Who Are the Fools?

Since today is April Fools Day, I might as well deal with those people who are truly foolish. The Bible has much to say about fools and it uses examples to help us become wiser.

According to the Bible, being an atheist is foolish. Psalms 14:1 (BBE) reads, "(To the chief music-maker. Of David.) The foolish man has said in his heart, 'God will not do anything.' They are unclean, they have done evil works; there is not one who does good."

In fact, respecting God makes a person wise. Check out what Psalms 111:10 (BBE) has to say. "The fear of the Lord is the best part of wisdom: all those who keep his laws are wise: his praise is eternal."

So, how do we grow in wisdom? Proverbs 8:13 (BBE) explains, "The fear of the Lord is seen in hating evil: pride, a high opinion of oneself, the evil way, and the false tongue, are unpleasing to me."

Unrestrained anger is another trap we, and especially fools, can fall into. As Solomon noted in Ecclesiastes 7:9 (BBE), "Be not quick to let your spirit be angry; because wrath is in the heart of the foolish."

But there is one sort of "foolishness" which Scripture approves of. Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 1:18 (BBE), "For the word of the cross seems foolish to those who are on the way to destruction; but to us who are on the way to salvation it is the power of God."

We easily see how preaching about the crucifixion of our Lord and the need for repentance seems idiotic to worldly people. Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 1:21 (KJV) showing why this is. "For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe."

The world thinks we're fools while being far more foolish themselves. I'll add this to my next paperback called You Think You're Going to Heaven? People must accept that Christ is the only one who can grant them entrance into heaven. Forsaking sin and following Jesus are the only actions our Lord will accept.

On Thursday, I'll post about why we must study the Bible. After all, we call ourselves Christians so we ought to know what our Lord has taught.

Can Anything Good Come From the Cross?

Continuing on with the thought that we aren't as modern as we think, the cross still offends people today. Ever since Christ's crucifixion and resurrection, people have scoffed at such a seemingly foolish idea. To those who assume that they're wise, they can't figure out how some carpenter from Nazareth could pay for the sins of his followers.

These so-called intellectuals assume they know so much because of their university degrees. Their problem is that they aren't alive spiritually. In fact, all who aren't regenerated are heading for eternal damnation. Look at what the Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 1:18 (KJV). "For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God."

How is this so? Paul answers that in 1 Corinthians 2:14 (KJV). "But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." Therefore, these unsaved individuals assume what the Bible teaches is ridiculous.

Since this is so, why bother telling anybody such spiritual facts? Paul answers that in 1 Corinthians 1:21 (KJV) "For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe." So it is to reach those who will believe that we proclaim Christ crucified.

Paul again tells us why  the cross is absurd to unsaved humanity. He wrote in 1 Corinthians 1:23 (KJV), "But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;" The Jews had their fixed idea of the Messiah coming to boot out the Romans and set up Israel as God's kingdom. The Greeks prided themselves on being intellectuals so a crucified saviour made no logical sense to them.

In my next book called You Think You're Going to Heaven?, I'll go into deeper examinations of why many reject Christ and only a few will actually be with God in the end.