Partial Obedience Is Disobedience According to God
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- Updated Oct 27, 2023
1 Samuel tells the epic story of how Israel transitioned from being ruled by priests and judges to having a king. The first King of the Israelites is an interesting character. When he was to be presented to the people as king, he was nowhere to be found. Finally, after some searching, he was located with the luggage (1 Samuel 10). Needless to say, he lacked confidence that he was the right man for the job.
As time went on, he began to see himself as the ruler of the people and his mind for what he thought should be done to preserve his kingdom grew. While he knew God was important to him saving face with his Kingdom, he started to trust himself more than God. Then God gives Saul some very clear instructions: kill all the Amalekites and destroy everything that belongs to them (1 Samuel 15:1-4).
At first, Saul appears to hear God and proceeds to summon his men to fight. Once the battle started, they found victory. But Saul decided to spare the Amalekite king and kept the best of their animals and possessions for him and his army (1 Samuel 15). After this battle Samuel, the priest, shows up. At first, he is proud that Saul carried out the instruction that the Lord had given. Suddenly he hears the bleating of sheep in the background, and his heart sinks; he knows that Saul did not obey the instructions of the Lord. Saul gives some good excuses for not listening, but Samuel is not convinced.
God Rejects Saul as King
1 Samuel 15:22-23 tells us what Samuel says to Saul.
“Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams. For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has rejected you as king.”
There is no wiggle room in how God sees what Saul has done. He sees past Saul’s flimsy excuses and knows that this act was more than an oversight, it was because of his pride that Saul believed he knew better than the Lord. His halfway obedience was counted as total disobedience by God.
The New Testament reiterates this idea that Jesus is looking for a wholehearted commitment from his followers. When his disciple John is given a vision of Heaven, he warns us that the lukewarm followers will be spewed out (Revelation 3:16). The implication is that half-way Christianity is not Christianity at all. Just as Saul’s attempt to do just enough to still remain God’s chosen King didn’t cut it, God also sees past our uncommitted hearts that make up the church today.
With God it’s an all or nothing kind of deal. He wants our hearts and desires to use them to do abundantly more than we could think, ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20). We can trust that going all in is not a way to punish us, it’s an invitation to live a bigger life than we could ever dream up on our own! He takes our little and multiplies it a hundred-fold!
Saul Feared Men Not God
In the text of 1 Samuel 15 we see Saul confess after God confronts him that he really gave in because he feared his men. He was scared his men would be upset if they could not take the spoils from the fight. He feared man more than God, and this resulted in God’s presence being removed from Saul’s life. A new King was anointed by God to one day take Saul’s place.
David, Saul’s successor, has the complete opposite heart as a leader. In Psalm 20:7 David writes, “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.” He understood that the only one to be feared was the Lord, because his Spirit is more mighty than any power a man can wield.
How easy is it for us to be like Saul and let the pressure we feel from the people right in front of us push us away from the things God has called us to? How many of us let the news, social media, the opinions of our co-workers, or our performance in the things we put our hands to determine if we are able to have peace and joy? The lesson is that we can live rooted, peace-filled, and miraculous lives because when we trust God, he is faithful to lead us towards his goodness and beauty. Trust that God will show you how to navigate whatever circumstances he allows to come your way.
Personal Application
When we consider the story of Saul and the warning from Revelation to avoid living a lukewarm life, our hearts should be stirred. God has made us each on purpose and for a purpose. What he desires is surrender of our stories so he can use us to show Jesus to this dark world.
1 Corinthians 12:27 puts it this way, “All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it.” Each person plays a vital role in working together with others that know Jesus around them. When we embrace our God-given purpose, we get to show Jesus to others here on earth. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, we can bring light into the darkness.
How have you held back from God’s call for your life maybe because you are afraid of the cost or what others may think? How has God multiplied your gifts when you’ve stepped out in faith in the past? Remembering what he has done is a great way to boost our faith. Saul was afraid because he forgot the victories God had already provided from him and the Israelites. God is faithful to his people, that’s a truth we have to cling to as we press forward in obedience to live surrendered and faith-filled lives.
Photo credit: ©Getty Images/stevanovicigor
