Lot

[Barnpreacher]

There was a time in my life when I would have preached hard against Lot. Yet, as I preach through II Peter 2 in the morning I am reminded that God calls Lot just and a righteous man. I've always known this passage, but somehow I still would have managed to thump Lot for choosing to go where he went in the first place. But was that not a choice that Abraham gave to Lot? I guess what I'm asking is, do you think Lot's decision to go east to the plain of Jordan was simply a selfish decision? If he hadn't have chosen the plain of Jordan then Abraham said he would have went that way. I know that providentially God did not allow for this to happen, but when given the choice what would we have done?

Does Lot get a bad rap? What would be a modern day comparison of Lot? A Christian living in San Francisco or New York City?

The passage in II Peter when referring to Lot said that God is able to deliver the godly out of temptation. I can't help but think of two prayers when I read Lot's situation: 1. The Lord's Prayer - Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, and 2. The Great High Priestly prayer of John 17. Jesus did not pray that the Father would take us out of the world, but rather that He keep us from the evil of the world.

So as Lot lived among all that wickedness was he wrong for not leaving, or looking on it in hindsight can we not say that he got out exactly when God wanted him out? Are we not supposed to live as lights in a dark world? As Christians are we not the salt of the earth? Are we supposed to run and hide in isolationism? Are Christians not supposed to live in cities like San Francisco and New York and LA?

Calvin puts it this way:

This consolation is very necessary for us, for this thought is apt to creep in, "If the Lord would have his own to be safe, why does he not gather them all into some corner of the earth, that they may mutually stimulate one another to holiness? Why does he mingle them with the wicked by whom they have been defiled?" But when God claims to himself the office of helping, and protectin his own, that they may not fail in the contest, we gather courage to fight more strenuously.

Yes, Lot made his mistakes. But it seems to me that in the midst of the wickedness that he was in he was called just and a righeous man. And the testimony of Lot was that he looked to the Lord for deliverance. In other words he seemed to shine as a light among the darkness of the world. Is that not how we as believers are supposed to live in this world? We are to be in the world, but not of the world. But that doesn't call for isolationism. It calls for praying, "Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil." It calls for looking to the grace of our Lord Jesus for deliverance in this world at all times.

So with all that said I've done a 180 degree turn on Lot. So am I off base with this? How do you look at Lot? Is it fair to say, "What kind of father could he have been for his daughters to do what they did?" Is it fair to say, "What kind of husband could he have been for his wife to do what she did?" Is it fair to say Lot was a worldly minded man just because he chose a well watered place to take his cattle? Is it fair to say Lot should have left the area he was in before God moved him out? If that's the case shouldn't all Christians leave big cities? Should we then go into isolationism? Certainly that is not the answer. Rather are we not to live as children of God's kingdom in a world that we call the kingdom of man, looking to God for deliverance from evil and shining as lights in this world?

 

[Barnpreacher]

bump

 

[Matthew1034]

Thank you for posting this, Ryan. It has stirred my thoughts!

Does Lot get a bad rap?

I would say, yes. Lot is a good example of a lukewarm believer.

How do you look at Lot?

I say lukewarm for a few reasons, but the root of them are this: Lot presents a perfect contrast of Abraham in regards to the effect of the substance of their faith on their decisions and attitude towards Christ. Lot was righteous because he was a believer, but he was lukewarm because his deeds did not reflect his constant need for Christ, which is why his life was such a devastation.

1 Corinthians 15:33 "Bad company corrupts good morals." Consider Lot's company; Sodomites, foolish daughters, and a covetousess wife. Perhaps Lot's root was choked by the cares of the world, unable to bear fruit in the world in which he chose to live. Lot's morality was deluded by his environment. And I believe this is the case for some Christians today, genuine believers whose Spiritual life is wallowing in the mire.

