24 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. 25 Now therefore, please pardon my sin and return with me that I may bow before the Lord.”
30 Then he said, “I have sinned; yet honor me now before the elders of my people and before Israel, and return with me, that I may bow before the Lord your God.”
1 Samuel 15:24-25,30 ESV
Samuel has just related to Saul God's message that Saul has been rejected as king of Israel. Saul has continually disobeyed the Lord to the point that He "regretted that he had made Saul king over Israel." (v. 35)
While Saul realizes his fate is sealed and his future, he appears contrite and willing to make amends to God. However, his words do not support a true repentance.
Yes, Saul admits to sinning against God, but seems just as worried he has disobeyed Samuel. In fact he asks Samuel for pardon, not God. He is concerned that is has "trangressed your (Samuel) words". Once again we see Saul more worried about his relationships with man than his obedience to God.
This is reinforced in verse 30 when Saul wants Samuel to accompany him before the elders and Israelites. He wanted his name cleared before man. His standing in the community trumped his right standing with God.
When we have sinned against God, public opinion be damned. Yes, our horizontal relationships are important. But it is that vertical relationship with God that must be made right. It is the priority.
Until we lay prostrate before God crying out like David "against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your eyes" we will fall short of true repentance. If we are more concerned about who we have made mad rather than the Spirit we have grieved, our contrition is lacking.
Most likely God will call us to restore some horizontal relationships, but those are secondary. Get things right with God first.
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