WHAT FOOLS WE MORTAL’S BE

MIKE CUNNINGHAM

DECEMBER 2, 2007

One of the things I always give a lot of prayerful thought to is what my opening remarks in my next sermon will be. That’s the place where I attempt to “grab your attention” and “whet your appetite” so to speak. I really want you folks to listen to the entire message I believe the Lord has inclined me to share. The beginning doesn’t come easy to me especially when I’m being bombarded from every direction by those invisible demonic flaming arrows and fiery darts as I was this past week. However, just as I was starting to get a little anxious about my sermon, the Lord blessed me with those elusive opening remarks through an email I received from a member of Harvest Time. This woman’s steadfast faith in the midst of heavy burdens continues to be an inspiration to every Christian who knows her. Commenting on my last sermon concerning non-Christians whom I characterized as being “spiritually dead fools,” she wrote:

“Mike, I agree with the end where it seems your point is that no one can ever say they never were given a chance to understand about God and Salvation. However, I felt you were quite harsh earlier on when you called people fools if they are non Christians. Were we then fools before we learned of and accepted Christ? Or were we just babes, Christians in waiting, so to speak? If God calls us and reveals Himself to us and our job is to listen and obey and respond, are we fools if we haven’t yet heard but will soon hear?  Many are just beginning to ask, seek and knock. We were all in their place at one point in our lives. We were not born believers. We were just as lost as they are now. A hard heart today does not mean a hard heart tomorrow.

 We were all dead in our sins and He made us all alive. It doesn’t happen to everyone at the same time. To call someone a fool just because he is not at the place where he is ready to accept the truth is not giving God his proper credit in the grand scheme of things. We do not know if they will be called by God or not. And if they will be called, we don’t know at what point in their lives they will be called. When I was a non believer, I wouldn’t have taken very kindly to being called a fool by some “believer.” That kind of attitude certainly would not have drawn me toward, but would have pushed me away from the kingdom of God.

 Isn’t our job to be available to share, to live a life pleasing to our Creator, to pray for the lost, to pray for our own walk with the Lord, and to love one another, rather than condemn the unsaved and/or lost? As the “eternal optimist”, don’t you prefer to say or hope they are not saved “YET”?  And then stand as an Ambassador for Jesus in all you do and say, offering the truth, when the opportunity arises?

 As I mentioned, I agree with the statement that all mankind has access to God. He is evident and available whether or not a Missionary ever talks to them. But to say that unbelievers are fools is to call every human who ever became a Christian a fool because at one point we were all non-believers. Where there is life, there is hope. And God does not want that any should perish but that all should have eternal life. There he goes, being that God of love and forgiveness again. I hope you don’t mind that I didn’t agree with you. Ah, I know you don’t mind. You could have guessed my reaction to that one part of your sermon though, right??  Dorothy.”

By now you’re probably wondering why I consider Dorothy’s feedback to be such a blessing. After all I obviously didn’t make my point in that sermon that all non-Christians are spiritually dead fools. It’s obvious however, I did make the only points I intended to make which is the fact that all non-Christians are not only spiritually dead but also that they have no excuse to remain in that state as my friend Wally explained so well when he wrote: “God has sufficiently revealed himself to everyone so that anyone who has the desire to respond to that revelation has access to heaven.  If they seek, if they question, if they care to receive answers to the questions that all of nature around them ask, God will meet their need.”

Her comments were also a blessing to me because she didn’t tune me out as soon as reading what she perceived to be as being a “harsh” accusation. Instead, Dorothy exhibited Christian love by extending me the courtesy of reading my entire sermon before offering her opinion. And I can’t hope for anything more than that from anyone. All too often people turn me off and stop listening when they don’t like or agree with something I say, just as they do each of you folks. I want you to know I highlighted the words “spiritual fools” to give each of you something else to think about between sermons, and I deliberately didn’t back up my assertion. In other words, by emphasizing those two words a couple of weeks ago and not offering any scriptural evidence I was “setting the stage” for this morning’s message.

Romans 1:18-22 (AMP) ¹⁸ For God’s [holy] wrath and indignation are revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who in their wickedness repress and hinder the truth and make it inoperative. ¹⁹ For that which is known about God is evident to them and made plain in their inner consciousness, because God [Himself] has shown it to them.

²⁰ For ever since the creation of the world His invisible nature and attributes, that is, His eternal power and divinity, have been made intelligible and clearly discernible in and through the things that have been made (His handiworks). So [men] are without excuse [altogether without any defense or justification], ²¹ Because when they knew and recognized Him as God, they did not honor and glorify Him as God or give Him thanks. But instead they became futile and godless in their thinking [with vain imaginings, foolish reasoning, and stupid speculations] and their senseless minds were darkened. ²² Claiming to be wise, they became fools [professing to be smart, they made simpletons of themselves].