Here is an excerpt of an article that helped form my look at Lot:

From: http://www.biblelineministries.org/...action=full&mainkey=SEEING+BY+FAITH&typed=lot

Abraham Seeing By Faith

Upward Progression:

1. SAW (What God promised) Genesis 13:14
2. CHOSE (What God promised) Genesis 12:4
3. SEPARATED (From carnal Lot) Genesis 13:14
4. DWELLED (Where God wanted him) Genesis 13:12
5. PITCHED HIS TENT TOWARD CANAAN (Set direction toward God) Genesis 13:18
6. MOVED TO CANAAN (Closer to God) Genesis 12:7
7. BECAME A LEADER IN CANAAN (An influence for God) Genesis 14:17
8. RECEIVED BY GOD'S PROMISES (Great rewards from God) Genesis 15:1

Lot Seeing By Sight

Downward Progression:

1. SAW (What was beautiful to his eyes) Genesis 13:10
2. CHOSE (To have what pleased his eyes) Genesis 13:11
3. SEPARATED (From spiritual Abraham) Genesis 13:11
4. DWELLED (Closer to what pleased his eyes) Genesis 13:12
5. PITCHED HIS TENT TOWARD SODOM (Set direction away from God) Genesis 13:12
6. MOVED TO SODOM (Further from God) Genesis 14:1
7. BECAME LEADER IN SODOM (An influence upon others) Genesis 19:1
8. LOSS OF EARTHLY TREASURES (Treasures burned up) Genesis 19:24

 

[Barnpreacher]

Thank you for your thoughts, Matthew.

Maybe if I would have asked if Lot was EP or a theonomist it would have provoked more discussion from others.

 

[Galatians220]

Maybe if I would have asked if Lot was EP or a theonomist it would have provoked more discussion from others.

Goodness! I hope not!

I've always been fascinated by the implications we now can draw from the way Lot lived his life. We live in a modern Sodom. What can we say about the various exigencies of Lot's life and his actions? Can we pick this apart a bit? I'm no ; I want to learn.

Thanks!

Margaret

 

[Presbyterian Deacon]

Lot Seeing By Sight

Downward Progression:

1. SAW (What was beautiful to his eyes) Genesis 13:10
2. CHOSE (To have what pleased his eyes) Genesis 13:11
3. SEPARATED (From spiritual Abraham) Genesis 13:11
4. DWELLED (Closer to what pleased his eyes) Genesis 13:12
5. PITCHED HIS TENT TOWARD SODOM (Set direction away from God) Genesis 13:12
6. MOVED TO SODOM (Further from God) Genesis 14:1
7. BECAME LEADER IN SODOM (An influence upon others) Genesis 19:18. LOSS OF EARTHLY TREASURES (Treasures burned up) Genesis 19:24

Note the similarities in this progression with the things the blessed man does not do:
Psalm 1:1
Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.

PITCHED HIS TENT TOWARD SODOM (Set direction away from God) Genesis 13:12 Walking in the counsel of the ungodly

MOVED TO SODOM (Further from God) Genesis 14:1 Stands in the way of sinners

BECAME LEADER IN SODOM (An influence upon others) Genesis 19:1 Sitting in the seat of the scornful

It seems to me that Lot pursued a course toward ungodliness, but I believe once he got in the middle of Sodom, his conscience was pricked by their ungodliness and he repented of his evil -- yet he remained in Sodom as "salt and light" to that evil culture.

Whether Sodom, or San Francisco, New York, or Vernon CT--the world in which we live -- everywhere surrounds us with its sinfulness.

That Peter calls his "that righteous man" whose soul was vexed by their unlawful deeds, indicates to me that although Lot may have had evil desires or greedy intentions when first leaving Abraham and taking his place among the people of Sodom, that grace reaches Lot even there, and imparts God's rightoeusness. That Lot obeyed the command of the messengers to flee and not look back confirms his true state, for who can obey the voice of God's messengers with his own carnal flesh.

The question is not should a Christian live in San Francisco, New York or Vernon--But is the soul of the christian "vexed by the unlawful deeds" all around him?

I think this passage provides great practial wisdom to us as we face the anti-christian, godless cultures all around us. We are in the world, called to be salt and light, and stand against the evil that is around us. We like Lot, must obey if God tells us to leave--but until so directed we must rely on God to strengthen us in the midst of a perverse godless people.