1 Samuel 10:8 Commentary - Dr Peter Masters

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1 Samuel 10:8

Comments

Here is Saul. He seems to be a changed man. The Spirit of the Lord is to come upon him (verse 6), and God gave him another heart (verse 9). What does that mean? Was he saved? No, he wasn't. It cannot possibly mean that Saul was converted, because the same divinely inspired writer goes on in the subsequent chapters to say things about Saul which could only be true of an unconverted person. Saul didn't know how to examine his heart; he didn’t know how now to repent; he didn't know how to exercise faith. He didn't have any of the marks of grace: none whatsoever. So these verses are not referring to his conversion. They are referring to his disposition heart. In other words, he changed his heart. It made him enthusiastic and disposed to be king. But no spiritual transformation of heart can possibly be referred to here. And I think we must be quite dogmatic about that, because if we want to stretch those words to mean spiritual conversion and change of heart, we land ourselves in the position of making Scripture contradict itself. So it doesn't do to try and squeeze them into a spiritual sense or significance. Saul was rejected and discarded by the Lord. He lost his kingdom. God made it clear to him through Samuel that it was a punishment. He only said ‘I have sinned’ to keep his honour and his neck, and his dignity and kingdom, and he only said it to Samuel; you didn’t say to God. He couldn't really come under conviction. When he sinned, he just said I have made a mistake. He didn't feel it. Yet there was a work in his life which came short of true conversion.

Application

It is possible for somebody to go through a phase where they become very serious, and they seem to understand a lot, and they seem to be different, and they are not quite like they were before, and it startles you. But it could be they not saved. This is what always used to be called natural convictions, a natural work of reformation, and they are not really saved. Well then what was missing? If Saul wasn't saved what was missing? And the passage we come on to next study shows us. Two factors are picked out. He never repented; he never repented through his life. In chapter 15 he stands before Samuel after he has sinned dreadfully, and even made a sacrifice, and he says, ‘I have sinned.’ But it wasn't repentance and Samuel saw through it and rejected it, and God also rejected it.

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1 Samuel 10:8 Commentary and Bible Study