#DailyDevotion God Doesn’t Have A Particularly High View Of Us
Psalm 14 A fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They do corrupt and detestable things. No one does anything good.
Now the fool says there is no God in his heart. He doesn’t acknowledge anything above himself. He has no law but that which he has in himself and that which others are able to impose upon him. They often think their morality is better than Christians. Well there may be some who are better than some individual person who claims to be a Christian in practice. However, their morality certainly isn’t better than Christianity’s. In conversations you will find their morality is in fact no morality at all. What they think is moral is morally bankrupt. In reality, David speaks the truth here. They do corrupt and detestable things and approve of others who do them. They try to hide it well, but ultimately, their arguments show what is on their hearts. When confronted they will say, “I didn’t think you would go there.” None of them do any good. Paul tells us in Romans, “Everything apart from faith is sin.” Hebrews tells us, “Without faith it is impossible to please God.”
2The LORD looks at the world from heaven to see if there is anyone wise, who comes to God for help. 3They have all turned away together and become corrupt. Not one does right, not a single one.
Such is the confession of the utter corrupt nature by God of man. This is what the LORD says of mankind. There is no one, in and of themselves, who is wise and comes to God for help. Everyone in and of their own nature has turned away together and become corrupt. Paul quotes this in Romans to demonstrate the sad state of both Jews and Gentiles. Not one does right, not a single one. “Whoa,” you may say, “Certainly I have seen unbelievers doing charity work and helping their neighbor. I’ve seen them risk their lives for people they don’t even know.” I’m fairly certain God has seen such things as well. There is such a thing called natural affection. Husbands and wives and their children have natural affection towards one another. Natural affection for other human beings, even strangers is what causes them to risk life and limb to save them. Yet as good as it may seem to a natural man, it does not rise to the level of good with God. His determination of good starts with faith in Him. Faith in God, the God of Israel, does not come with our fallen human nature. It comes only through hearing the promises of God in Christ Jesus.
Faith comes from hearing the word of Christ. (Rom. 10) The means of grace, namely, the Word of God (preached), baptism, absolution, the Lord’s Supper, and the Church’s absolution bring that word of Christ which causes our hearts to be born from above, born of God and gives us faith through which we are pleasing to God our Father. Abraham believed God and it was counted to him as righteousness. That same faith we have in Jesus Christ, God credits us as righteousness. This faith comes to God for help. Coming to God for help is what God considers wise and good. Being totally self-sufficient and not relying on God for every good is wicked and foolish. We see in the Gospels Jesus is amazed at the faith of the Roman soldier who only needed Jesus to speak the word and he believed it would be done. Then we too should hear Jesus’ word, believe it and turn to him for all good things.
Heavenly Father, grant us repentant hearts that turn to you for every good though your Son Jesus Christ our LORD to make us wise and good in your sight. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.