FOOLISH IN UNBELIEF

JANUARY 20

Psalm 14

Psalm 14:1, “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.”

To say that there is no god is to deny all the plain evidence to the contrary.  God’s creation testifies to his existence (Romans 1:19-20).  Man’s conscience, and the moral law it bears (no matter how diminished) likewise evidences his reality.  It is with a prideful naivete that a person would sin in making such a claim.  As Charles Spurgeon put it, “Sin is always folly, and as it is the height of sin to attack the very existence of the Most High, so is it the greatest imaginable folly.  To say there is no God is to belie the plainest evidence, which is obstinacy.”

C. S. Lewis was a brilliant man and among the most influential Christian writers of the twentieth century.  What might surprise you is Lewis, though raised in a traditional Christian home, became an avowed atheist in his early teens.  It would be years later, well into his Oxford education, before he began to search for a better understanding of God’s existence. 

There were two events that helped to lead Lewis to God.  The first began when he read G. K. Chesterton’s book, Everlasting Man.  The second had a shattering impact.  One of the more militant faculty on the Oxford Staff confided that he believed that the historical authenticity of the gospels appeared to be surprisingly sound.  The conversation disturbed Lewis, but it led him to investigate the matter for himself by carefully reading through the entire New Testament in the original Greek.  That ultimately worked to bring Lewis to faith. 

By God’s grace, Lewis experienced salvation.  God transformed the foolish skeptic into one of the church’s greatest apologists.  His book, “Mere Christianity,” is one of the all-time best-selling Christian books.  No doubt it has worked to save many fools from their denial of God to devotion to Him.

It is both foolhardy and hazardous for a creature to deny the existence of its creator.

Application Questions: Why is it arrogant and foolish to disavow the existence of God? What means did God use to open your eyes to the truth?  What argument would you use to convince an unbeliever of God’s existence?

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Author: looking2jesus13

Jerry L. Conklin was born and raised in Hillsboro, Oregon. After graduating from high school, he enlisted in the United States Navy and served for six years in the Navy’s Nuclear Power Program. He was assigned to the USS *Omaha* (SSN-692), a nuclear-powered fast-attack submarine, where he served as a reactor-plant electrical operator. His military service took him to ports and locations throughout the world and provided extensive technical training, leadership experience, and an enduring appreciation for those who serve in the Armed Forces. Following his Navy service, Jerry earned a bachelor’s degree in Nuclear Technology from Thomas Edison State University. He worked at the Trojan Nuclear Plant near Rainier, Oregon, first as a reactor operator and later as a training specialist. After sensing God’s call to pastoral ministry, he left the nuclear-power industry and earned a master’s degree in theology from Western Conservative Baptist Seminary in Portland, Oregon. Jerry served for twenty-seven and a half years as senior pastor of Lewis and Clark Bible Church in Astoria, Oregon. During those years, he preached and taught the Scriptures, provided pastoral counseling, performed weddings and memorial services, trained church leaders, and served individuals and families throughout the community. He also served as a fire department chaplain and participated in a variety of community ministries. After retiring from full-time pastoral ministry, Jerry and his wife, Laura, moved to Heppner, Oregon. There he served for approximately four years as a chaplain with Pioneer Memorial Home Health and Hospice, providing spiritual and emotional support to more than 150 patients and their families. In 2023, the Oregon Association for Home Care honored him as its Chaplain of the Year. Jerry also helped establish South Morrow County Seniors Matter, a nonprofit organization created to address the needs of older adults following the COVID-19 pandemic. As chairman, he worked with community leaders and volunteers to develop a weekly senior meal program, a monthly veterans’ lunch, and other activities and services. The organization served hundreds of seniors, mobilized more than 200 volunteers, and received statewide and national recognition. In 2025, Jerry was named Heppner’s Man of the Year, and his community service was later recognized by United States Senator Jeff Merkley. International missions have also been an important part of Jerry’s ministry. He has made ten trips to Uganda, where he has taught at pastors’ conferences, preached in churches, participated in Bible-school graduations, distributed Bibles and Christian materials, and encouraged local pastors and ministry leaders. He developed the discipleship booklet *First Steps with Jesus* to help new believers understand and grow in their faith. Jerry is the author of numerous books, Bible studies, devotionals, and teaching resources, including works centered on prayer, Christian hope, spiritual growth, and the person of Jesus Christ. His decades of preaching and teaching reflect his commitment to presenting biblical truth clearly, practically, and faithfully. Jerry and Laura were married for nearly forty-two years and raised four children. They were also blessed with three grandchildren. Laura passed away in August 2025 following an eight-and-a-half-year battle with cancer. Jerry currently lives in Hillsboro, where he helps care for his elderly father. He continues to preach, teach, write, and serve others through pastoral and community ministry.

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