Makes No Sense

January 11, 2018 Sometimes the things I read in the Bible make me scratch my head. In Genesis 13, Abraham’s nephew Lot selfishly chooses the plains of Jordan for himself, even though the inhabitants had a reputation for evil. It says “he pitched his tent towards Sodom.” A single chapter later, he is living in Sodom. By the time chapter 19 rolls around, Sodom is living in him. He offers his daughters to be abused and raped to placate a wicked mob of men who were intent on sexually assaulting two men who were staying in his house for the night. Even when he was apprised of the destruction about to be rained down upon the city, he was reluctant to leave. Finally escaping with those two daughters, on two successive nights, he gets drunk enough that his daughters commit incest with him, becoming pregnant so the family line might be saved, even though at such a price. From beginning to end, it is a sordid tale. And yet, in 2 Peter 2:7 and 8, contrary to all we read in Genesis, we are told that he was righteous, disturbed by the lifestyle of those around him. What am I to make of this? How can this be? By what kind of reckoning can it possibly be said that he was a righteous man? Unless there is more to the story than we find in Scripture, Peter seems to be making stuff up. Then again... There have been plenty of times in my 40 plus years of pastoral ministry that I’ve stood by the grave of someone who gave little evidence of genuine faith in Jesus Christ beyond that at one time in his or her life, a profession of faith was made. I’ve known many people who believe in Jesus, but whose lifestyle gives little indication of the faith they profess. And I’ve wondered, “How do I proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ who came to save sinners in this particular situation?” Then I remember Lot. There is nothing in the record to indicate that he was a man of faith. He was only thinking of himself when he chose the best land, leaving his uncle with the leftovers. He deliberately chose to move closer to Sodom until it permeated his own soul. And the last we hear of him, he is drunk and having sex with his own daughters. I don’t know how to reconcile this with Peter’s statement, other than to say, there must be more to the story. It’s a good thing, too. We aren’t given the knowledge necessary to pass eternal judgment on others, even though we may have to make character assessments here on earth. And Peter’s statement gives me hope, because in spite of my many flaws, manifold sins, and multiplied mistakes, undeserved and inexplicable grace has been bestowed on me.