Never trust a repentance that is produced by circumstance. The tears of an adversary whose mission is foiled or who got caught are worthless. In our passage, King Saul is spared by David the second time. No sooner had he finished with his piteous cry the last time had he resumed his enmity and determination to destroy David. His dog returns to his vomit.
Saul is a reprobate. Please believe it, according to God’s word, some will no longer change or genuinely repent. They are called reprobates. Contrary to the much-touted belief, it reaches the point where God washes His hands off certain people. Their cup is full to the brim.
The British novelist George Orwell was a journalist during World War lI. He once described the scene at a Prisoner of War camp at the conclusion of the war where several top figures from the defunct Third Reich were kept. Enraged victims of their terror charged at them and tramped over them with jack boots. Orwell tells that as far as he could see, they were no terrorists any longer but mere wretches unworthy of the rage being visited on them.
A reprobate is a wretch. A sight of pity. This was probably what David saw when he spared Saul the first and second time.
A reprobate will continue to sin and do evil without the ability to repent. He or she loses control. They are aware that they are going downhill but can do nothing about it.
The multitude changing God’s word to suit their unrighteousness are reprobate. Some are out there in the world preaching. They throng ungodly assemblies.
By killing Saul, David would have conferred some credibility on him. It would appear as though he might make it had he not been terminated. David saw one who had gone way down and was merely playing for time.
I think it necessary to explain that you have not reached reprobate if you still feel absolutely sorry or repentant. Repentance is enabled by the Spirit of God. A reprobate will not be moved to repentance. Paul wrote in Romans that God gave up on some people, and as a result, they were free to indulge in acts that are not convenient.
A brother approached Reverend Kenneth E. Hagins once, while he was still here with us. He came in tears because he felt he had committed the unforgivable sin. The Reverend assured him he had not committed any such sin. The brother asked how he was so sure and Brother Hagins said, “here I see a man broken and fearful that he had sinned against God”. He then explained that those who have committed such a sin will not even feel sorry, let alone repent. Sometimes there will be some crocodile tears because they are trapped.