So Saul died for his trespass against the Lord… –  1 Chronicles 10:13, Amplified Bible (AMP)

In our house we have three fundamental rules:

1. Tell the truth (don’t lie)
2. Obey immediately and with the right heart-attitude (don’t disobey)
3. Respect Mom and Dad (don’t disrespect)

Over the years our children have committed trespasses of all different shapes and sizes, but no matter what those trespasses have been, every one of them has boiled down to a violation of one of these three, fundamental rules. As often as we have been able, my wife and I have pointed out to our children that, when they’ve been punished, they haven’t been punished because of committing this symptomatic sin or that symptomatic sin. They have been punished for committing a root sin of the heart, a violation of one or more of these three foundational principles of right behavior. Our reason for doing this has been to teach them that a heart filled with truthfulness, obedience, and respectfulness brings forth reward and praise, but a heart filled with deceit, disobedience, and disrespect brings forth punishment.

God wants us to understand this as well. King Saul committed sins of many different shapes and sizes during his lifetime, but 1 Chronicles 10:13-14 teaches us that the ones leading to Saul’s destruction were but two:

1. Disobedience
2. Disrespect

As 1 Chronicles 10:13-14 (AMP) states:

13 So Saul died for his trespass against the Lord [in sparing Amalek], for his unfaithfulness in not keeping God’s word, and also for consulting [a medium with] a spirit of the dead to inquire pleadingly of it,

14 And inquired not so of the Lord [in earnest penitence]. Therefore the Lord slew him and turned the kingdom over to David son of Jesse.

In sparing Amalek, Saul disobeyed God and disrespected His authority. In failing to keep God’s word, Saul disobeyed and disrespected God again. In consulting a medium with a spirit of the dead, Saul disobeyed and disrespected God yet again. We could go on to cite many other examples of Saul’s sins, and all could be traced back to being violations of these two, foundational principles of right behavior.

In Proverbs 4:23 (AMP) God admonishes us to:

Keep and guard your heart with all vigilance and above all that you guard, for out of it flow the springs of life.

Strive to fill your heart with truthfulness, obedience, and respect for God, and you will enjoy reward and praise from Him both in this life and in the next. Allow your heart to be filled with deceit, disobedience, and disrespect for God, and punishment, not joy, will be your constant companion.

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