Fools in the Eyes of God


The Bible has a lot to say about fools

If you spend any amount of time reading the Bible, you’ll quickly discover that God has quite a bit to say about fools. In fact, the word “fool” appears 64 times in 61 verses in the Old Testament and 9 times in 8 verses in the New Testament. The plural, “fools,” shows up 34 times in the Old and 8 times in the New. And if you include “foolish,”you’ll find it 52 times throughout Scripture.

Clearly, God wants us to understand something about this subject.

Now, when I talk about the word fool, I always like to go back to Noah Webster’s 1828 dictionary. Some might wonder why I reference such an old version, but here’s the thing: the 1828 Webster’s definitions align with biblical principles. They reflect a time before political correctness watered down language, and words still carried the weight of truth.

Webster’s 1828 defines fool as:

“One who is destitute of reason, or the common powers of understanding; an idiot. In scripture, fool is often used for a wicked or depraved person; one who acts contrary to sound wisdom in his moral deportment; one who follows his own inclinations, who prefers trifling and temporary pleasures to the service of God.”

Now, compare that to the modern Merriam-Webster:

“A person lacking in judgment or prudence.”

Notice how much lighter and less severe that sounds? That’s why I stick with the old definitions. They don’t flinch in the face of truth. And according to Scripture, a fool isn’t just someone who makes silly mistakes — it’s someone who rejects God’s wisdom and chooses their own way over His.

In fact, the Bible identifies several types of fools. Let’s look at five of them:


1. The Careless Fool

In Matthew 7:21-27, Jesus tells the story of two builders — one wise and one foolish. Both heard His words, but only one obeyed. The wise man built on a rock, the fool built on sand.

I see this kind of thing all the time in my work as a home inspector. People building decks or homes without understanding what makes them safe. They may have had the tools and opportunity to do it right, but chose their own shortcut methods. It might stand for a while, but when the storms come — it falls.

The careless fool hears God’s Word but doesn’t act on it. Maybe they believe God exists, maybe they attend church, maybe they even claim to be saved — but there’s no real surrender, no true obedience. They build on sand.

Jesus said:

“And great was the fall of it.” (Matthew 7:27)


2. The Hypocritical Fool

In Matthew 23:15-19, Jesus rebukes the Pharisees, calling them “fools and blind.” These religious leaders were experts at playing the part but their hearts were far from God.

I know what that’s like because I’ve been there. When I first started attending a Baptist church back in 2005, I was smoking three packs a day. I’d sit through a service, then light up a cigarette in my car. I knew better, but I was putting my own will ahead of God’s. One day, under conviction, I prayed and asked God to either take the addiction or send me somewhere else where it wouldn’t matter. That day I threw away my cigarettes and haven’t touched one in nearly 20 years.

Hypocrisy isn’t always obvious. It can be as simple as claiming to follow Christ while refusing to forgive others, or using foul language, or choosing your own desires over God’s commands. The hypocritical fool says one thing and lives another.

And God sees it all.


3. The Sleeping Fool

In Matthew 25:1-13, Jesus tells of the ten virgins waiting for the bridegroom. Five were wise and five were foolish. The foolish brought lamps but no oil. And when the bridegroom came, they were unprepared.

Oil in the Bible often symbolizes the Holy Spirit. These foolish virgins knew the rituals — they had the lamps, but not the Spirit. And when the time came, it was too late.

Paul warns in Romans 8:9:

“Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.”

We can’t afford to sleep through this life, assuming there will always be time to get right with God. The day is coming when the door will shut. And those still asleep in their sins will hear the terrible words:

“I know you not.”


4. The Materialistic Fool

In Luke 12:16-21, Jesus tells about a rich man who had so much stuff he planned to tear down his barns and build bigger ones. He thought he had it made. But God called him a fool, saying:

“This night thy soul shall be required of thee.”

We live in a world obsessed with stuff — homes, cars, gadgets, money, status. But none of it will matter when we stand before God. As the old saying goes, “There are no U-Hauls behind hearses.”

C.T. Studd said it best in his famous poem:

Only one life, ’twill soon be past;
Only what’s done for Christ will last.

We’d do well to remember that.


5. The Unbelieving Fool

Luke 24:25-27 shows us another kind of fool. Jesus, speaking to two disciples after His resurrection, says:

“O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken.”

They had the Scriptures. They’d heard the prophecies. But they still didn’t believe.

The same is true today. People see God’s handiwork in creation, yet deny His existence. They hear the Gospel, yet refuse to believe it applies to them. Paul describes them in Romans 1:20-22:

“Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools.”

And Psalm 14:1 says it plainly:

“The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.”

Man has no excuse. Creation itself proclaims the Creator.


In Closing

So we find in Scripture:

  • The Careless Fool
  • The Hypocritical Fool
  • The Sleeping Fool
  • The Materialistic Fool
  • The Unbelieving Fool

And God’s Word leaves no doubt: He desires all to be saved.

1 Timothy 2:3-4 reminds us:

“For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.”

If you’ve seen yourself in any of these descriptions — don’t be a fool. God won’t be mocked. His will is sure. And His mercy is still available today.

Today is the day of salvation.


Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *