PRAGMATIC VS. PRINCIPLED DECISION MAKING

Increasingly, King Saul’s life was governed by pragmatic thinking, a cost/benefit analysis. While Saul had been a humble man, submitting to the Word of his God, he became proud, self-confident, and began to disregard the Word of God.

God had wanted to liberate His people Israel from the oppressive domination of the Philistines. Therefore, the Prophet Samuel had warned both Saul and the people that their welfare depended upon their adherence to the Word of God:

• “If you will fear the Lord and serve him and obey his voice and not rebel against the commandment of the Lord, and if both you and the king who reigns over you will follow the Lord your God, it will be well. But if you will not obey the voice of the Lord, but rebel against the commandment of the Lord, then the hand of the Lord will be against you and your king.” (1 Samuel 12:14-15 ESV)

The Philistines then invaded Israel with a formidable army. Samuel had instructed Saul to do nothing until he’d arrive to make an animal sacrifice to implore the help of the Lord, according to His instructions. However, after seven days, Samuel had not yet arrived and Saul soldiers were abandoning him. Therefore, Saul made the sacrifice to the Lord. Immediately after this, Samuel arrived:

• Samuel said, "What have you done?" And Saul said, "When I saw that the people were scattering from me, and that you did not come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines had mustered at Michmash, I said, 'Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the favor of the Lord.' So I forced myself, and offered the burnt offering." (1 Samuel 13:11-12)

What Saul had done made sense. Samuel was late, and Saul’s army was going AWOL. However, he violated the Word of God by making this sacrifice and trusting instead in his own judgment.

This example is important because compromise is something that we are all tempted to do based upon our own cost/benefit analysis. As a result, we decide that we will follow the bulk of the Word of God, but not all of it, not the parts that will cost us.

We justify this compromise for many reasons. Some conclude, “I have to lie in order to keep my job or business.” Others demean the Word claiming that “The times have changed, or that the Scriptures aren’t entirely trustworthy.” However, there is not a single verse that might support these dismissals.

Instead, Jesus claimed that we have to live according to Scripture’s every Word (Matthew 4:4) and that every Word had to be fulfilled (Matthew 5:17-19). If we are going to be faithful to God, we cannot sit in judgment over His Word. Instead, His Word must sit in judgment over us.

I am not saying that pragmatic thinking is wrong. However, we can never allow our thinking to compete against God’s Word.