1 Sam 15:24-25 Weak Repentance CLICK TITLE FOR AUDIO

Saul’s repentance after disobeying the command of the Lord to destroy the Amalekites and all of their substance is an example of a repentance that does not work with God.

A weak repentance involves:

Admission – “I have sinned” – Pharaoh did that much in Ex 9:27,10:16

Confession – confession is not a remedy for sin particularly when it is a confession to men [and Jas 5:16 is not a doctrinal confession of sins to men but rather a confession of “faults;” we all have character faults that are not sin unless we sin as a result of those faults] – you are to confess your sins to God, 1 Jn 1:9 and then you are to forsake them, Prov 28:13

Explanation – this is commonly more than an explanation for why you sinned; it is usually justification – the trouble is that sin is your responsibility

Penitence – this is sorrow and regret that seeks forgiveness, in this case, from a man, like Judas Iscariot did and like Pharaoh did in Ex 10:17

Restoration – Saul asked Samuel to turn and worship with him because he wanted to show his men that he was still an acceptable king – it’s not enough for men to approve – real repentance must lead to salvation 2 Cor 7:10

All these things that Saul did were without true repentance because his heart never changed and as a result the consequences never changed