As I’ve been saying, non-Christians are spiritually dead. They don’t have an ounce of spiritual wisdom nor do they have a desire to acquire it. And it behooves us to remember this fact whenever we are trying to lead them to the Lord. I’m sure I’m not the only one who has observed the contrast in the following characteristics between true followers of Jesus and all non-Christians and their understanding of and relationship with their Creator.

Job 28:28 (AMP) ²⁸ But to man He said, Behold, the reverential and worshipful fear of the Lord—that is Wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.

Psalms 111:10 (AMP) ¹⁰ The reverent fear and worship of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom and skill [the preceding and the first essential, the prerequisite and the alphabet]; a good understanding, wisdom, and meaning have all those who do [the will of the Lord]. Their praise of Him endures forever.

Proverbs 1:7 (AMP) ⁷ The reverent and worshipful fear of the Lord is the beginning and the principal and choice part of knowledge [its starting point and its essence]; but fools despise skillful and godly Wisdom, instruction, and discipline. You can talk yourself blue-in-the-face trying to convince a non-Christian that they will suffer eternally if they will not accept Christ’s love for sinners such as them and you. And get nowhere!

The Bible also tells us that possessing godly wisdom is more valuable than precious metals and all the other material possessions fools knock themselves out silly trying to get their hands on. Read the proclamation of Wisdom Himself, Jesus Christ.

Proverbs 8:10 (AMP) ¹⁰ Receive my instruction in preference to [striving for] silver, and knowledge rather than choice gold,

Have you ever tried convincing your non-Christian friends of these truths? Unless the Holy Spirit adds His blessing to your effort to lead one of them to the cross, you might as well be talking to the wall, for the simple reason that not only are they spiritually dead, but they have convinced themselves they are wise, when in reality by rejecting Christ they demonstrate they are also spiritually dead fools.

1 Corinthians 1:18 (AMP) ¹⁸ For the story and message of the cross is sheer absurdity and folly [foolishness, madness, stupidity, idiocy, craziness,] to those who are perishing and on their way to perdition, but to us who are being saved it is the [manifestation of] the power of God.

A know-it-all fool could care less about what you or his or her Creator has to say about the perilous condition they are in. They’re not interested in what God has to say. They could care less about the real reason for this Christmas season. Instead it’s all about them and whatever it is that’s uppermost in their mind and self hardened hearts. Some of these spiritual fools are like many of those know-it-all non-stop radio and TV motorized mouths that go on and on and on. Unless they keep quiet and listen their Creator will allow them to doom themselves to an eternity of babbling to themselves in the outer regions of darkness.

Proverbs 10:8 (ESV) ⁸ The wise of heart will receive commandments, but a babbling fool will come to ruin.

Proverbs 18:2 (AMP) ² A [self-confident] fool has no delight in understanding but only in revealing his personal opinions and himself.

Proverbs 12:15 (AMP) ¹⁵ The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but he who listens to counsel is wise.

Proverbs 28:26 (AMP) ²⁶ He who leans on, trusts in, and is confident of his own mind and heart is a [self-confident] fool, but he who walks in skillful and godly Wisdom shall be delivered.

Proverbs 17:10 (AMP) ¹⁰ A reproof enters deeper into a man of understanding than a hundred lashes into a [self-confident] fool.

Proverbs 14:16 (AMP) ¹⁶ A wise man suspects danger and cautiously avoids evil, but the fool bears himself insolently and is [presumptuously] confident.

Proverbs 18:7 (AMP) ⁷ A [self-confident] fool’s mouth is his ruin, and his lips are a snare to himself.

Proverbs 29:11 (AMP) ¹¹ A [self-confident] fool utters all his anger, but a wise man holds it back and stills it.

Proverbs 17:12 (AMP) ¹² Let [the brute ferocity of] a bear robbed of her whelps meet a man rather than a [self-confident] fool in his folly [when he is in a rage].

Proverbs 17:28 (AMP) ²⁸ Even a fool when he holds his peace is considered wise; when he closes his lips he is esteemed a man of understanding.

Proverbs 12:23 (AMP) ²³ A prudent man is reluctant to display his knowledge, but the heart of [self-confident] fools proclaims their folly.

Proverbs 13:16 (AMP) ¹⁶ Every prudent man deals with knowledge, but a [self-confident] fool exposes and flaunts his folly.

Proverbs 15:14 (AMP) ¹⁴ The mind of him who has understanding seeks knowledge and inquires after and craves it, but the mouth of the [self-confident] fool feeds on folly.

