CHRISTIAN-ISH: wearing the label of Christian without fully surrendering to Jesus

A Cautionary Tale from King Saul 1 Samuel 15:1-26

SELECTIVE Obedience: the dangerous illusion that doing some, or even most, of what God commands is enough.
 
“Why haven’t you obeyed the Lord . . . Obedience is better than sacrifice. . . Rebellion is as sinful as witchcraft, and stubbornness as bad as worshiping idols...”
1 Samuel 15:19,22,23 (NLT)

I. God doesn’t want our partial OBEDIENCE. He wants our full SURRENDER.
“Walk in obedience to all that the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days in the land that you will possess.”  Deuteronomy 5:33 (NIV)

• God’s love is Unconditional.

“He saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy…” Titus 3:5 (NIV)
“But God showed His great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.” Romans 5:8 (NLT)

• But, some of His blessings are conditional.

“…If you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.” James 1:25 (NLT)
“If they listen and obey God they will be blessed.” Job 36:11 (NLT)
 
II. Partial obedience is not obedience at all. It is SIN.  And, sin SEPARATES us from God.
“If I had not confessed the sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.” Psalm 66:18 (NLT)
“It’s your sins that have cut you off from God...” Isaiah 59:2a (NLT)
 
III. Forgiveness of sin requires CONFESSION and REPENTANCE.
“But if we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.” I John 1:9 (NLT)
“Now repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away.” Acts 3:19 (NLT)
 
In what areas of my life am I asking God to accept partial surrender?

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Small Group Discussion Questions