Are You Content With Just A Little Sin?: A Short 4-Point Sermon on 1 Sam 13:1-23, Pt 2

7.  The problem with the sinner is that he sins and dishonors God.  Sinners overlook their sin and deny their sin.  Saul seeks to overlook his sin and deny his sin.  Saul was not a man of God; there was no repentant heart.  Samuel questioned Saul and asked him, "What have you done?"  Sin gets us to betray God, His Son, His Spirit, His Word and His people.  Sin will utterly ruin us and drive us into great destruction.  It is the problem with every human being.  We all possess a sinful nature.   None of us are inherently perfect.  All of us have a deep and penetrating remaining and indwelling corruption.  We commit abominable iniquity, heinous transgression, and rebellious witchcraft.  We have failed to honor God and keep His commandments.  That is why we desperately need Jesus Christ as our only God and Redeemer.  Small amounts of sin is just to much.  Just a little sin is just to much.  God will bring forth His chastisement and corrective chastening because of wayward ways of sin to conform us into the image of His dear Son.

8.  Sinners seek to justify their actual transgressions.  Saul excused his sin with justification of his sin.  He said he had no other option than what he did.  Sinners justify their sin all the time to get away with it.  If we do not make a full confession before God without justifying ourselves, He will not forgive us of our profound guilt.  It is good to confess our sins to a brother or sister in Christ.  We will receive healing because He will forgive us.  Jesus is the answer to the sinfulness of sin.  He died for us to forgive us of our sins.  The great king of Israel could not pardon his sin through animal sacrifice.  The only way sin can be put away is through the divine Lamb of God at His agonizing Cross.  He nailed sin to His Cross and He paid the price for our sin in behalf of great and small sinners.  He died for all the believing ones; there is no one that comes to Him that will be lost.  Everyone who comes to Him by His Father will never be like Saul.  Saul never had a repentant heart; Jesus commands everyone everywhere to repent and believe the gospel.

9.  Sinners seek to blame others for their sins.  Saul tries to blame Samuel for his great sin.  Sinners like to blame others for their sin because it is in our nature to be totally wicked and commit great abominations.   We can ruin someone's reputation and career with an untrue accusation of sin.  We must never accuse others of the sin we are guilty of because we ought to own up to our sin before the direct presence of God and His local church.  We must never make someone else look bad to excuse our sin.  If you have done this, have you not brought this Saul-like iniquity before the holy Lord for pardon, cleansing and divine grace?  If we do not take full responsibility for sin, God will not forgive you.  It would be an inconsistent and untrue repentance.  You must make a true repentance before God.  Do not be like Saul that blamed Samuel.  The "blame game" never works.  It may excuse your conscience for a little while.  It will not last and it will not declare you right before a holy God.  God is the only One who can declare you right before God through His dear Son alone by faith alone.  Have you trusted Christ alone for how you are right with God?

10.  Sinners make a false profession of humility regarding their sinfulness.  Saul was practicing a false humility because Samuel was not buying his story.  To excuse your sin is not true repentance.  Saul was good at making illegitimate excuses.  He was not born from above.  He did not demonstrate the fruits of the Spirit. Rather he demonstrated the works of the flesh.  Why make excuses when if you own up to your sin, God will surely pardon you!  Anyone who repents through the Cross of Jesus is forgiven.  After repentance, Jesus takes full accountability or responsibility for our sins.   None of us are inherently sanctified.  Humility is a gift of God's Spirit and He teaches us to be humble every moment we fall into sin.  Situations change but accusing sin does not change.  We rarely see sin in our lives; we have a corrupt heart and mind.  We are blinded by our sinful flesh and ultimately the invisible Hand of God.  We see sin often in what others do; we never see sin in what we do.  It is because we are stiff-necked and rebellious people.  We have fallen from God's divine grace.