Dear List,

I am totally convinced that Saul did the same exact thing as Adam did in the Garden of Eden.  Please read 15 Steps in Saul's Downfall below. Tweety

 

Saul's Conversion and Backsliding

Saul's Conversion and Backsliding

What could be more clear!  Saul was a partaker of the Holy Spirit and genuinely converted, born again, redeemed, and made a new creature at this time.

 

Five Spiritual Blessings of Saul:

 

1.     The Spirit of God came upon him (1 Samuel 10:6,10-13; 1 Samuel 11:6)

2.     He prophesied (1 Samuel 10:6,10-13)

3.     He was turned to another man (1 Samuel 10:6)

4.     God was with him (1 Samuel 10:7)

5.     God gave him another heart (1 Samuel 10:9)

 

Fifteen Steps in Saul's Downfall:

1.     He intruded into the priest's office (1 Samuel 13:8-10)

2.     He made excuse for his sin of breaking the commandment of God (1 Samuel 13:11-12)

3.     Again broke the commandment of God which called for the destruction of all the Amalekites (1 Samuel 15:2-12)

4.     Lied to Samuel about obeying God in destroying the Amalekites (1 Samuel 15:13-20)

5.     Laid the blame for his failure on the people (1 Samuel 15:20-21)

6.     Became exalted, not staying small in his own sight (1 Samuel 15:17)

7.     Rejected the Word of God (1 Samuel 15:23-26)

8.     Halfheartedly repented, but still blamed the people (1 Samuel 15:24-35)

9.     The Holy Spirit left him and he became possessed with a demon (1 Samuel 16:14-23;18:12)

10.   Became jealous of David and made twenty-one attempts on his life (1 Samuel 18:6-26:25)

11.   Became bitter toward his own son in his jealous rage against David (1 Samuel 20:30-34)

12.   Drove David from his own home and inheritance (1 Samuel 21:1-30:31)

13.   Sought a revelation from a witch and demons contrary to the law (1 Samuel 28:7-25; 1 Chron. 10:13-14)

14.   Swore to protect the witch contrary to the law (1 Samuel 28:10)

15.   Committed suicide (1 Samuel 31:4-5)

The same idea is expressed by Paul in 2 Cor. 5:17-18-being made a new creature.  It is reaffirmed in 1 Samuel 10:9 that says "God gave him another heart."  Men were born again by faith through grace in O.T. times just as they are now (Deut. 32:18-19; Romans 4; Galatians 3:8; Galatians 4:28-29; Hebrews 4:1).

1 Samuel 10:7

God was with Saul as long as he stayed with God; but when Saul sinned and rejected Him (1 Samuel 13:8-14; 1 Samuel 15:16-30), the Lord departed and took the Holy Spirit from him (1 Samuel 16:14; 1 Samuel 18:12).  God promises to deny, forsake, and cast off anyone who denies and forsakes Him; this is stated to Christians (2 Tim. 2:12) just as it was to O.T. saved men (Deut. 31:17; Joshua 24:20; 2 Kings 21:14; 1 Chron. 28:9; 2 Chron. 15:2).  See Backsliding.

 

—Dake's Topics