And rescued righteous Lot, who was oppressed by the wicked behavior of lawless men.
Truth to Learn
Living like the people of this world will corrupt your behavior.
Behind the Words
The word translated “oppressed” is kataponeō, made up of kata, an intensifier, and poneō, meaning “to labor.” It means “he was worn down or vexed” by the people of Sodom.
Meaning Explained
Given Peter’s subject matter, the question that we have before us is, “Was Lot saved, spiritually, or just physically?” After Lot departed from his uncle Abraham, he chose to pitch his tent near (or toward) Sodom. Later we find that he had moved into town and had become one of the magistrates of the wicked city. When the townspeople learned that strangers (the two angels who came to destroy the city) had come to stay with Lot, they surrounded his house and demanded that the strangers come out so they could perform sexual acts with them. Lot refused. Instead, he offered his own virgin daughter to the men of the town if they would leave his guests alone. You can read about all of this in the book of Genesis, chapters 13, 18, and 19.
Lot’s association with the people of Sodom had worn him down and had influenced his reasoning in a negative way; otherwise, he would never have offered his own daughter to satisfy their lust. And, when the angels warned Lot to flee for his life, he didn’t want to leave Sodom. They had to literally drag Lot, his wife, and his two daughters out of town.
So, I ask again, “Was Lot saved spiritually?” Before we answer the question, though, let’s see what God said about Lot’s uncle Abraham. In Genesis 15:6 we read,
And he (Abraham) believed in Jehovah. And He (Jehovah) credited it to him (Abraham) for righteousness.”
God declared Abraham to be righteous because he believed. That’s the Old Testament way of saying that he was saved. Notice that it was Abraham’s arguing with God regarding a few “righteous” people (that God surely would not destroy the righteous with the wicked) which prompted the angels to remove Lot, the righteous one, from the city before it was destroyed. In addition to that, Peter refers to Lot as “righteous Lot.” So, to answer the question, “Yes, Lot was saved!” And Peter’s point is that even though God judged the people of Sodom, just as he will judge false teachers, he protected and saved Lot because he was righteous.
Was Lot living like a righteous person? Certainly not, or he would not have offered his daughters to satisfy their sinful lusts. Lot did not lose his righteousness (his salvation) just because he was living in sin, just as we do not lose our salvation today even if we are living a sinful, selfish lifestyle. Did Lot have peace? Not at all! Was Lot being obedient? Certainly not! Was Lot’s behavior pleasing to God? Absolutely not! Was Lot still saved? Through Peter’s pen, God says, “Yes, he was!”
Application
How about you? Does your behavior distinguish you as a Christian, different from those around you? Or, have you allowed the world around you to corrupt your behavior and dull your conscience? If so, you are not pleasing God, and you will have to stand before Him some day and give account of your actions!
In God's service, for His glory,
Copyright © 2017 Will Krause. All rights reserved