The fool says in his heart, "There is no God.”They are corrupt, and their ways are vile; there is no one who does good. 2 God looks down from heaven on the sons of men to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God. 3 Everyone has turned away, they have together become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one. 4 Will the evildoers never learn--those who devour my people as men eat bread and who do not call on God? 5 There they were, overwhelmed with dread, where there was nothing to dread. God scattered the bones of those who attacked you; you put them to shame, for God despised them. 6 Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion! When God restores the fortunes of his people, let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad!

On one occasion, Peter asked the question; “who was I to think that I could oppose God?” On another, Gamaliel offered advice to the Sanhedrin based on the reasoning that if they followed a certain course of action they would find themselves fighting against God and that would obviously end in defeat. From a practical point of view, when people ignore God, deny him or just disobey him, it is spiritual suicide. It is a fool indeed who says there is no God and who finds himself (or herself) fighting against God.

Paul in writing to Titus says that there are some who claim to know God (to know in the sense of being in a relationship with him and serving him) but by their actions deny him. The Pharisees in the time of Jesus were often rebuked by him because of their self-righteousness. They claimed not only to be God’s people but to be the elite among God’s chosen. Yet in their lives they were self centered, self righteous and looked on others with contempt. Jesus said they did many things right but failed in the most important ways; that of love toward others, compassion and mercy toward those who were down and kindness in general.

As God’s children we must never deny him by our actions or our attitudes. Do we view others who have not attained to our level of understanding or spiritual growth with an air of self-righteousness or do we have love and compassion for them and their spiritual state and try to help them?

O God, I confess my faith in you each day. I tell others that I believe in you. I even rest in the knowledge that I know you. Open my eyes that I may never deny you in my attitude and actions toward those around me. Help me, like the good Samaritan to be a true neighbor. I pray in Jesus’ name.

May God bless each of us as we live for him today.