Many people today seem to think that “close is good enough” when it comes to religion. When it comes to following God’s commands, however, obedience is only obedience when it is complete. In 1 Samuel 15, King Saul is told to go and utterly destroy the Amalekites and all that they have (verse 3). In verse 9 we read that “Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, the oxen, the fatlings, the lambs, and all that was good, and were unwilling to utterly destroy them. But everything despised and worthless, that they utterly destroyed.” in verse 11 God tells the prophet Samuel, “I greatly regret that I have set up Saul as king, for he has turned back from following Me, and has not performed My commandments.” When confronted by Samuel, King Saul says, “I have performed the commandments of the Lord.” (verses 13 and 20). Later Saul recognizes that his obedience has not been complete and that he has “transgressed the command of the Lord”. In like manner, when our obedience to the commands of God is incomplete or half-hearted, we are guilty of transgressing God’s law. Doing most, but not all, of what God commands is not obedience. Naaman was not cleansed of his leprosy until he dipped in the proper river the commanded number of times (2 Kings 5). The walls of Jericho did not fall down until the Israelites had circled the city the commanded number of times (Joshua 6). We cannot go to heaven unless we, too, strive to do ALL that God commands us.