Fearing God Means Obedience

1 Sam. 14-16 The fear of man emerges in spades in these chapters. First, God tells Samuel to tell Saul to go and exterminate ALL of the Amalekites because they failed to help the children of Israel as they left Egypt. However, Saul fails to carry out the mission, saves the king and the best of the flocks, and presumes innocence when questioned.

When Samuel arrives to see the result, he is appalled that Saul did not completely obey God’s command to which Saul answers But, I did obey! Just like the child with his hand in the cooky jar, the evidence shows that he was only partially obedient. Partial obedience is still disobedience. Then to add insult to the conversation, Saul uses the phrase “your” God twice, showing how far he has fallen. No longer is God “his” God.

When Samuel questions him, he said, “I feared the people.” In reality, he quoted Proverbs 29:25 by saying; I feared them more than God. Do we fear God or fear men? Do we obey entirely or only partially when God gives us a command? Incomplete obedience is disobedience. Jesus says to go and make disciples, but have we been totally obedient or only partially obedient?

Again: Incomplete obedience is disobedience.