The Human Response of Carnal People - 1 Kings 3:3-5

Satan fiercely accuses the people of God (Revelation 12:10). His accusations, whether true or false, can damage the conscience of believers. How does guilt, when you are actually guilty, and guilt feelings, when you have been forgiven but can’t shake the thought of your misdeeds, affect you? To what extent do guilt and guilt feelings influence your worship? Let’s see how King David responded.

Before King David died, he charged his son, Solomon, to obey the written word of God. 1 As David’s time to die drew near, he charged Solomon his son, saying, 2 “I am going the way of all the earth. Be strong, therefore, and show yourself a man. 3 Keep the charge of the Lord your God, to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, His commandments, His ordinances, and His testimonies, according to what is written in the Law of Moses, that you may succeed in all that you do and wherever you turn" (1 Kings 2:1-3)

Solomon loved the Lord but didn’t follow his father’s advice right away.

Now Solomon loved the Lord, walking in the statutes of his father David, except that he was sacrificing and burning incense on the high places. (1 Kings 3:3, 2 Chronicles 1:2-7). While God waited for him to surrender to the written word fully, He continued to show gracious kindness to Solomon, trying to capture his attention. In Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream at night; and God said, “Ask what you wish Me to give you.” (1 Kings 3:5)

This is not support for disobedience. First and foremost, I declare that we ought always to obey the Lord immediately and thoroughly.

Often, the people of God have not come into full compliance with the written word. What should we do while we are out of full compliance with the word of God?

Even when we have yet to come into full compliance with the written word, we should keep praising God for His historical graciousness. Although he was not in complete compliance with the written word, Solomon praised God for His historical graciousness.

Then Solomon said, “You have shown great lovingkindness to Your servant David my father, according as he walked before You in truth and righteousness and uprightness of heart toward You; and You have reserved for him this great lovingkindness, that You have given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day." (1 Kings 3:6).

Even when we have yet to come into complete compliance with the written word, we should keep praising God for His contemporary graciousness. Though he was not in full compliance with the written word, Solomon praised God for His contemporary graciousness.

7 Now, O Lord my God, You have made Your servant king in place of my father David, yet I am but a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in. 8 Your servant is in the midst of Your people which You have chosen, a great people who are too many to be numbered or counted. (1 Kings 3:7-8).

Often, as the people of God, we have not come into full compliance with the written word.

Objections

1) I will be a hypocrite if I praise God when I am not fully compliant. Our word hypocrite comes from hypo-under; krino– judge. From this ancient word, we get our idea of a play-actor, one who disguises himself and assumes the identity of another. Hence, a hypocrite is one who disguises his true identity and assumes the identity of another.

When you have been born again, do you belong to God or the devil? You belong to God!

When do you hide your true identity: when you praise God or when you neglect to praise God? You hide your true identity when you fail to praise God.

2) God will not receive my praise while I am not fully compliant. God has always received the praise of His people even when they were not fully compliant. He rarely has fully compliant people.

Questions

1) How do you see the lovingkindness of God upon the lives of your parents? How do you praise God for it?

2) How are you the gift of God to your parents? What did God start in your parents that He is now completing in you? For what purpose has God given you to your parents? How do you praise God for it?

3) Who (what) has God made you to be? How do you praise God for it?

4) Among whom has God placed you? How will you bless their lives? How do you praise God for it?

When you are out of alignment with the word of God, you lose something. Yet, God wants you to praise Him because of Him and despite you. Do not deprive God of His praise.