1 Samuel Chapter 12:

1 Samuel Chapter 12:

18 So Samuel called unto the LORD; and the LORD sent thunder and rain that day: and all the people greatly feared the LORD and Samuel.

19 And all the people said unto Samuel, Pray for thy servants unto the LORD thy God, that we die not: for we have added unto all our sins this evil, to ask us a king.

20 And Samuel said unto the people, Fear not: ye have done all this wickedness: yet turn not aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart;

21 And turn ye not aside: for then should ye go after vain things, which cannot profit nor deliver; for they are vain.

22 For the LORD will not forsake his people for his great name's sake: because it hath pleased the LORD to make you his people.

23 Moreover as for me, God forbid that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you: but I will teach you the good and the right way:

24 Only fear the LORD, and serve him in truth with all your heart: for consider how great things he hath done for you.

25 But if ye shall still do wickedly, ye shall be consumed, both ye and your king.

This stellar passage from 1 Samuel 12 tells us enough about God to give us a well balanced understanding of his divine nature. It also tells us enough to debunk the modern mindset that many have adopted, that says that God is 'different' in the new testament then he was in the old testament. The first thing this passage shows us is that God had no desire that his people should perish in their wickedness that they had done, but rather that they should repent and be blessed. Of course the new testament scriptures bear witness to the same: "The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance" (II Pet. 3:9). So we can conclude that God has not changed any in regard to his chief desire to bless and save his people. Our text passage also shows us that God does not and will not forgive, bless, or save anyone who holds to their sins, and goes on in them. This is where many believe that God has changed in the new testament, believing that the cross of Christ covers all sins, including sins that are continued in.

I'll put more emphasis on the judgment aspect of the nature of God, just to be certain that no one leaves this article still having that mistaken school of thought. First we can take a look at one very telling scripture from an epistle that was written to people who were already in Christ: "Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off" (Rom. 11:22). I'm just not sure what the proponents of the 'all mercy' mindset can make of that, other than what it plainly says. But if more is what it takes, there is plenty more confirmation of the point, like this fearful passage: "For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?" (He. 10:26-29)

That sobering passage not only clarifies that new covenant believers will be lost if they continue in sin, but it actually makes the comparison between the punishment of old covenant sinners and new testament sinners; plainly showing that new testament believers who turn back will suffer a greater damnation for transgressing the blood of Christ that they had once been sanctified by. Folks today desperately need to understand that God has never forgiven sins that are not repented of. When God made his name known to Moses, it was actually a description of his nature, and it is the same description that we see manifested in our text passage from 1 Samuel 12: "And the LORD descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the LORD. And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, unto the third and to the fourth generation" (Exd. 34:5-7).

There we see the same mercy and long-suffering that God shows to the humble and repentant, as well as the same damning judgment against those who stubbornly hold to their sins. When God first appeared to Moses he made it crystal clear that everything he is remains forever the same: "And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you" (Exd. 3:14). He did not refer to himself as 'I WAS,' or 'I MIGHT BE,' or 'I WILL BE,' but rather he made it clear that HE IS WHAT HE IS! Just to be certain that the new testament scriptures are in agreement with this, we have this from James: "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning" (Jas. 1:17). We could never concretely know a God who is changeable, and God's greatest desire is for us to know him, and know him well. The truth is that God is not difficult to know if we are humble, honest, and desirous of "righteousness and true holiness" (Eph. 4:24). As it is written: "A scorner seeketh wisdom, and findeth it not: but knowledge is easy unto him that understandeth" (Prov. 14:6). All I can say is, Amen.