No Regret

Pastor Alex Hall | May 31st, 2026

The Dangerous Path of Partial Obedience

There's a sobering moment in Scripture that should make every believer pause and examine their heart. In 1 Samuel 15:35, we read that "the Lord regretted that he had made Saul king over Israel." Think about the weight of that statement. God Himself—the all-knowing, eternal Creator—appointed Saul as king, anointed him for leadership, and yet Saul's choices led to a place where God expressed regret over His own decision.

This isn't about God making a mistake. It's about the devastating consequences of partial obedience dressed up as full devotion.

When "Almost" Isn't Enough

Saul received clear instructions from the Lord through the prophet Samuel: destroy the Amalekites completely. Everything. Everyone. No exceptions. But when the battle was won, Saul made a calculated decision. He destroyed what was worthless and kept what looked valuable—the best sheep, the finest oxen, and the enemy king himself.

When confronted, Saul had his defense ready: "I have performed the commandment of the Lord." He genuinely believed he had obeyed. After all, he'd accomplished most of what God commanded. The disobedient often know exactly what to say to sound righteous.

But Samuel heard the bleating of sheep and the lowing of oxen. Evidence of disobedience has a way of making itself heard.

Here's the uncomfortable truth: partial obedience is complete disobedience. We can't pick and choose which parts of God's instructions we'll follow based on what makes sense to us, what feels comfortable, or what we think we can get away with.

The Spiritual Language of Selfishness

Notice how quickly Saul's story shifted. First, it was "the people" who made him keep the spoils. Then suddenly it became spiritual—they were going to sacrifice these animals to the Lord. Rebellion wrapped in religious language is still rebellion.

How often do we do the same thing? We use spiritual terminology to justify selfish behavior. "I'm just taking time for myself right now." "The Lord told me I need a break from serving." "I'm in a season of receiving, not giving."

Sometimes these statements are genuine. Often, they're excuses for disobedience we don't want to confront. We've become skilled at wrapping rebellion in spiritual packaging, making it look like devotion when it's actually defiance.

The Sin We Don't Talk About

1 Samuel 15:23 delivers one of the most striking statements in Scripture: "For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry."

Rebellion equals witchcraft. Let that sink in.

We tend to think of witchcraft as spell-casting and cauldrons, but at its core, witchcraft is about manipulation, control, intimidation, and domination. It's about using whatever tools we have—whether supernatural or simply our words—to bend situations and people to our will rather than submitting to God's.

Do you know how to use your words to get what you want? That's witchcraft. Have you mastered the guilt trip, knowing exactly which buttons to push to manipulate family members into compliance? That's witchcraft. Do you control through intimidation, emotional manipulation, or subtle threats? That's witchcraft.

Your words are powerful. They can be used as spells to control, or as instruments of blessing to honor God and build others up. The choice is yours.

The Authority Structure of God's House

God is a God of order. Throughout Scripture, He establishes structures of authority—not to create hierarchy for its own sake, but to provide protection, direction, and blessing.

Ephesians 5 and 6 lay out God's design for His house: wives submitting to husbands, husbands loving wives sacrificially, children honoring parents, employees serving employers as unto the Lord. These aren't arbitrary rules designed to limit freedom. They're the framework within which freedom flourishes.

Submission isn't slavery—it's a choice made out of reverence for Christ. It's not about one person being less valuable than another; we are all co-heirs in Christ. But God establishes functional order, and when we operate within that order, we experience His protection and blessing.

Consider your language. If you're saying "I'm letting him lead," you're revealing that you still believe you hold the ultimate authority. The word "let" implies you're granting permission, that you're really in control. True submission doesn't "let" someone lead; it honors the leadership God has established.

The Connection to Spiritual Warfare

It's no accident that Paul's teaching on household order in Ephesians 5 flows directly into his teaching on spiritual armor in Ephesians 6. These aren't separate topics. They're intimately connected.

When you walk in wisdom, honor, and submission to God's established order, you are walking in spiritual warfare. You're equipped for battle. The shield of faith can actually quench the fiery darts of the enemy when you're operating within God's protective structure.

But if you're walking in rebellion—dishonoring parents, disrespecting authority, refusing to submit to God's design—you're bringing warfare upon yourself that God never intended you to face. You're wondering why every dart seems to hit when the answer is simple: you've stepped outside the protection of obedience.

The Path Forward

King David understood something Saul never grasped. Even when David was anointed as the next king while Saul still ruled, even when Saul was actively trying to kill him, David refused to rebel against God's established authority. He had opportunities to take matters into his own hands, to justify rebellion, to seize what God had promised him. But he waited. He trusted. He honored the authority God had established, even when that authority was corrupt.

That's the heart God is looking for.

Today is the day to examine your heart. Where have you been walking in partial obedience? What areas have you held back from God, convinced that obedience in most areas is enough? Where have you used spiritual language to justify selfish choices?

The beautiful truth is that God's design isn't meant to restrict you—it's meant to protect you and position you for blessing. When you walk in full obedience, when you honor the authority structures He's established, when you submit to His word completely rather than selectively, you step into the fullness of what He has for you.

Break agreement with rebellion today. Step out of witchcraft—the manipulation, control, and intimidation that have become normal in our culture. Choose honor. Choose obedience. Choose to trust that God's ways are better than yours.

Let it never be said of us what was said of Saul—that God regretted appointing us to the positions He's given us. Instead, may we be people who honor Him in everything, who walk in full obedience, and who experience the protection and blessing that come from living within His perfect design.