To Obey is Better Than Sacrifice

I Samuel 15:22-23 says, "Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord?  Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.  For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.  Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He has also rejected you (from being king)."

Yes, obedience is far better than sacrifice.  If I never sin to begin with, I don't need a sacrifice for my sins.  If my heart is not stubborn, and I follow the word of the Lord perfectly, then I can be confident He doesn't reject me.

The thing is, "None is righteous, no, not one," for "...all men...are under the power of sin."  (Romans 3:9)  I sure know this!  Even Paul, probably the most perfect man besides Christ, said, "I can will what is right, but I cannot do it."  (Romans 7:18)  Even if I want to obey, I can never do it to God's satisfaction.

That's why, yes, to obey is better than sacrifice.  But GRACE is better than obedience!  How can it possibly be that this grace is a free gift?  (See Romans 5)  I don't know, I don't know!  But I am soooooooooooooo happy that "where sin increased, GRACE abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, GRACE might also reign through (free!) righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.  

Obedience is better than sacrifice, but grace is better than anything!  "Those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.  (Romans 5:17)  I love you, Jesus!