APRIL 1

WHICH FOOL ARE YOU?

A whole lot of pranks get played on people on this day we call, ‘April Fools Day.’  Most of those ‘FOOLISH PRANKS’ are meant to be harmless – only wanting a laugh.  My thought today is about the word ‘FOOL.’  Let’s do a quick and brief study of how this word is used in the Bible. 

THE WORD ‘FOOL’ CAN MEAN ATHEISTIC IN BELIEF TOWARDS GOD – Psalm 14:1  The FOOL hath said in his heart, THERE IS NO GOD (also Psalm 53:1). This person does not want there to be a God.  For this person to ADMIT that there is a God is to ADMIT that he did not know everything and therefore it is to ADMIT his own weakness.

THE WORD ‘FOOL’ CAN MEAN – NOT NECESSARILY ATHEISTIC – BUT REBELLIOUS

Proverbs 12:15  The way of a FOOL is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise.  (He can’t be told that he is wrong) – Proverbs 15:5  A FOOL despiseth his father’s instruction: but he that regardeth reproof is prudent.  (He doesn’t want to be told what to do)

THE WORD ‘FOOL’ CAN MEAN – TRUSTING IN ONE’S SELF/ NOT TRUSTING IN GOD) – Proverbs 28:26  He that trusteth in his own heart is a FOOL: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered.  (This person is casting his anchor inside the boat, and thus will drift incessantly.)

THE WORD ‘FOOL’ USED IN THE WORST WAY – Matthew 5:22  But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment . . . but whosoever shall say, Thou FOOL, shall be in danger of hell fire.

To say that someone has been foolish (lacking intelligence, making bad decisions) is not sinful.  The use of the word ‘FOOL’ in Matthew 5:22, however, is used with as much HATRED as can be expressed and that is why it is wrong.  ‘FOOL’ is used in calling someone WORTHLESS and wishing them to be in ‘HELL’.  Hopefully, you will never wish that on anyone!

THE WORD ‘FOOL’ IS USED BY GOD AND CHRISTIANS IN ANOTHER WAY – Luke 12:20  But God said unto him, Thou FOOL, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? (God simply implies it was FOOLISH to not TRUST in ME) –

1Corinthians 3:18  Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a FOOL, that he may be wise.  – 1Corinthians 4:10  We are FOOLS for Christ’s sake . . . (The world declares it foolish to TRUST in GOD – in this case – BE FOOLISH!)

Without Christ we were TRULY FOOLISH – We could not SAVE ourselves – To think I could live without Jesus was ignorant. 

I was a FOOL, but my FOOLISHNESS could be fixed:

WHICH FOOL ARE YOU?

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