Proverbs 15:2 (AMP) ² The tongue of the wise utters knowledge rightly, but the mouth of the [self-confident] fool pours out folly [ .

Proverbs 26:11 (AMP) ¹¹ As a dog returns to his vomit, so a fool returns to his folly [foolishness, madness,stupidity, idiocy, creziness].

Proverbs 10:18 (AMP) ¹⁸ He who hides hatred is of lying lips and he who utters slander is a [self-confident] fool.

Proverbs 19:1 (AMP) ¹ BETTER IS a poor man who walks in his integrity than a rich man who is perverse in his speech and is a [self-confident] fool.

Proverbs 13:19 (AMP) ¹⁹ Satisfied desire is sweet to a person; therefore it is hateful and exceedingly offensive to [self-confident] fools to give up evil [upon which they have set their hearts].

It isn’t only through His creation and His Word that God reveals Himself and speaks to His creatures. He also speaks, sometimes rather loudly, through divine Providence.

Romans 1:18-22 (AMP) ¹⁸ For God’s [holy] wrath and indignation are revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who in their wickedness repress and hinder the truth and make it inoperative.

Job 37:10-13 (AMP) ¹⁰ By the breath of God ice is given, and the breadth of the waters is frozen over. ¹¹ He loads the thick cloud with moisture; He scatters the cloud of His lightning. ¹² And it is turned round about by His guidance, that they may do whatever He commands them upon the face of the habitable earth. ¹³ Whether it be for correction or for His earth [generally] or for His mercy and loving-kindness, He causes it to come.

Proverbs 1:24-31 (AMP) ²⁴ Because I have called and you have refused [to answer], have stretched out my hand and no man has heeded it, ²⁵ And you treated as nothing all my counsel and would accept none of my reproof, ²⁶ I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when the thing comes that shall cause you terror and panic— ²⁷ When your panic comes as a storm and desolation and your calamity comes on as a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come upon you. ²⁸ Then will they call upon me [Wisdom] but I will not answer; they will seek me early and diligently but they will not find me. ²⁹ Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the reverent and worshipful fear of the Lord, ³⁰ Would accept none of my counsel, and despised all my reproof, ³¹ Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way and be satiated with their own devices.

Amos 4:7-9 (AMP) ⁷ And also I withheld the rain from you when there were yet three months to the harvest. I caused it to rain upon one city and caused it not to rain upon another city; one piece of ground was rained upon, and the piece upon which it did not rain withered. ⁸ So [the people of] two or three cities wandered and staggered into one city to drink water, but they were not satisfied; yet you did not return to Me, says the Lord. ⁹ I smote you with blight [from the poisonous east wind] and with mildew; I laid waste the multitude of your gardens and your vineyards; your fig trees and your olive trees the palmerworm [a form of locust] devoured; yet you did not return to Me, says the Lord.

How are you going to share these truths with your non-Christian friends? Can you imagine their initial reaction? We should follow the advice the Apostle Paul gave young Timothy.

2 Timothy 2:23-25 (AMP) ²³ But refuse (shut your mind against, have nothing to do with) trifling (ill-informed, unedifying, stupid) controversies over ignorant questionings, for you know that they foster strife and breed quarrels. ²⁴ And the servant of the Lord must not be quarrelsome (fighting and contending). Instead, he must be kindly to everyone and mild-tempered [preserving the bond of peace]; he must be a skilled and suitable teacher, patient and forbearing and willing to suffer wrong. ²⁵ He must correct his opponents with courtesy and gentleness, in the hope that God may grant that they will repent and come to know the Truth [that they will perceive and recognize and become accurately acquainted with and acknowledge it],

As I said a moment ago, all Christians should follow Paul’s advice to Timothy. We must never attempt to answer foolish questions or allow ourselves to get all bent out of shape. Furthermore, relying on God for the strength, Christians must humbly and lovingly attempt to educate the non-Christian, and always remember to be mindful of a crucial fact Paul pointed out in his letter to the Church at Rome.

Romans 1:20 (AMP) ²⁰ For ever since the creation of the world His invisible nature and attributes, that is, His eternal power and divinity, have been made intelligible and clearly discernible in and through the things that have been made (His handiworks). So [men] are without excuse [altogether without any defense or justification],

Unless a person becomes reborn he or she remains a spiritual dead fool. And if you and I are honest with ourselves, to our shame, there are times when we behave even more foolish that many of the non-Christian the Lord has brought into our life. Shakespeare’s little elf Puck sure hit the nail on the head when he confessed: “What fools we mortal’s be.” Lord willing, next time….

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