As my thirteenth year of teaching draws to a close, I think I am beyond being surprised at the places evolution shows up in the school setting. Just a few weeks ago, I pulled out an English worksheet on adjectives, only to find each sentence made a reference to dinosaurs that lived “millions of years ago.” References to evolution appear in almost every textbook I use with my sixth grade class. At the heart of the idea of evolution is the concept that God does not exist.
Psalms 14:1 and Psalms 53:1 both begin with, “The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.” The original Hebrew word fool in these verses means stupid, wicked, impious or a vile person (Strong’s). These verses are not describing the person who loudly proclaims to the world with his words that he does not believe God exists. Notice, this person makes that claim in his heart. Jesus condemned the Pharisees in Matthew 15:18-19 for what was in their hearts. The word heart in these contexts refers to man’s mind or thoughts. Our outward actions begin with our inward thoughts.
Those who reflect in the privacy of their own thoughts that God does not exist begin to show these thoughts in their actions. Consider the man described in Psalms 49:10 and Psalms 92:6. The man in these verses does not believe that God exists or that there is an eternal reward or punishment. The goal of this individual is to gather wealth on this earth, forgetting that he cannot take it with him (see also Luke 12:16-21). This fool takes no thought for the wonderful world that God created and the blessings man receives at God’s hand. Paul wrote to the church at Rome that the Gentiles had no excuse not to know God existed; looking at the natural world around them provided enough evidence (Romans 1:18-23). The word “fool” in this New Testament passage means “to become insipid,” “to make as a simpleton” or “to make foolish.” (Strong’s). Others show they do not believe in God by their failure to follow God’s commands; Jesus said if we love him, we will obey Him (John 14:15; 15:10). We cannot love someone in whom we do not believe. Still others show they do not believe God is real when they do not share the Gospel message as commanded (Matthew 28:19-20; Mark 16:15-16). Again, the foolish man acts like God does not exist or have a plan for his life.
God does exist; the honest individual will acknowledge the overwhelming evidence that points to this fact. Many in the world today do not verbally dispute this fact; however, many, by their actions, show they truly do not believe there is a God. Proverbs 1:7 states, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instructions.” In Proverbs 12:15 it is written, “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise.” Those who choose to live their lives according to their own wants and desires say by their actions that they believe God does not exist. Jesus compared those who hear the truth of the Gospel but who choose not to obey it to a foolish man who builds his house on a foundation of sand (Matthew 7:26). We have been given the truth (John 8:32; 17:17) and everything we need to live a godly life (2 Peter 1:3). The wise will follow God’s Word and have the reward of heaven. The foolish will ignore God and do as they please, leading to eternity in hell (Matthew 25:46). What do you show by your actions? Are you wise or foolish?
Works Cited
Biblesoft’s New Exhaustive Strong’s Numbers Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. CD-ROM. Seattle: Biblesoft and International Translators, 1994.
