“No, Not One” (Ps 14)

The fool has said in his heart, "There is no God [over me]." They are corrupt, They have done abominable works, There is none who does good. The LORD looks down from heaven upon the children of men, To see if there are any who understand, who seek God. They have all turned aside, They have together become corrupt; There is none who does good, No, not one.(vs1-3)

The Lord is the Savior from sin, and He saves sinners who are just as corrupt as everyone else. He puts the saved on the side of the righteousness, and then He fights for you against the wickedness of the world.

First, Jesus is the Savior of sinners (vs1-3). It is written, “They are corrupt... there is none who does good... they have all turned aside, they have together become corrupt; there is none who does good, no, not one”. Not you or me. We didn't lift ourselves up and become better than others. We didn't pull ourselves up by the bootstraps or stir up some goodness in us (Rom 9:16). We would have ASSUREDLY perished in sin, if not for Him choosing us, dying for us savingly, and calling us by the power of the Spirit. He gave us “outside of us” grace, so that the inward devil could be removed (Luke 9:42). We're slaves to sin by nature (just try to stop it). But God wouldn't allow us to perish for His love and mercy's sake (Titus 3:3-5). He sent the Son because He predestined us to life, and when we murdered the Holy One, His blood procured our salvation, paying our sins. Then, in due time, the time of love, the Spirit gave us desires for God, hunger after righteousness, and the power to choose Christ. Satan's bond was broken, and the captive was freed.

Secondly, now that we're righteous, the Lord assuredly fights for us (vs4-6). We read, “God is with the generation of the righteous. [The corrupt] shame the counsel of the poor, but the Lord is his refuge”. The soul that needs the gospel, loves Christ, and depends upon God for salvation SHALL be saved, even though the world is as evil as ever. We have evil wives, evil bosses, and evil preachers all around us. We have television, movies, and all things pulling us away from God, but they are not strong enough to prevail. We have God enlightening us, reproving us, cutting out the pleasure of sin, and giving us love, joy, and peace by the gospel. We have the Spirit's protection, the angels ministering to us, and the word of God, by faith, to direct our paths.

Let the wicked do as they wish. God will punish them right suddenly, but we'll escape from their hands. David said, “There they are in great fear”, suddenly, when their boast has been fulfilled, they're cut off in their vain ambitions. Yet, everyone that God has made righteous, He intends to save, and our poverty is no obstacle. Poverty is the way of salvation. The righteous walk by faith, leaning entirely on Him. His promises are for sinners and saints who deal with Him by Jesus Christ, and the Christ can never be denied. You can't come to God by Him and fail.

Thirdly, the Lord will give us joy aplenty (vs7). We read, “Oh, that the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion! When the Lord brings back the captivity of His people, let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad”. Yes, we suffer now, but heaven is sure. Yes, we're involved in dead end relationships that bear no fruit of mutual love for Christ. But, Christ is saving us from sin into joy, from misery into eternal pleasure, and from hell-worthiness to seeing His face, and being like Him, in eternal bliss! Bless God! God not only saves, but He gives us eternal pleasures for Christ's sake.