Lot’s Lingering Life
In chapter 9 of Ryle’s Holiness, the account of Lot’s lingering life is presented as a negative example and cautionary tale for the Christian. Genesis 13 and 19 suggest that Lot was strongly swayed by worldly temptations and competing desires, hesitating to trust in God’s word, and seeking to please man. The fruits of his life include:
- His weak influence on his family and neighbors
- His despicable decision to offer his daughters to worthless men
- The notorious loss of his worldly wife
- His drunk, degenerate behavior with his daughters in a cave
Additionally, the enduring legacy he leaves – the emergence of the Moabites and Ammonites, perennial adversaries of God’s people – stands as a testament to the lasting impact of a life marred by indecision and spiritual compromise. As Ryle notes, many might regard Lot as “a poor, wicked, dark creature - an unconverted man - a child of this world” (Ryle 202).
Interestingly enough, as noted in 2 Peter 2:7-9, Lot is described as thrice “righteous,” affirming his status among God’s holy and chosen people. He narrowly escaped the destruction of Sodom, and similarly, he narrowly escaped God’s eternal wrath. Lot was barely saved – a situation described in 1 Corinthians 3:15 as being saved “so as by fire”.
A Cautionary Tale
Reflecting on Lot’s story and Ryle’s commentary, I was struck by God’s unyielding, relentless, and electing love. God’s commitment to His people – in electing, regenerating, calling, justifying, adopting, and sanctifying them – is unwavering and certain, and Lot’s life powerfully illustrates this point. His salvation, both physical and spiritual, was solely due to God’s sovereign grace.
By God’s grace, his conscience was not hardened, seared, or numbed by prolonged exposure to grave sin. By God’s grace, he did not have the same bent desires of all the young and old men in Sodom. By God’s grace, there was only one pillar of salt and not two. By God’s grace, Lot was not indifferent or giving hearty approval to the rampant wickedness he witnessed. Instead, his soul was tormented day after day (2 Peter 2:8).
God’s love for Lot is evident in His refusal to abandon Lot to his desires or to the Sodomites.
The Sobering Truth
Lot’s experience in Sodom highlights a sobering truth: it is very possible for a believer to live a sinfully miserable and useless life. Being a Christian does not guarantee joy or usefulness (Hebrews 12:10-11; 2 Peter 1:5-8; 2 Timothy 2:21). In Sodom, Lot’s life was most certainly devoid of joy, peace, and spiritual influence. His words lacked conviction, and he failed to establish firm boundaries or command respect when it was most needed.
Despite the pain and misery of the experience, whether welcome or not, God is dedicated to sanctifying and saving His children - the “Hound of Heaven” will doggedly hunt you down for your own good. And so, Christians must decide between the following two choices:
- Embrace and obey God’s word wholeheartedly, resulting in a life filled with joy, blessings, and usefulness
- Edge close to temptation, sin, and face Fatherly discipline, resulting in a life filled with inner turmoil and uselessness
My earnest prayer is that I may consistently and resolutely choose the former path.
A Prayer for Purity
Lord, I do not want to live the painful life of vacillating between two opinions. You are God; I want to follow you with my whole heart. Purify me from my uncleanliness so that I may be useful for service. Refine my dross so that I may exert a more godly influence on my neighbors. I am convinced that to be holy is to be happy. Help me to pursue holiness with seriousness, consistency, and violence against the flesh, the world, and the devil. For your glory and my good, Amen.
“And so they [worldly/lingering Christians] linger on through life with aching, dissatisfied hearts — with too much religion to be happy in the world, and too much of the world to be happy in their religion.” - J.C. Ryle, The World
Works Cited
- Ryle, J.C. Holiness. Banner of Truth, 2014.