Franklin Graham: The Bible Calls Those Who Say God Does Not Exist Fools
The Bible tells us in several places that only the fool says that God does not exist.
“The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God’” (Ps. 14:1). That Scripture is repeated verbatim in Psalm 53:1, and the same sentiment is expressed in numerous other biblical passages.
Despite the witness of an ordered and remarkable creation (Rom. 1:20) and the universal witness of an internal conscience, a growing number of influential people are blatantly and forcefully scorning and mocking the Christian faith and followers of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Entertainers like Bill Maher, theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking, British professor Richard Dawkins and others have publicly promoted a brand of atheism that is openly hostile to Christians.
Interestingly, many of the proponents that seek to deny God can be increasingly found in academic circles, where atheists are warmly welcomed. Though they hold a variety of advanced degrees and are published in noted academic journals, the Bible clearly labels them “fools.”
As mankind refuses to acknowledge the supremacy of God, the Bible says that “professing to be wise, they became fools” (Rom. 1:22). What may be highly esteemed among men can be pure foolishness to God Almighty: “Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?” (1 Cor. 1:20).
In God’s infinite wisdom, the apparent “foolishness” of the cross destroys the wisdom of the wise (1 Cor. 1:18). The glorious cross of our Savior, where He bore the sins of the world to satisfy the wrath of God and provide forgiveness to those who repent and believe on His name, is the means the Lord uses to display His majestic wisdom.
For those who arrogantly declare that God does not exist and rail against any mention of His name, the Scriptures declare all people everywhere will one day confess that indeed there is a God.
Soon—very soon, I believe—the time will come when “at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Phil. 2:10-11).
Believer and unbeliever alike will acknowledge not only the existence of the one true God, but also His preeminence over all of creation, including their own soul. Angels in heaven, demons in hell, the redeemed and the unredeemed—all of creation—will confess the supremacy of Christ, His rightful rule and reign over all.
Until then, we must understand that all men—atheist, agnostic, secularist, humanist, moral and immoral, educated and uneducated—are under God’s judgment apart from saving faith in Christ.
The apostle Paul picked up on a portion of the psalmist’s description of the atheist in his book to the Romans, reminding us, “There is none righteous, no, not one” (Rom. 3:10). The only way to escape God’s wrath and eternal punishment for our sins is to receive the pardon Christ provides through His atoning death, burial and resurrection.
Bow now and call Him your Lord and King, or you will bow too late.
Click here to read the original story at BillyGraham.org.
