Read 1 Samuel 15:26-35.
"And Samuel said unto Saul, I will not return with thee: for thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, and the LORD hath rejected thee from being king over Israel" (v. 26).
Recently a prominent pastor in another movement was found to have abused a woman who was the wife of a younger pastor he was mentoring. He was rightly removed from all his ministry positions, and many people assumed he would never be in a ministry position again. Yet, only eight months after his removal from the pastorate, four other pastors declared that he was ready once again for ministry, and he was invited to preach in one of their churches, much to the dismay of many in the movement.
Saul tried to pass the blame when he was caught in his sin. When faced with the consequences of his sin, he made a show of repentance, but he was too late to save his kingship. Samuel distances himself from Saul from that point forward, and David eventually becomes king.
This is the kind of judgment we can expect for rebellion. Saul’s sin wasn’t something minor he was trying to overcome. He prioritized his own opinions and desires over God. We may be tempted to do the same, but we should also expect the same type of judgment. To be sure, true repentance was still possible for Saul, just as true repentance is still possible for all who have fallen. But true repentance doesn’t seek to save a high position or a good name; it seeks to save our right relationship with God. (Randy Bland)
Are you allowing rebellion to grow in your heart?
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