What Do You Regret?
An exposition of 1 Samuel 15
A palliative care-giver, Bronnie Ware, described the most common regrets her dying patients had in her book, The Top Five Regrets of the Dying. Click on the YouTube link below to hear about avoiding major regrets.
You’ll regret that you let yourself be conformed rather than transformed and daring to be different. You’ll regret if you followed self-destructive passions.
“Detransitioners” are expressing regret for believing the transgender propaganda and so being mutilated.
The dying often report that they regret working so hard. Time is non-refundable. Others regretted not staying in touch with friends and family. You might regret that you couldn’t have family closer with you here but you would still make the same decisions.
Some voices are telling us to live for immediate pleasure. We’ll regret if we give our lives for that. What do you regret? Listen:
The Call (15:1-3)
You’ll have regrets if you listen to the wrong voice or if you don’t listen to the right voice.
Our spiritual warfare is a holy war. Don’t listen to the voices of those telling you not to be so serious. Click on the YouTube link above to listen about your holy war.
The Compromise (15:4-9)
Saul took Agag the king alive. Then, they spared the best of the livestock. That seemed more practical.
The Condemnation (15:10-23)
Does God regret? The easy theological answer is “no, He is immutable” (unchanging.) But that doesn’t mean He doesn’t have eternal, unchanging regret toward some sins, that He grieves and has wrath. Click on the YouTube link above to listen about the immutability and impassibility of God.
“To obey is better than sacrifice. I don’t need your money I want your life.” — Keith Green
Rebellion is like witchcraft. Selective obedience is like idolatry. You can’t use religion to offset disobedience.
The Confession (15:24-31)
“The Glory of Israel will not lie or have regret, for He is not a man that He should have regret.” God’s actions always fulfill God’s mission, even when they appear, to us, to be regretful.
The Completion (15:32-35)
Saul does not get to hear the voice of the Lord again. Samuel grieved over Saul, like he was dead. The Lord regretted.
The Lord Jesus said He sends the Holy Spirit into the world to convict people of sin.
It’s part of the ministry of the Spirit to lead us to regret our sin. Listen to His voice: to obey is better than empty religion. Trust and obey. You won’t regret it.
Click on the YouTube link above to listen how to avoid serious regrets.
Covenant Reformed Baptist Church is Caswell County’s/ Danville’s Reformed church.