Repentance: False: Saul
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In the biblical narrative, the concept of false repentance is exemplified in the life of King Saul, the first king of Israel. Saul's reign is marked by a series of disobedient actions and superficial attempts at repentance, which ultimately lead to his rejection by God.

Disobedience and Initial Rejection

Saul's initial act of disobedience occurs in 1 Samuel 13, when he unlawfully offers a burnt offering in the absence of the prophet Samuel. Saul's impatience and lack of faith in God's timing reveal a heart not fully committed to obedience. When confronted by Samuel, Saul offers excuses rather than genuine repentance. Samuel responds with a prophetic declaration: "But now your kingdom will not endure; the LORD has sought out a man after His own heart and appointed him ruler of His people, because you have not kept the LORD’s command" (1 Samuel 13:14).

The Amalekite Incident

A more pronounced example of Saul's false repentance is found in 1 Samuel 15. God commands Saul to completely destroy the Amalekites and all they possess. However, Saul spares King Agag and the best of the livestock. When Samuel confronts him, Saul initially denies wrongdoing, claiming he saved the best animals to sacrifice to the Lord. Samuel's rebuke is stern: "Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, obedience is better than sacrifice, and attentiveness is better than the fat of rams" (1 Samuel 15:22).

Saul's response to Samuel's rebuke is telling. He admits, "I have sinned," but his confession is followed by a plea for Samuel to honor him before the elders and the people (1 Samuel 15:30). This indicates that Saul's concern is more about his public image than true repentance before God.

The Spirit of the LORD Departs

The consequences of Saul's false repentance are severe. In 1 Samuel 16:14, it is recorded, "Now the Spirit of the LORD had departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD tormented him" . Saul's failure to genuinely repent and align his heart with God's will results in the loss of divine favor and guidance.

Contrast with David

Saul's false repentance is often contrasted with the genuine repentance of David, his successor. While David also sins grievously, his response is marked by a heartfelt contrition and a desire for restoration with God, as seen in Psalm 51. This contrast highlights the importance of true repentance, characterized by a sincere turning away from sin and a wholehearted return to God.

Lessons from Saul's Example

Saul's life serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of superficial repentance. His account underscores the necessity of a contrite heart and the futility of attempting to manipulate or appease God through external actions without genuine inner transformation. Saul's failure to truly repent ultimately leads to his downfall and serves as a sobering reminder of the importance of aligning one's heart with God's commands.
Torrey's Topical Textbook
1 Samuel 15:24-30
And Saul said to Samuel, I have sinned: for I have transgressed the commandment of the LORD, and your words: because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Saul's Conversion
... Or if you have been close, false, formal hypocrites ... He that stood by and strengthened
Saul, will also ... thereunto, our Lord may give them repentance unto life ...
/.../whitefield/selected sermons of george whitefield/sauls conversion.htm

The Power of Sorrow.
... Now this sorrow of Saul's too, works death: no merit ... a time." Grief for a time,
repentance for ever. ... Mr. Newman, "never forgives himself." O false estimate of ...
/.../robertson/sermons preached at brighton/viii the power of sorrow.htm

The End of Self-Will
... Saul had had any faith in God, any submission, any repentance, he could ... The false
gods had triumphed, as their worshippers thought, and Saul's death was ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture f/the end of self-will.htm

Article xii (V): of Repentance.
... if any one should ask why Saul and Judas ... of the sophists and canonists concerning
repentance has been ... For the following dogmas are clearly false, and foreign ...
/.../melanchthon/the apology of the augsburg confession/part 15 article xii v .htm

The Third Part of the Articles.
... else than] death and hell, and man must despair, like Saul and Judas ... However, we
must now contrast the false repentance of the sophists with true repentance, in ...
//christianbookshelf.org/luther/the smalcald articles/the third part of the.htm

Regeneration by Faith. Of Repentance.
... They give Cain, Saul and Judas, [306] as examples of ... away to renew them again to
repentance, seeing they ... To divest them of this false and pernicious opinion ...
/.../the institutes of the christian religion/chapter 3 regeneration by faith.htm

Theophilus.
... third book addressed to, 111. misled by false accusations, 111. ... teach humanity, 114.
also repentance and righteousness, 114. ... from Adam to Saul, 119. ...
/.../clement/who is the rich man that shall be saved/theophilus.htm

