Who is a Fool? Are you one?

April 1st is deemed “April Fools” day in many countries and on this day people (friends usually) play practical jokes and hoaxes on each other. But who is a fool?

While the Merriam-Webster’s dictionary defines a ‘fool’ as one lacking judgment or prudence, the Bible has quite a clear cut definition of who is a fool.

The fool says in his heart, there is no God and is corrupted (Psalm 14:1; Psalm 53:1), but let us not be too hasty to brand all atheists and anti-theists as fools, for someone who believes in God can be a fool as well. Inspired and guided by the Holy Spirit of God, the apostle Paul, writes to the church members in Galatia and called them fools when they added to the gospel of Jesus Christ. The gospel of Jesus Christ is a gospel of total grace and grace alone. All one needs to do is to believe (and the righteousness of Jesus Christ is imputed on them), for no one can work and earn their salvation. It is not by works but by grace alone through faith, is the one, who believes in Jesus Christ and the one true God who sent him to be the redeemer of mankind, saved. But the Galatians had been bewitched into thinking that “grace + works” (in the keeping the works of the law) saved. (Galatians 3:1-11) and Paul calls them “foolish” Galatians.

Points to ponder:
A fool is not only the one who denies the existence of God, but one who thinks that “Jesus + something” is what is needed to be saved. All we need is Jesus – nothing or no one else, for if we add to the redemptive work of Christ, we are  fools and fools who lack judgment or prudence shall be judged by the Judge over all – God and this is no practical joke or hoax. Don’t be a fool!

Psalm 14:1-2 (KJV)
¹ The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good. ² The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God.

Galatians 3:1-11 (KJV)
¹ O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? 
² This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
³ Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?
⁴ Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain.
⁵ He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
⁶ Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.
⁷ Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.
⁸ And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.
⁹ So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.
¹⁰ For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.
¹¹ But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.