The Fool Says in His Heart, ‘There Is No God’ (Psalm 14) | Saint Augustine

Deep Dive into Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers 1.8: Saint Augustin: Expositions on the Book of Psalms - Psalm 14Men become useless when they "have gone out of the way", a state rooted in profound spiritual failings and a misdirection of their core affections. At the heart of this uselessness is loving this world and not loving God, a choice that profoundly corrupts the soul and blinds it. This spiritual blindness renders individuals "abominable in their affections" and unable to perceive divine truth.A critical aspect is their refusal to retain God in their knowledge. This deliberate turning away from acknowledging God leads to a "reprobate mind," further entrenching their spiritual ignorance. The Lord, observing humanity from heaven, actively seeks "if there be one understanding, or seeking after God," underscoring that the absence of such spiritual pursuit is a defining characteristic of those who become useless.Moreover, humanity is inherently incapable of genuine goodness on its own. The sources state that "no man can do goodness, except He [Christ] shall have shown it," and fundamentally, "until a man know the one God, he cannot do goodness." Without Christ's guidance and the essential knowledge of God, individuals remain spiritually unproductive and unable to perform truly good deeds. Even in cases where God is not overtly denied, a pervasive lack of "the fear of God before their eyes" signifies a deeper ignorance of His nature and authority, contributing to their uselessness. This often leads to misplaced fears, prioritizing the loss of temporal things over the eternal, thereby preventing them from attaining lasting spiritual value. Ultimately, becoming useless is a comprehensive spiritual departure marked by corrupt desires, profound ignorance, and an inability to achieve goodness without divine intervention.Reformed Theologian GPT: https://chat.openai.com/g/g-XXwzX1gnv-reformed-theologianhttps://buymeacoffee.com/edi2730