On the Words of the Gospel, Luke xxiv. 36, "He Himself Stood in ...
... He showed what was false, and dost thou speak the truth? ... And that repentance and
remission ... madly, and be filled with jealousy: Stephen be stoned, Saul keep the ...
/.../sermons on selected lessons of the new testament/sermon lxvi on the words.htm

Confession of Sin --A Sermon with Seven Texts
... But alas, for such a repentance! ... you are not so, you have lied against God, you have
made him a false promise, for ... SAUL""I have sinned.""1 Samuel 15:24. ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 3 1857/confession of sina sermon with.htm

Trace God's Government in History and in his Precepts, and You ...
... the monarch of Babylon after his complete repentance; [2903] that ... of the people the
son of Saul when about ... not steal; thou shalt not bear false witness; thou ...
/.../the five books against marcion/chapter xvii trace gods government in.htm

Resources
What is cheap grace? | GotQuestions.org

What is the meaning of sackcloth and ashes? | GotQuestions.org

Why had the disciples in Ephesus not received the Holy Spirit (Acts 19:1-7)? | GotQuestions.org

Repentance: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

Bible ConcordanceBible DictionaryBible EncyclopediaTopical BibleBible Thesuarus
Subtopics

Repentance

Repentance by the Operation of the Holy Spirit

Repentance by the Preaching of Haggai

Repentance by the Preaching of Oded

Repentance in Asking for a King

Repentance in the Time of Asa, by the Preaching of Azariah

Repentance of Their Idolatry, when Afflicted by the Philistines

Repentance of Worshiping the Golden Calf

Repentance: Achan, Because of his Theft

Repentance: After Hearing the Law Expounded by Ezra

Repentance: Ahab, when Reproved by Elijah for Ahab's Idolatry

Repentance: At the Dedication of the Second Temple

Repentance: Attributed to God

Repentance: Balaam, of his Spiritual Blindness

Repentance: Because of Their Idolatrous Marriages

Repentance: Because of Their Oppressive Usury

Repentance: Called Repentance to Life

Repentance: Called Repentance to Salvation

Repentance: Christ Came to Call Sinners To

Repentance: Christ Exalted to Give

Repentance: Commanded by Christ

Repentance: Commanded to all by God

Repentance: Condition of God's Favor

Repentance: Conviction of Sin Necessary To

Repentance: Danger of Neglecting

Repentance: David, at the Rebuke of Nathan, for his Sins of Adultery and Murder

Repentance: Denied to Apostates

Repentance: Exemplified

Repentance: Exhortation To

Repentance: Exhortations To

Repentance: False: Ahab

Repentance: False: Judas

Repentance: False: Saul

Repentance: Given by God

Repentance: Hezekiah, at the Time of his Sickness

Repentance: Illustrated

Repentance: Illustrated: Paul

Repentance: Illustrated: The Prodigal Son

Repentance: Illustrated: The Repentant Son

Repentance: Jehoahaz

Repentance: Jonah, After his Punishment

Repentance: Joseph's Brothers, of Their Maltreatment of Joseph

Repentance: Josiah, when he Heard the Law of God Which had been Discovered in the Temple by Hilkiah

Repentance: Judas

Repentance: Manasseh, when he Was Carried Away Captive to Babylon by the King of Assyria

