One of David's Psalms has a first line that reads, "The fool has said in his heart there is no God"(Psalm 14 or 53).
On the first of April, people will be trying to make fools out of others. That's just a bit of fun. But when one makes a fool of oneself, by disbelief in God, that is serious. This is the fool nobody can laugh at. Why is a person a fool not to believe in God?
The Creation Declares God
The creation leads a sensible person to acknowledge God's existence. The heavens are telling the glory of God, and the sky is declaring the work of his hands" (Psa 19:1 Rom 1:19-20). We may not be able to know or to prove the certainty of God's existence if we look only at the natural world. But the hypothesis at least cannot be denied, except foolishly. There is exquisite design and order in the created world, all the more remarkable when we observe it emerging from chaos. It is foolish to say categorically in the face of this, "There is no God."
God Declares Himself
God has revealed himself to mankind. God's truth was placed in the world. Paul asserts that, since the creation of the world, "they knew God" (Rom 1:21). Even pagan peoples retain some of that revelation in recognisable form. Then of course there is the Holy Bible which reveals God and his purpose for mankind.
The Nation of Israel Declares God
God revealed himself in a special way to one nation Israel. To them God gave "the glory and the covenants" (Rom 9:4) in a special dispensation that is one of the best documented and detailed series of events in ancient history. We are not talking here merely about a book, the Old Testament, although its credentials are unassailable. But we are talking about a race of people (the Jews) and a city (Jerusalem) which are the tangible outcome of God's special revelation to, and special relationship with the original Israelites.
Jesus Christ Reveals God
In an even more special manner, God revealed himself in Jesus of Nazareth. The testimony about this person's existence, and about his crucifixion and resurrection from the dead, is in the form of written eye-witness documents. The story of Jesus Christ is a matter of fact, not of superstition. "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory" is one eye-witness's testimony (1Jn 1:1-4 Jhn 1:1,14). There are no reasonable grounds for rejecting such evidence.
CONCLUSION
The natural universe, the general knowledge of right and wrong, the history of the Jews, and Jesus himself, combine to lead anyone but a fool to believe in God, and in his scheme of redemption for life everlasting through his Son.
On April Fools' Day, or any other day, don't be the silliest fool of all --the fool who, in his heart or hers, says, "There is no God."
