Evangelicals tend to look down their noses at Abraham's nephew, Lot. In heaven, yes - but only by the skin of his teeth. Certainly he pales in comparison with his uncle or predecessors like Noah and Enoch. Yet in 2 Peter 2:7,8 he is referred to as a righteous man. Peter also refers to his righteous soul (see AV) and places him alongside Noah who was 'a preacher of righteousness.'
VICES AND VIRTUES
Always in Abraham's shadow. Lot's faults are obvious. He has to be rescued from marauders by his uncle. He selfishly chooses the well-watered plain of the Jordan and even ends up living in wicked Sodom. There he is willing to let his own daughters be raped. How fearful, how feeble he is! There is also his later drunkenness and incest. However, if we read carefully, we notice a number of things that can be said in Lot's favour. In Genesis he is clearly a hospitable man, an important virtue. He keeps himself separate from the sinful world around him and abhors homosexuality. He also has faith to believe that Sodom will be destroyed. Further, Abraham clearly reckons him as a righteous man. Peter points out that the outstanding thing about Lot was his attitude to the wicked around him. Here is an excellent test of true piety. What is my attitude to the ungodliness around me? Does wickedness concern me?
ALSO CALLED SODOM
It is not difficult for anyone who reads his Bible to see that today's Britain bears more than a passing resemblance to ancient Sodom. Firstly, how few believers there are! Not even ten in Sodom. We often find ourselves in similar situations today. As for Sodom's most notorious sin, we know that this particular evil is being promoted ever more stridently, especially in schools and in the media. Ezekiel 16:49 singles out other sins found in Sodom. Again our own society is marked by sins such as arrogance; greed and self-satisfaction; selfish unconcern; neglect of the poor and needy. These are detestable practices. Of course we have not been wiped out by fire and sulphur yet, but many other evidences of God's judgment are there for all who have eyes to see.
OUR REACTION
In the light of this, is our reaction similar to righteous Lot's? Peter tells us that Lot was distressed at the filthy lives of lawless men. In their lust, men were throwing off all restraint. They were wanton, licentious, outrageous. Lot was vexed, oppressed by it all; literally, tired out by it. Day after day he saw God's law flouted and ignored and it tormented him. It tortured him. He was on the rack. Are we the same? Here is a litmus test for righteousness. How will such a concern show itself? Clearly there will be a general concern. Our distress and torment will come out in our conversation. We will not be indifferent, ready to accept the situation. Then there will be much prayer, both in public and in private. Then, if it is a genuine and lasting concern, it will lead to action. At the end. Lot tried to stand up for what was right; he sought to protect the angels under his roof and he spoke to his family and led some of them out of Sodom. What are you doing for righteousness? Do you stand up for what is right? Do you protect the oppressed? Do you speak to others about the judgment?
WHY SO RARE?
Such concern seems to be at a premium these days. Why? No doubt there are a number or reasons. Some come to mind.
1. Laziness and complacency. Conservative by inclination, we are too ready to accept the status quo.
2. We are often too far gone in sin ourselves. Though free of the more obviously gross sins; pride, neglect of the needy and self-satisfaction so often lurk just below the surface.
3. Worldliness is too common. We are taken up with the world's priorities and goals. We get into a worldly way of thinking and are too ready to overlook sins.
4. On the other hand, we can become too cloistered. Hidden away in a holy huddle, we remain oblivious to what is really going on. We accept the humanists ideals of privatism and pluralism and hide in our religious ghetto.
5. Perhaps the biggest problem is our failure to meditate on the cross. Christ died to remove sin. He became sin for us. Sin lies at the root of his suffering. Yet how complacent we can be about sin! Why do we not hate it? We somehow fail to be distressed or tormented by its prevalence. How we need to repent over our lack of concern. Like Isaiah let us not only cry out I am a man of unclean lips but also I live among a people of unclean lips. Instead of looking down on Lot, let us take his example to heart and mourn for our fellow citizens hurtling towards hell.
