How does Psalm 14:1 relate to Romans 1:20-22 on denying God? Psalm 14:1 and Romans 1:20-22—Side-by-Side • Psalm 14:1: “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.’ They are corrupt; their acts are vile. There is no one who does good.” • Romans 1:20-22: “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—His eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from His workmanship, so that men are without excuse. For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but they became futile in their thinking and darkened in their foolish hearts. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools.” Shared Emphasis on the Heart • Both passages identify unbelief as a heart issue, not merely an intellectual miscalculation. • Psalm 14:1: “says in his heart” underscores an internal, willful decision to dismiss God. • Romans 1:21: “their foolish hearts were darkened” shows the same inward stubbornness reaching its climax. From Denial to Foolishness 1. The denial: – Psalm 14:1: outright assertion “There is no God.” – Romans 1:21: refusal to “glorify Him as God” or “give thanks.” 2. The label: – Psalm: “The fool.” – Romans: “They became fools.” 3. The result: – Psalm: “corrupt… vile” works. – Romans: “futile in their thinking… darkened.” God’s Clear Witness Leaves No Excuse • Romans 1:20 stresses the unmistakable evidence of God in creation; Psalm 19:1-4 echoes this. • The fool’s declaration is not because of absent evidence but suppressed truth (cf. Romans 1:18). • Acts 14:17 affirms God “did not leave Himself without witness.” Moral Fallout of God-Denial • Psalm 14 details societal collapse—“none who does good.” • Romans 1 continues (vv. 24-32) with a catalog of sins flowing from rejection. • Proverbs 1:29-32 warns that despising wisdom ushers in calamity. Wisdom Begins with Acknowledging God • Contrasted with “the fool,” Proverbs 9:10: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom.” • James 3:17 speaks of wisdom that is “pure, peace-loving, considerate” in stark contrast to the futile reasoning of Romans 1. Take-Home Truths • Unbelief is ultimately a moral, not merely intellectual, stance. • Creation, conscience, and Scripture together render humanity “without excuse.” • Dismissing God never leads to neutrality; it spirals into corrupted thinking and living. • Genuine wisdom and moral clarity begin by honoring the God who has already made Himself plain. |
    |