, respectable ones. A heart that cherishes sin is a heart far from God (Matthew 15:8).
Entertaining Anxiety
In Matthew 6:25-34, ten whole verses, Jesus Christ takes time to address the problem of anxiety. The Oxford Languages Dictionary defines anxiety as a feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease about something with an uncertain outcome. Being a feeling, we can confidently conclude that anxiety is natural to all human beings. Then why does Christ belabor that we need not be anxious about our lives (Matthew 6:25)?
Christ speaks of how birds and lilies are fed and dressed, respectively, without any effort from their end (Matthew 6:26,28). In both illustrations, Christ emphasizes that since we are of more value to God, we can trust him to care for us even more than the birds and lilies. In Matthew 6:27, Christ asks, “And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?” emphasizing how anxiety does us no good at all. Please note that the command not to be anxious doesn’t equate to ‘do not wisely plan’ (Proverbs 6:6-11). If anything, the best way to avoid anxiety is by being good stewards of our time and resources (Proverbs 16:3, 21:5).
Christ’s final nail on the anxiety coffin comes at the end (Matthew 6:31,33). Here, Jesus clarifies that his followers become no different from the Gentiles (who didn’t know God) when they obsess over what to eat, drink or wear. He assures that God knows all these needs, and that all we need to do is seek first God’s kingdom and his righteousness, after which all these things will be added to us. How much more comfort do we need to rest in the goodness of God? Entertaining anxiety exposes a heart that has exalted material wealth above the pleasures of God’s kingdom (Psalm 16:11).
Lacking Zeal to Make Christ Known
Before Christ departed this earth, he left an assignment that was to be passed on through generations of his disciples: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.” (Matthew 28:19-20a) This task should weigh on each of our hearts. We must all work to bring this task to pass (albeit in varying capacities), in obedience to our Lord and Savior and for the love of our neighbors who do not know him. A complete lack of excitement to make Christ known might just point to a heart that has not really tasted of his goodness (Psalm 34:8).
Living for the Approval of Man
As earlier discussed, it is apparent that since we have been born again, we are now called to live differently; in a manner pleasing to God (1 Thessalonians 4:1). He is the one whose opinion and approval must matter the most to us now. However, especially with the advent of social media, it is easy for Christians to get distracted and begin living for the attention and adoration of others.
A sure-fire way to assess whose approval you are living for is to consider who comes to mind first while you make day-to-day life choices, such as what to wear, who to befriend, where to work, what to cook, among others. To take it up a notch, what kind of people do you consult when making life-altering decisions like who to marry, where to live, what to study, etc? If godly counsel or God’s word do not feature in any of your answers, then it’s about time you examined yourself. Ultimately, if the words “Well done, good and faithful servant” are not the highest accolade we yearn for, then we are actually living to please man, not God (Matthew 25:21, 1 Thessalonians 2:4).
Disregarding the Gathering of Believers
Sadly, it has become commonplace to hear statements like ‘I have left the church, not God‘ from professing Christians. It’s almost as if the people who say such assume that going to church is an optional pastime. Nothing could be further from the truth. Hebrews 10:24-25 explains: “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” Surely, no such charge ought to be treated as a suggestion. Instead, the author commands believers to meet together and for specific purposes: stirring up one another to love and good works, and to encourage one another as the Day (of Christ’s return) draws near. We’d be unwise if we attempted to work out our faith alone, for we would surely fail. Therefore, the choice to not gather with other believers not only exposes a prideful heart but also defies God’s word.
Having an Intense Fear of Death
Borrowing from the second portion of Hebrews 10:25, which says, “but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near,” it is clear that there is a given Day we should all be living in light of. It is the Day of Christ’s return, which, though it tarries, is no farther from the individual than the minute of their death. “…It is appointed for man to die once, after that comes judgment…” (Hebrews 9:27). Death brings with it a deep sense of loss and grief for the ones left behind. However, for the saints departed, it is the bridge that brings them face to face with their Saviour (2 Corinthians 5:8). No wonder Paul boldly declares, “For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21). It is well understandable for one to have a measured level of fear surrounding death. However, especially for the Christian (one who should be longing for their Saviour), an intense fear of death might be cause for reevaluation of one’s faith.
I believe the point is clear as day: that we would be liars (fools, as Psalm 14 puts it) if we professed Christianity while we lived in direct opposition to the God we claim to believe in. The God of the Christian faith is indeed gracious; however, this grace that he gives does have an expiry Date. If this Day comes before you have completely devoted yourself to him, then there will be no other chance. He is accessible to you now. So turn to him in prayer, and he will hear you. Open that dusty Bible, seek his will intently, and you will find him (Matthew 7:7). Click here to learn more about the hope that Christians hold.