The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my mind and heart in Psalm 14:1-3,
"The fool says in his heart, 'There is no God.' They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good. The Lord looks down from heaven on all mankind to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God. All have turned away, all have become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one."
David's observation of mankind must certainly have come at a time when he was exasperated with the opposition of sinful people. He introduces us to God's viewpoint, that all on earth are without understanding and without a motivation to seek their Creator.
Paul uses Psalm 14 to make his point that we are all sinful and in need of God's forgiveness. In Romans 3:9 we read, "We have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under the power of sin." Following this he quotes Psalm 14 as well as other passages.
These fools, however, are the vary ones Jesus Christ came to save from God's judgment. In Luke 19:10 he says the Son of man came to seek and save what was lost. It is for fools the Lord came to planet earth. It is for those who are caught up in sin and rebellion against God that the Lord came for. Mark quotes Jesus as saying, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners." Mark 2:17. These vary ones who are fools, who are corrupt, whose deeds are vile and who do no good are the ones the Lord reaches with his powerful gospel message.
This ability of God's message, the gospel, to reach the most sin-hardened heart is the reason Paul says of it, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: 'The righteous will live by faith.'"
Paul makes an honest observation of many who come in to God's family, "Do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God." 1 Corinthians 6:9-11.
Here is the truth about mankind and God's saving acts: people who are sinful and rebellious against their Creator are loved by God and sought by him. He has made a way for them into his family by having his Son pay for their sins and he pursues them with his invitation in the gospel message. All who choose the Lord in faith are welcomed in to his family.
This causes me to think of a verse that pretty well sums up my life: "This poor man called, and the Lord heard him; he saved him out of all his troubles." Psalm 34:6.
How about you?
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
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