Lesson 5: "A Disastrous Decision" Genesis 13:10-12; 19
"But the land could not support them while they stayed together…" Genesis 13:6
Foundations for disaster
What Lot "saw" (13:10), what he heard about Sodom and Gomorrah, what he thought
Sin is usually a three-step process. 1) A Look 2) A Choice 3) Action
Lot looked around, and saw the fertile plains near the Jordan. Then, Lot chose to settle there, near Sodom and Gomorrah. Finally, he acted by separating himself from Abraham and moving his flocks and family to that area.
David's sin with Bathsheba was similar. David saw, he chose, he acted.
Contrast with the choice Daniel made (Dan. 1:8), or the choice Joseph made (Gen. 39:12)
A terrible price to pay
Notice the results Lot's decision had on him and his family. He was subject to harassment from his "friends". (19:4-7,9) You cannot compromise with and live along side of evil.
Lot lost the ability to make moral judgements (19:8)
Lot lost his influence over those closest to him (19:14, also see Luke 17:28)
Lot lost the will to do what is right (19:16)
Lot lost his wife (19:17,26) Was her sin that she perhaps looked back with longing?
Lot's daughters lost their sense of moral rightness (19:30-38)
However, there is an interesting passage in II Peter 2:6-8
Abraham's character
Abraham had already rescued Lot once (Gen. 14) See how Abraham chose to deal with Sodom in this chapter (14:22,23)
Here, Lot is rescued because of Abraham's pleading. (18:22-33)
Resisting sin
First, look at Psalms 1
Next, the example of Christ in Matthew 4:10.
Christ addresses Satan (see the enemy!)
Christ tells Satan to flee (choose what is right!)
Christ acknowledges the Father, our source of strength (action is to resist)
2 Principles
#1) What we see and hear determines the way we think, the way we think determines our decisions and our actions. What is passing through our eye and ear gates? (Phil. 4:8,9, I Cor. 3:11-15)
#2)
As Christians, we cannot live a carnal life without paying a painful price in our personal lives.
