Monday, August 15, 2011

Portrait of A Fool - continued

Question: What does a fool look like, BUT remember, you don't have to be dumb to be a fool according to the Biblical definition.

DEFINITION:
A fool is not stupid, ignorant, unlearned. A fool is one who has disdain for God's law(s) and the morals/ethics set forth in those laws.

A fool is not one who doesn't know right and wrong, should and shouldn't. A fool is one who knows but chooses to ignore or deny.

A fool is not one who is intellectually deficient. A fool is one who is morally deficient.

Because, what's right is good, helpful, beneficial.
Therefore, what's wrong is harmful, detrimental.

It is foolish to know and ignore, deny, defy... When you act like a fool, it is detrimental to you AND those around you.

Two weeks ago we began "Portrait of A Fool".
I. A fool ignores truth, despises correction, and hates rebuke. Prov. 12:1

Today:

II. A fool is self-confident, proud, and wise in his own eyes.

A. Self-Confident = wrong??? Answer is the definition of self-confident.
A self-confident person is one with more confidence than competence/ability.
His opinion of himself exceeds reality. He won't see his limits.
Prov. 28:26 - wisdom of God, wisdom of others, versus own wisdom only.

B. Proud. On one hand, pride has positive place. 2 Cor. 5:12 (a), 2 Cor. 7:4 (a)
Contrast legitimate pride vs. foolish Pride!
In the negative sense, it's an opinion of self that exceeds reality.

Obad. 1:3-4 - view of self is faulty and unhealthy. Rom. 12:3 (a)

C. Wise in his own eyes. Prov. 12:15, 26:16, 16:12
There is "no hope" because:
1. cannot be corrected
2. cannot be improved
3. repeats mistakes - Prov. 26:11

which leads to:

III. A fool mocks sin and denies God. (this naturally follows)
Prov. 10:23 (a), Prov. 14:9 (a), Psalm 14:1 (a) -- "..... no God"

NOTE:
A. The mockery is not necessarily verbal: but is to ignore sin as if it's of no consequence.

B. The denial is not necessarily absolute. May not deny the existence of God, but DOES deny the power, authority, holiness, concern, involvement, and Judgment!!!

Example: Gal. 6:7-8 - fool says (by action, lifestyle...) "this doesn't apply to me."

We often say "there's no fool like an old fool" which is apt because had lots of time to change and didn't.
We might add or amend the saying to: "no fool like a Christian fool" because Christians have God's Word for instruction in righteousness and to ignore these is foolish indeed.

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