In Genesis 18 and 19, the lives of Abraham and Lot are examples of lives a believer can have: a life of obedience or a life of disobedience.

Abraham chose a life of obedience by obeying God. In Genesis 18, he believed what the three heavenly visitors told him. They not only knew Sarah’s new name, but also that she would bear a child. They also knew that she laughed within herself. Abraham believed because he knew that nothing is impossible with God. He also believed in God’s judgment when he was told about the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.

Out of compassion, Abraham prayed six times to God to spare the cities for the sake of the righteous. God in His great mercies heard Abraham’s prayer and He agreed not to destroy the cities if there were ten righteous men in them. However, there were not ten righteous men found and God proceeded to destroy the cities. The angels also visited Lot to save him and his family from the destruction of Sodom. Lot is a believer but he chose a life of disobedience. He compromised his faith and condoned the sins of Sodom. He was willing to offer his daughters to the lustful demand of the people of Sodom. As such, his testimony to his family was a worldly one instead of godly. After the two angels had warned him about the destruction of Sodom, Lot told his sons-in-law. But they did not believe Lot because Lot’s life of disobedience had discredited his holy witness for God. Instead they mocked at what Lot said.

Despite the angels’ warning, Lot lingered in the city, probably because he did not want to leave the city. His heart was still attached to the city and thus his love for the city life caused him to disobey God. As a result, the angels had to hold Lot and his family’s hand in order to bring them out of the city. While escaping from the city, his wife disobeyed the angels’ warning and looked back. Immediately she was turned into a pillar of salt. Although fleeing the city, the city was still in her heart. Lot’s daughters, too, committed incest when they got Lot drunk and slept with him. Lot’s life of disobedience had resulted in a sinful family that did not have God in their hearts.

Are we like Abraham, who not only obeyed God but also had compassion and prayed for others? Or are we like Lot, who disobeyed God as he loved the world more than God? A life of obedience is expected of us believers. The world needs Christ and we are to guide them to Christ by our holy testimony. May God help us.