GENESIS 19 FRIENDSHIP WITH THE WORLD From my vantage point of the future, I looked back over the ages and saw two men. Both of them were believers. Both came from the same place. Both came from the same family background. Both had experienced material blessing from a gracious God. Both were honorable in business. I saw them seated looking outward. Abraham sat in his tent door surrounded by the beauty of the high plain and great trees of Mamre in the place of separation, content to be where God wanted him to be. And he saw God coming to him, giving a message of great blessing, and another message of great warning. Lot too was seated, but at the gate of Sodom, a place of astonishing wickedness; a city totally given to evil. He is seated in the place of administration where decisions are made and judgments are passed. He is looking outward and sees two messengers coming, not with a message of blessing but a message of imminent judgment.
In my mind I followed the downward course of a "just" man who wanted to get ahead in the world. He left the place of separation to go "toward Sodom." Then in his quest, he and his family "dwelt in Sodom." Now he is seated "in the gate of Sodom," as a judge and an administrator. He had achieved status in an ungodly place and strangely, seemed to be able to accommodate himself to the immorality all around him; even to the extent of offering his daughters to the evil intent of the ungodly denizens of that city. Friendship with the world is enmity against God, even among believers. The world will never change its character. The "cosmos" will never become the "ecclesia." Sadly, some who are a part of the church can go into the world and even prosper there materially, but they will fail miserably spiritually. There is a breakdown when a believer mixes with, and joins with the wicked in their sin. It is not possible to be a witness for God and be a judge involved in wickedness.
There is only one reasonable and possible way to deal with the world. "Get out." "Come out from among them and be ye separate, saith the Lord." Leave everything behind. "Escape to the mountain." There is not time to pack up and take anything at all from the wickedness of Sodom or the successful claims you have in the world. In the high plain of Beulah-land there is no place for the things of the world. The warning from God was personal, insistent and immediate. To linger is to die. To wait for others to change their minds is to die among them. It is an act of God's grace when one loses everything they gained from friendship with the world.
As I heard in my mind's ear, the things that were normal conversation in Sodom, it was no wonder to me that Lot's spirit was grieved day after day. Some things even a carnal believer cannot get used to. Words and actions have a way of joining forces in the mind of a believer. Even though he is away from God, he is still sensitive to the Holy Spirit within. When the Holy Spirit is grieved, so is the spirit of a true child of God. A greater problem than how things around me affect my spirit, is that when I would take a place in the world, I lose communion with the Lord. Lot was entirely out of touch with God. Because of that, there was inconsistency in his own life and he had no power to restrain the wickedness around him. He had come to the place where he was even willing to abandon his own daughters so he could be well-thought of, or at least accepted by the wicked men of Sodom.
There is no questioning the fact today, that inconsistency on my part in one or more areas of my life, will cost me my whole reputation and will bring dishonor on my family, my whole life's testimony and on the name of the Lord. Lot's life was a contradiction to his words. The sons-in-law thought he was joking with them when he gave them the warning of immediate judgment. To have gone along with them and their life-style, and now suddenly come with a warning of impending judgment was totally inconsistent with how they knew him and was unbelievable to them.
I wondered as I thought on that pitiful man, if there are inconsistencies in my life that will negate anything I say, that is of a warning nature to those around me. Am I able to be believed? Do my words seem like a joke to others? Is what I say contradictory to what I do? I must stop and consider this before the Lord and take stock of my own life and work.
In my mind I watched Lot hesitating, even though the messengers of God were right there. If it hadn't been for the faithful intercession of Abraham, I wonder if they would have left Lot right there? He lingered in fear and unbelief. Was this really going to happen today? Even with his hand in the hand of a heavenly messenger, he wanted to go to another city. He didn't want high ground living by faith. He wanted a city of mans' work instead of the high mountain of faith. Even after judgment fell from the heavens with a roar, the one nearest to him died, longing after what she had left in the world. Right in the little city, the false professor died in mute testimony to a faithless believer. No wonder, in fear now, not faith, he flees and fades out of the picture of history as a man of failure, of lost testimony, of scorn, of disgrace, of disgust - even though he is testified to as a just man. A man of fairness in an unjust world is still a man who is known for his friendship with the world. And I learned a lesson.
Failure is near at hand, even for me!
What could ever enter the mind of a believer? How could one who tasted of the good things of God ever Allow such a thing to happen to him, his wife and his children? How could a powerful insidious force have such an appeal to him That he would hardly in any way be differentiated From those whose degradation and immoral tastes are never sated? Where could such power come from that the flag of allegiance to God be furled? And the testimony once had be lost? It is the power of the world!
A system controlled by the demonic powers of darkness,
Is always sending out its siren call to whoever harkens. It is not always callous, searching youth that hears its call. Those who have tasted of the good things of God can also fall Into the trap of desire we think are unfulfilled - And aren't aware of the danger until into the cesspool we are spilled. Then it is too late to come out from among them unscathed. Even the once strong believer smells of "the world" though bathed.
A sadness comes across my mind because of consequences. Not only the failing saint is hurt, but on the unjust is a sentence Passed leaving them without hope of any kind of reprieve. They have been led astray by one in whom they believed. Imagine the grief a father has to live with all of his days, When he sees the result of his covetousness in those he raised To be successful in the world, but now to the world's cause They are addicted, but to the Heavenly Sovereign Lord, they are lost.
Not only they, but all who come behind from generations yet unborn, There is no fear of God, no spiritual light, left finally abandoned and forlorn. No hope is there until in later generations, there comes one single maid, Who by virtue of another failing believer, makes a step of simple faith, And God in mercy uses what was a failure and mistake, To bring blessing to all mankind, for He can make Even the wrongs and losses of one, and ultimately give some light, That brings blessings to the world of lost men through one who does the right.
"I praise Thee, O Lord God, for bringing light out of the darkness of moral night and ungodliness. When such a thing happens, we are called to confess that this is all of God alone. To Thee be all the glory. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen."