Disobedience comes in three forms: not doing what you are asked to do at all (Matt. 21:28-31a), doing what you are asked to do at a later time (delayed obedience), and doing a part of the whole assignment (selective obedience or incomplete obedience, 1 Kgs. 13:1ff). Many people in the Bible experimented with all three kinds of disobedience and it brought them various consequences (Deut. 28:15ff) including a break in fellowship with God.
In 1 Samuel 15, King Saul failed to yield totally to the commands of God and he suffered for it--he was rejected as king over Israel. Many Christians behave like King Saul--partial obedience to God's word, mission and vision, revelation and direction. Partial obedience or selective obedience is still disobedience. When Samuel told Saul that "to obey is better than sacrifice" (1 Sam. 15:22b), he didn't mean sacrifice is unimportant. He was telling Saul that total obedience is a sacrifice in itself. He was drawing Saul's attention to the wrong motives for making the sacrifice. You deceive yourself when you justify disobedience in the name of 'sacrifice'.
Moses and Aaron were not spared for partial obedience (Nu. 20:7-12)--they did not enter into the Promised Land (Nu. 33:38; Deut. 32:48-52). The story of Moses should be a lesson to all Christian leaders. Moses spoke to God face to face (Nu. 12:6-8), and was defended by God when Aaron and Miriam accused him (Nu. 12), yet he wasn't spared because of incomplete obedience. It doesn't matter if you have told God you will do it; what matters is have you done it?
Anytime you disobey God's word, you hinder His plan and will for your life. To build a strong Christian foundation and endure in the Christian faith, the believer must not only pray and study the Word of God consistently, but must do what the Word says (James 1:22; Mt. 7:24-27). In Paul's second epistle to Timothy, he notes that it is only by putting into practice God's word that the believer matures (Heb. 5:14). It is only by feeding on the milk of the mother's breast that a baby grows; likewise in the Christian life, we cannot grow without feeding on the spiritual milk of the word of God.
The tests of your love for God are the opportunities which present themselves for action, whether to obey or disobey God. In other words, every opportunity to obey or disobey God is a test of your love for Him: "If you love me, you will obey what I command." (Jn. 14:15) And so our ability to follow simple instructions given by God--not our ability to preach or pray--shows that we love God and are growing in our walk with Him.
I challenge you to live for Christ, and not allow lukewarmness creep into your life. Friendship with God is not about working for God; it is about walking with God in obedience to His word. If you will do what you preach, it will be difficult for you to become lukewarm.
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