Lessons from the Life of Lot
And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked:
(For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;)II Peter 2:7-8

What happened in the life of Lot? This is a very legitimate question. One day he is on spiritual conquest with Abraham, but a few years later his life is seen ending in failure.

1. Lot evidenced a devotional problem: (12:8; 13:4; 13:18)Lot Lacked in his personal devotion in relationship with the Lord. He was never seen building altars like his uncle Abraham.
a. It can be said that we fail in private long before we fail in public. It is easy to call people to public devotion to the Lord-private devotion is woefully neglected.
b. Lot was not able to stand for God in public, because He first neglected to walk with God in private!
c. Spurgeon, “I am more and more persuaded from my own experience that in proportion to the strength of our private life with God will be the force of our character and the power of our work for God among men. Let us look well to this.”

2. Lot evidenced a perspective problem: (13:10)Lot Lived by the sight-of-his-eyes as to what was most profitable in the immediate. He did not practice discernment, wisdom, nor viewing with the perspective of faith. Lot did not take the long look. He simply made his decisions based upon the pragmatic reasons of immediate remuneration.
a. Decisions are to be made not by the sight of the eyes, but rather the perspective of faith. Proverbs 3:5-6
b. Decisions are to be made not for the best financial benefit, but rather the wisdom of the Word of God.
There are times that the Will of God and the best decision, do not make the most financial sense! The will of God is not to be determined by financial advantage!
c. Decisions are to be made not flippantly or quickly, but rather prayerfully and carefully. Proverbs 22:12

3. Lot evidenced a separation problem: (13:12)Lot Looked towards the culture that was around him and “pitched his tent” in that direction. He did not practice separation and living by convictions. The idea of pitching his tent did not limit it to one place, but rather seems to indicate that he was moving it towards Sodom. Pitching can be a directional term denoting movement as well-he moved his tent from place to place. There may have been a time period of gradualism that drew him into the city of Sodom. Curiosity with sin always leads to compromise and ultimately corruption!
a. Believers’ focus is to be upon the Lord-Seeking things that are above-Colossians 3
b. Believers are to not love the world but rather set their affection upon Christ-Colossians 3
c. Believers are to run the race with patience-looking unto Jesus-not this world. Our attention always commands our direction!

4. Lot evidenced a discernment problem: (14)Lot got caught up in the world’s battle because he had identified himself with the world. Lot ignored the opportunity given him in the removing of all his family and goods from Sodom and the rescue by Abram to separate from the world. Ignoring God’s protective, corrective measures brings heartache!
a. Never ignore the corrective measures of the Lord in your life.
b. The Lord can remove us from a circumstance for our benefit, but we have the choice to stay removed or go back to it!
c. Let us be very discerning of the Lord’s working in our lives-there is nothing that happens by accident. Let us be constantly evaluating what the Lord is doing in our lives.

5. Lot evidenced an identification problem: (19:1, 7) Lot moved into the city of Sodom, immersed himself in the culture, lost any difference that he may have resembled, identified with the men of the city as brethren, and became a part of the leadership of the city. He gave up Biblical principle to gain the respect of the world.
a. How far will compromise, desensitization, incrementalism, and love for the world take you?
b. Sin is deceitful and has a hardening effect upon us. We do not know where sin will lead.
c. In order to have respect of the world, Believer’s must be silenced. One cannot stand as salt and light for the truth and still be popular with the culture. Believer’s must either identify all out with Christ or be numbered with the world! Too many Christian’s want their light to be in a secret place! There is no opportunity for the believer to not practice His beliefs!

6. Lot evidenced a responsibility problem: (19:8) Lot volunteered and offered up the one thing that he was most responsible for protecting and raising up in a godly manner, his daughters, for immorality and depravity. Lot lost conviction, discernment, and became completely deceived and desensitized by sin! He was now actively alright with the unthinkable.
Sin will cause us to be completely desensitized and to neglect that which is our most solemn duty to fulfill spiritually.
Sin blinds to that which is important for the temporary indulgence of the flesh.
How many Believers have no convictions for that which they are responsible simply because of a flirtation with sin?
How many Believers have no conviction for that which they are responsible simply because of a flirtation with sin?
This can be evidenced in father’s not directing their children spiritually because of their own involement in sin. For and example: father’s do not direct their daughters to dress modestly when they are involved in looking at pornography.

Testimony and discerment are neutralized for the believer when involved in sin!
*Lot allowed his children to live and marry into the culture of Sodom so that they became a part of that very culture. Subtle compromises with the culture in your household can cause ultimately the loss of your children!
What is the end result of allowing________in my children’s lives? If I allow ________in moderation, my children will take it to the entirety.

Dad, you can affect your entire family by the choices that you personally make, to either live close to this world or in living separated away. I will reap the sins that I sow in the lives of my family. “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” Galatians 6:7

Conclusion:
Lot’s evidenced problems caused him to completely lose:
a. He lost his testimony-he seemed as a hypocrite and one who mocked when he tried to say something spiritual because he had not done so with his family before. (19:14)
b. He lost his family-he may have had sons that were lost in Sodom. (According to the angels testimony-vs. 12) He lost his daughters and their husbands in Sodom. He lost his wife-as she looked back at the city when it was destroyed. Perhaps this was because she knew her children had just died. The New Testament reminds us, “Remember Lot’s wife.” We hold Lot responsible. What went through her mind when she turned around? (Regret, Anger, Sorrow over the way that they had lost their family-home?)
c. He lost his home—Sodom went up in smoke. All the material goods that Lot had acquired were now gone. Proverbs_3:33 The curse of the LORD is in the house of the wicked: but he blesseth the habitation of the just.
d. He lost his confidence-he lived out his days hiding in a cave because of fear of living in the city of Zoar. (perhaps this went away later in life?)
e. He lost the hearts of his daughters-they may have heard their father’s offer to give them up for immorality to a crowd, now they commit immorality with their father. They simply learned it from him.

Although Lot was a saved man, Lot lost far more than he gained by choosing to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season.

Lot, what would you differently? Lot, was it worth it? Lot, what advice would you give Believers today?

Lot never would have lost, if he had looked first in the right direction! Oh the awful price we pay for one riotous moment, one riotous day!