Lesson 4: What Must Backsliders Do?

A. HOW A PERSON APPROACHES BACKSLIDING

1. You usually backslide after being faced with God’s Word and God’s will. “Harken thou unto the voice of the words of the Lord . . . go and smite Amalek and utterly destroy all” (I Sam. 15:1-3).

2. Most backsliders try to do something towards obeying God. “Saul gathered . . . and numbered them . . . two hundred thousand footmen” (15:4).

3. Most backsliders claim they have a good heart and have tried to obey God. “Saul said, ‘I have performed the commandment of the Lord’” (15:13).

4. Most backsliders try to bluff their way. “Saul said to him, ‘Blessed be thou of the Lord: I have performed the commandment of the Lord” (15:13).

5. Most backsliders blame someone else for their sin. “The people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen” (15:15).

6. Most backsliders usually have a good reason for not doing the complete will of God. “Spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen to sacrifice to the Lord” (15:15).

7. Most backsliders refuse the vilest of sins. “Everything that was vile and refuse, they destroyed utterly” (15:9).

8. Most backsliders let good things blind them to doing God’s best. “Spare the best . . . to sacrifice” (15:15).

“Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice” (15:22).

God ranks our actions

Our good should never replace our best

Half obedience is complete disobedience

9. Most backsliders do it for money. “Why did you swoop down on the spoil” (15:19)?

10. Most backsliders have an object lesson to prove they are right not wrong. “But I have obeyed the voice of the Lord . . . and brought back Agag king of Amalek” (15:20).

11. Most backsliders take credit for good things. “I have obeyed . . . and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites” (15:20). But won’t take credit for disobedience. “But the people took of the spoil . . . which should have been utterly destroyed” (15:21).

12. Most backsliders do not understand biblical obedience.

a. Not outward religion, but heart obedience. “Has the Lord as great delight . . . in obeying” (15:22).

b. Not outward conformity, but inner submission. “To obey is better than to sacrifice” (15:22).

c. Not repentance in words, but in inward fear of God, not people. Saul said the words, “I have sinned, I have transgressed . . . but I feared the people and obeyed their voice” (15:24).

13. Most backsliders do something “religious” to show their heart is not right with God. “As Samuel turned around to go away, Saul seized the edge of his robe and tore it” (15:27).

14. Most backsliders are more concerned with what others think, than what God thinks. “Honor me now, please, before the elders of Israel and before Israel” (15:30).

15. Most backsliders will fake repentance to get your approval. “I have sinned, yet honor me . . . before the elders” (15:30).

16. Most backsliders know where the power of God is located but they will not honestly seek it. “Saul worshiped the Lord” (15:31). But Saul didn’t kill Agag, which was his responsibility. “Samuel hacked Agag in pieces” (15:33).

17. Most backsliders do not mourn for themselves. “Samuel mourned for Saul” (15:35).

B. GOD’S REACTION TO BACKSLIDING

1. God knew the disobedience of Saul before Saul realized God knew. “Then came the word of the Lord to Samuel saying . . . he (Saul) is turned back from following Me” (15:10-11).

2. God measures us by His command, no other reason. “Saul . . . hath not performed my commandment” (15:11).

3. God holds a leader responsible for what his followers do. “But Saul and the people spared Agag” (15:9).

4. God repents. “It repenteth me I have made Saul king” (15:11)

Repent means to change.

God can’t repent. “I change not” (Mal. 3:6).

But when people change their love for God, and no longer keep themselves from sin; God no longer reacts to them in kindness, but God always judges their sin.

5. God is not impressed with religious acts. “Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices” (15:22).

6. God wants heart obedience, not outward service.

7. God rejects you, when you reject His Word. “Because you have rejected the Word of the Lord, He also has rejected you” (15:27).

8. God repented making Saul king. “The Lord repented that He had made Saul king over Israel” (15:35).

If you have never really accepted Jesus as your personal Savior, would you do it right now? Do not delay or put it off. If you would like to receive Christ by faith, pray this simple prayer in your heart:

Dear Lord,

I acknowledge that I am a sinner. I believe Jesus died for my sins on the cross, and rose again the third day. I repent of my sins. By faith I receive the Lord Jesus as my Savior. You promised to save me, and I believe You, because You are God and cannot lie. I believe right now that the Lord Jesus is my personal Savior, and that all my sins are forgiven through His precious blood. I thank You, dear Lord, for saving me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.