Casual Faith
It says in Genesis 11 that Terah took Abram, his son, and his grandson, Lot, and left the land of Ur to head for the promised land of Canaan. But Terah stopped and stayed in the Land of Haran.
Actually, in today’s language they started in southern Iraq, which means in our modern day language Abram was an Iraqi. Ur was like the New York City of the day. The Chaldeans eventually became the Babylonians, which became today the Iranians.
When Terah died, Abram obeyed God and moved onward to the land of Canaan, which is present day Israel. There his shepherds and Lot’s shepherds fought over the land for their sheep and goats to graze. So to avert a war, Abram told Lot to pick where he wanted to go. Lot went to the area of Sodom that looked good, but the Bible says that the men there were exceedingly wicked and sinful against the Lord.
It is easy to be lured by compromise. Lot moved to Sodom and got himself and his family into trouble. So Abram took all of his servants and rescued Lot, yet Lot went right back to Sodom, and the people returned to their old ways.
Then in chapter 18, Abram now becomes Abraham because of the covenant between him and God. Abraham is visited by 3 angels who explain what’s getting ready to happen in the land and all the towns of Sodom and that whole area. There is a discussion about finding enough righteous people to spare the area, but it is discovered that there are not even 10 righteous people living in the whole area.
Now, in chapter 19, we see where the angels have come to Sodom and have surveyed the place. Lot meets them and begs them to stay at his home because Lot knows of the wickedness that goes on, but it is not long before wickedness comes knocking at the door.
Verses 13-14 say, “For we will destroy this place, because the outcry against them has grown great before the face of the Lord, and the Lord has sent us to destroy it. So Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law, who had married his daughters, and said, ‘Get up, get out of this place; for the Lord will destroy this city!’ But to his sons-in-law he seemed to be joking.”
Lot practiced his faith so carelessly that it had no credibility to persuade his sons-in-law to truth. Lot wasn’t a witness to anyone else in town that they would want to believe in his faith.
How is your life as a Christian impacting those around you? We have to be people of righteousness; people that have a spiritual impact. Times are getting very serious to just be doing what we’ve always done.
You know it is a disturbing testimony for people who profess Christ to live such lifeless and powerless lives that seem to be no different than the unbelievers around them.
Which person are you in this story today? Can others believe your testimony for God enough for you to lead them to a better place?