This sermon covers the second of three contrastive exhortations in this section of Ephesians. The previous one was, not unwise but wise. We begin by showing that it is the fool who says “there is no God” (Psalm 14:1). One’s moral conduct and values cannot be derived from a non-existent Creator. It is impossible for an atheist to know that there is no God because he would have to be omniscient to have such knowledge of a universal negative. Therefore the claim is fallacious.

The word translated “foolish” in this passage is used 74 times in the Greek translation of Proverbs.

To be foolish is to live as if Christ and His death on the cross were of no value. The opposite of being foolish, understanding, is grounding in the objective truth that God has revealed in the Bible. Those who refuse to acknowledge revealed truth are in danger of coming under the judgment of hardening. That danger is underscored in 2Thessalonians 2:10-11 where people are described as being deceived by antichrist because they did not “welcome” the love of the truth (a translation we explain in the sermon). The truth is embodied in Christ Himself and revealed in the gospel. We need to hunger for the truth and search out the truth with great diligence.