Johannes emphasizes the importance of complete obedience to God, illustrating that almost obedience is equivalent to disobedience. Using the example of King Saul, he highlights how Saul believed he had obeyed God's command but had actually compromised by sparing King Agag and the best livestock, thinking it was for religious sacrifice. Johannes stresses that God requires a hundred percent obedience, not partial or improved versions of His commands, as compromises lead to disobedience and spiritual danger. He warns that disobedience can open the door to occult powers and deception, even among those with spiritual gifts or signs and wonders. Johannes urges believers to obey God's voice immediately, regardless of understanding or circumstances, emphasizing that obedience is the true act of worship and pleases God more than religious rituals or sacrifices. He calls for repentance, humility, and taking practical steps to obey the Lord in personal and communal life, including racial reconciliation and breaking old prejudices. Johannes concludes that obedience is the key to spiritual power, divine blessing, and aligning with God's will, urging everyone to act now and not delay in obeying God's commands, as it is the pathway to true spiritual victory and God's favor.
1 O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.
17 And Samuel said, When thou wast little in thine own sight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel, and the LORD anointed thee king over Israel? 18 And the LORD sent thee on a journey, and said, Go and utterly destroy the sinners the Amalekites, and fight against them until they be consumed. 19 Wherefore then didst thou not obey the voice of the LORD, but didst fly upon the spoil, and didst evil in the sight of the LORD? 20 And Saul said unto Samuel, Yea, I have obeyed the voice of the LORD, and have gone the way which the LORD sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites. 21 But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice unto the LORD thy God in Gilgal. 22 And 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. 23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king.
1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
18 For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought by me, to make the Gentiles obedient, by word and deed,
28 But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard. 29 He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went. 30 And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not. 31 Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you. 32 For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him.