Obedience is better than Sacrifice
1 Samuel 15:22
22And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.
I have heard this scripture quoted in many different ways…but to receive the revelation of what the scripture is really saying is so very rewarding. So often we will read something without fully understanding what it is really saying. Why I say it is rewarding? It is rewarding because to truly understand that if we are just obedient in the first place, we then would not have to go before our Lord repeatedly in repentance.
To be obedient means to comply with the commands or instructions of those in authority. The one who truly has authority over us all is God. If we would comply with what it is he desires for us to do, we can often avoid many trouble we are faced with. Instead of doing what He wants us to do; we often stubbornly do what we want to do, hence already opening the door for error.
Romans 6:1 say, “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?” So now we look at this scripture and what Apostle Paul is really saying; just because we have grace does not mean we are being given permission to sin. We should put our best efforts forward to avoid sin, and how we avoid sin is by being obedient.
Apostle Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 2:9, “For to this end also did I write, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye are obedient in all things.” This is a petition to the body of Christ, that we must be obedient in all things, not some things, but all. For us to be obedient in all things we must know what it is that God expects of us, and adhere to it. It is one thing for us to know the word of God, but we must always live it also. We must do that which God commands us to do. There is no in between. Revelations 3:16 says, “So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.”
1 Peter 1:13-16 says, “Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.”
Lord I pray for obedience in all things. I pray that as children of God we will walk in holiness, as well as our conversations will also be holy. I pray that we will always adhere to the word of God, so that our feet shall only tread upon ground that is ordained of you. That as your children we shall speak that which you tell us to speak and that we shall live a victorious life in Christ Jesus; and that we shall not take your grace for granted. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.
Set Apart 