Repentance: Ministers should Rejoice Over Their People on Their

Repentance: Necessary to the Pardon of Sin

Repentance: Neglect of, Followed by Swift Judgment

Repentance: Not to be Repented of

Repentance: Peter, Because of his Denial of Jesus

Repentance: Pharaoh, of his Hardness of Heart

Repentance: Preached by Christ

Repentance: Preached by John the Baptist

Repentance: Preached by the Apostles

Repentance: Preached in the Name of Christ

Repentance: Rehoboam, when his Kingdom Was Invaded, and Jerusalem Was Besieged

Repentance: Repentance of Their Complaining Because of Lack of Bread and Water

Repentance: Saul, at the Rebuke of Samuel for not Destroying the Amalekites

Repentance: should be Accompanied by Confession

Repentance: should be Accompanied by Conversion

Repentance: should be Accompanied by Faith

Repentance: should be Accompanied by Greater Zeal in the Path of Duty

Repentance: should be Accompanied by Humility

Repentance: should be Accompanied by Prayer

Repentance: should be Accompanied by Self-Abhorrence

Repentance: should be Accompanied by Shame and Confusion

Repentance: should be Accompanied by Turning from Idolatry

Repentance: should be Accompanied by Turning from Sin

Repentance: should be Evidenced by Fruits

Repentance: The Burden of the Preaching of Jesus

Repentance: The Burden of the Preaching of John the Baptist

Repentance: The Disobedient Son

Repentance: The Ephesians, by the Preaching of Paul

Repentance: The Jews, by the Preaching of John the Baptist

Repentance: The Ninevites, by the Preaching of Jonah

Repentance: The Present Time the Season For

Repentance: The Prodigal Son

Repentance: The Wicked: Averse To

Repentance: The Wicked: Condemned for Neglecting

Repentance: The Wicked: Neglect the Time Given For

Repentance: The Wicked: Not Led to by the Judgments of God

Repentance: The Wicked: Not Led To, by Miraculous Interference

Repentance: The Woman Who Anointed Jesus With Oil

Repentance: There is Joy in Heaven Over One Sinner Brought To

Repentance: True: Corinthians

Repentance: True: David

Repentance: True: Israelites

Repentance: True: Job

Repentance: True: Manasseh

Repentance: True: Nineveh

Repentance: True: Peter

Repentance: True: Thief on the Cross

Repentance: True: Zacchaeus

Repentance: Unavailing: To Esau

Repentance: Unavailing: To Israel

Repentance: Unclassified Scriptures Relating To

Repentance: Under the Influence of Hezekiah

Repentance: we should be Led To, by Godly Sorrow Works

Repentance: we should be Led To, by The Chastisements of God

Repentance: we should be Led To, by The Goodness of God

Repentance: we should be Led To, by The Patience of God

Repentance: What It Is

Repentance: when Rebuked by an Angel for not Expelling the Canaanites

Repentance: when Reproved by the Prophet Micah

Related Terms

Leads (64 Occurrences)

Remission (18 Occurrences)

Righteous (407 Occurrences)

Goodness (83 Occurrences)

Baptize (19 Occurrences)

Contrition (1 Occurrence)

Sinners (132 Occurrences)

Worthy (92 Occurrences)

Preached (75 Occurrences)

Sins (351 Occurrences)

Conversion (1 Occurrence)

Repent (74 Occurrences)

Leading (101 Occurrences)

Jonah (30 Occurrences)

Region (96 Occurrences)

Keeping (282 Occurrences)

Opponents (11 Occurrences)

Long-suffering (23 Occurrences)

Leaves (55 Occurrences)

Godly (50 Occurrences)

Fruits (109 Occurrences)

Finally (29 Occurrences)

Regretted (5 Occurrences)

Renew (16 Occurrences)

Repentant (3 Occurrences)

Repenting (6 Occurrences)

Eternal (166 Occurrences)

Election (6 Occurrences)

Persons (156 Occurrences)

Produces (27 Occurrences)

Produce (140 Occurrences)

Bringeth (313 Occurrences)

Baptizing (16 Occurrences)

Lamentations (6 Occurrences)

Forgiveness (124 Occurrences)

Longsuffering (17 Occurrences)

Nonimmersionist

Non-immersionist

Infinite (8 Occurrences)

Grant (87 Occurrences)

Preach (72 Occurrences)

View (86 Occurrences)

Judges (117 Occurrences)

Excommunication

Gehazi (14 Occurrences)

Foundation (82 Occurrences)

Baptismal (1 Occurrence)

Fruit (318 Occurrences)

Baptized (52 Occurrences)

Covenant (309 Occurrences)

Loss (90 Occurrences)

Baptist (16 Occurrences)

Jesus (10891 Occurrences)

Meet (281 Occurrences)

Manasseh (140 Occurrences)

Sorrow (277 Occurrences)

Samuel (129 Occurrences)

Bring (1372 Occurrences)

Beginning (187 Occurrences)

Joy (422 Occurrences)

Bear (425 Occurrences)

Salvation (386 Occurrences)

Preaching (116 Occurrences)

Regeneration (2 Occurrences)

Lead (192 Occurrences)

You-ward (9 Occurrences)

Quieted (8 Occurrences)

Ninety-nine (6 Occurrences)

Nine (55 Occurrences)

Ninety (27 Occurrences)

Namely (81 Occurrences)

Netherworld (1 Occurrence)

Unaware (16 Occurrences)

Undoing (7 Occurrences)

Us-ward (4 Occurrences)

Oppose (29 Occurrences)

Opposition (22 Occurrences)

Objections (1 Occurrence)

Repentance: False: Judas
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