“The Symptoms and Solution of a Spiritual Fool” I. Gradual Degradation A. Filthy Declarations B. Filthy Dollars C. Filthy Dreams II. Diminished Mental Capacity III. Deceptive Reformation IV. Divine Deliverance

1. The Symptoms and Solution of
a Spiritual Fool
Ps 53:1-6
1) The fool hath said in his heart,
There is no God.
Corrupt are they,
and have done abominable iniquity:
there is none that doeth good.
2) God looked down from heaven upon the children of
men,
to see if there were any that did understand,
that did seek God.
3) Every one of them is gone back:
they are altogether become filthy;
there is none that doeth good,
no,
not one.
4) Have the workers of iniquity no knowledge?
who eat up my people as they eat bread:
they have not called upon God.
5) There were they in great fear,

2. where no fear was:
for God hath scattered the bones of him that encampeth
against thee:
thou hast put them to shame,
because God hath despised them.
6) Oh that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion!
When God bringeth back the captivity of his people,
Jacob shall rejoice,
and Israel shall be glad.
Clift notes of Psalms:
Ps. 1
Blessed man1
/ way of the righteous6
Ungodly1
/ shall perish6
Ps 2
The heathen1
/ perish12
Ps 30
Thou hast lifted me up1
/ to praise thee12
Ps 119
Blessed1
/ commandments176
Ps 53

3. The fool1
/ captivity of his people6
I. Gradual Degradation
Ps 53:1
I. …Corrupt are they,
1Cor 15:33
33) Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good
manners.
2Cor 2:17
17) For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of
God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God
speak we in Christ.
2Cor 11:3
3) But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled
Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be
corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
Gal 6:8
8) For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap
corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the
Spirit reap life everlasting.

4. Ps 53:3
3) Every one of them is gone back…
3) …become filthy;
A.Filthy Declarations
Col 3:8
8) But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice,
blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.
2Pet 2:7
7) And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy
conversation of the wicked:
B. Filthy Dollars
1Tim 3:3
3) Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre;
but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;
(1Tim 3:8; Titus 1:7, 11; 1Pet 5:2)
C. Filthy Dreams
Jude 1:8
8) Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh,
despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities.

5. Ps 53:4
4) …they have not called upon God.
Lam 3:55-57
55) I called upon thy name, O LORD, out of the low
dungeon.
56) Thou hast heard my voice: hide not thine ear at my
breathing, at my cry.
57) Thou drewest near in the day that I called upon thee:
thou saidst, Fear not.
The only way to reverse gradual degradation is radical
elimination.
II. DiminishedMental Capacity
Ps 53:2
2) …to see if there were any that did understand…
Ps 53:2
2) …that did seek God.
Ps 53:4
4) Have the workers of iniquity no knowledge…
Ps 111:10

6. 10) The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a
good understanding have all they that do his
commandments: his praise endureth for ever.
Prov 2:6
6) For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh
knowledge and understanding.
Prov 3:5
5) Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not
unto thine own understanding.
Eph 4:17-18
17) This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye
henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity
of their mind,
18) Having the understanding darkened, being alienated
from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them,
because of the blindness of their heart:
Ps 53:4
4) …who eat up my people as they eat bread…
Why is it man can understand the responsibilities and needs
of this life yet,
not make the true connection to the spiritual and eternal life?

7.  School is required,
o but, ‘don’t cram religion down our throat’
 Every child, every sport, every job, needs an instructor
and supervisor, yet,
o ‘I don’t need any other Christians to help me
preform my profession of faith’ –
 3 safety divers
Ps 53:5
5) There were they in great fear, where no fear was…
Ps 53:5
5) …for God hath scattered the bones of him that
encampeth against thee:
thou hast put them to shame,
because God hath despised them.
III. DeceptiveReformation
Ps 53:1
1) The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.
Hath = past tense
Matt 12:44-45

8. 44) Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence
I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty,
swept, and garnished.
45) Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other
spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and
dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than
the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked
generation.
John 5:14
14) Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said
unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a
worse thing come unto thee.
Jesus has put you in a Christian army, not a ballet;
no walking around on your tip toes, you sell out
and are bold as a lion.
Ps 53:1
1) The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God…
Said, not thought
IV. Divine Deliverance
Ps 53:2

9. 2) God looked down from heaven
…to see
if there were any
that did understand, that did seek God.
Ps 53:5
5) …for God hath scattered the bones of him that
encampeth against thee: thou hast put them to shame,
because God hath despised them.
Ps 53:6
6) …When God bringeth back the captivity of his people,
Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad.
Ps 53:6
6) Oh that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion!
When God bringeth back the captivity of his people,
Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad.
“The Symptoms and Solution of a Spiritual Fool”
I. Gradual Degradation
A. Filthy Declarations
B. Filthy Dollars
C. Filthy Dreams
II. Diminished Mental Capacity

10. III. Deceptive Reformation
IV. Divine Deliverance