DO NOT LOOK BACK LONGING FOR THE PAST SINFUL LIFE

PROCLAMATION

“Then The Lord rained  upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from The Lord out of heaven; And He overthrew those cities … and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground.  But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.”  Genesis 19:24-26 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These are the words of God which were revealed to and written by Moses under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  After dining with Abraham, the two angels who had been with The Lord left and went to Sodom. (Genesis 18:22)  When they arrived at Sodom, Lot was sitting in the gateway of the city and he urged them to go to his house and tarry there. (Genesis 19:1-2)  Initially they refused but eventually they agreed to go with him.  He prepared a meal for them and they ate.  Before they went to bed, the men of Sodom surrounded the house and called out to Lot to bring the two men out so that they could have sex with them. (Genesis 19:3-5)  Lot went outside to the men and offered them his two virgin daughters but they refused them.  The two angels pulled Lot back into the house and caused all of the men outside of the house to be blind. (Genesis 19:6-11)  The two angels told Lot that they were going to destroy the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. (Genesis 19:12)  Lot was told to take his wife and two daughters and get out of the city and go to the mountains. (Genesis 19:15)  They were told by one of the angels of The Lord to: “Flee for you lives!  Don’t look back, and don’t stop anywhere in the plain!” (Genesis 19:17)  When they reached safety in the city of Zoar, the destruction of the cities began.  The Lord God rained down fire and brimstone upon Sodom and Gomorrah.  Lot’s wife turned and looked back, and as she looked back she was changed into a pillar of salt. (Genesis 19:23-26)  

 

APPLICATION

There has been much speculation as to why Lot’s wife looked back.  Regardless of the reason why she did it, she disobeyed the angel of The Lord and was punished immediately.  Once we are saved, we are not to go back to our old sinful ways, or wish for them, or look back longing for them.  Jesus, The Christ, said that no one who takes up the work of God and looks back longingly is worthy of the kingdom of God. (Luke 9:62)  We are to learn from past mistakes and do better, and not long to return to our past life.  We should not value our past so much so that we ruin our future.

DON'T LOOK BACK LONGING FOR THE PAST SINFUL LIFE

Proclamation:

“Then The Lord rained down burning sulfur on Sodom and Gomorrah from the Lord out of heaven … destroying all those living in the cities, and also the vegetation in the land.  But Lot’s wife looked back, and she became a pillar of salt.”  Genesis 19:24-26 (NIV)

Explanation:

These are the words of God which were written by Moses under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  After being warned that The Lord God was going to destroy the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, (Genesis 19:12) Lot was told to take his wife and two daughters and get out of the city and go to the mountains. (Genesis 19:15)  They were told by one of the angels of The Lord to: “Flee for you lives!  Don’t look back, and don’t stop anywhere in the plain!” (Genesis 19:17)  When they reached safety in the city of Zoar, the destruction of the cities began and Lot’s wife turned and looked back behind them.  As she looked back she was changed into a pillar of salt. 

Application:

There has been much speculation as to why Lot’s wife looked back.  Some say that she longed for the life, the lifestyle, or the possessions that she left behind.  Some say that she did not believe that anything serious would happen if she just briefly looked behind them.  Some say that she was not a believer.  Regardless of the reason why she did it, she disobeyed the angel of The Lord and was punished immediately.  Once we are saved, we are not to go back to our old sinful ways, or wish for them, or look back longing for them.  Jesus, The Christ, said that no one who takes us the work of God and looks back longingly is worthy of the kingdom of God. (Luke 9:62)  Jesus also said, “Remember Lot’s wife.”  He said this while explaining to His disciples regarding the coming of the kingdom of God (Luke 17:22-33) after telling them that no one should go back into the house for his possessions or back into the field for anything. (Luke 17:31-32)  We are to learn from past mistakes and do better, and not long to return to our past life.  We should not value our past so much so that we ruin our future.

THE LOST SOUL WILL RETURN TO THEIR SINFUL WAYS

Proclamation:

“It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them.”  2 Peter 2:21 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written by the apostle Peter, under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God, to the believers who scattered after the crucifixion of Christ. (1 Peter 1:1-2)  Peter began this second chapter by warning them about the false prophets and false teachers that were among them. (2 Peter 2:1-3)  Then he tells them that God punished the angels in heaven who followed Satan.  If God did not spare the angels who did wrong, He would not spare them.  God did not spare the sinful people in Noah’s day that died in the flood.  He did not spare the sinners in Sodom and Gomorrah. (2 Peter 2:4-11)  However, even as He administered punishment to a large number of people and destruction to vast areas, God still protected and saved the righteous people from harm. (2 Peter 2:9)  Paul said that people who blaspheme The Lord God would be punished. (2 Peter 2:12-15)  Then he ended by telling them that those who were saved by knowing The Lord, but who later turned their back on Him and returned to their sinful ways would be punished more severely than those who never knew Him. (2 Peter 2:20-22)

Application:

Believers are not perfect.  We still mess up and fall back into sin.  However, true believers do not stay in the mud after we fall.  We ask for God’s forgiveness and His help to get out of the mud and to clean us up, and He will do it. (1 John 1:9)  When believers sin, we lose the joy of our salvation and we need to pray in order to have that joy restored. (Psalm 51:12)  But those who profess to love Him but long for their old sinful ways, and return to them are lost. (Luke 9:62, Genesis 19:26, and 2 Peter 2:20-21)  Those who really love their old sinful ways cannot truly love The Lord.  It is not possible to love them both. (Matthew 6:24 and Luke 16:13)  Even after he has heard The Word of God, The Bible says that the lost fool will return to his sinful folly. (Proverbs 26:11)

FORGET WHAT IS BEHIND US AND LOOK FORWARD TO THE PRIZE AHEAD

Proclamation:

“Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it.  But one thing I do, forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”  Philippians 3:13-14 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written by the apostle Paul, under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God, to the believers in the church at Philippi.  Paul begins this third chapter by stating that he has no confidence in the flesh. (Philippians 3:1-4)  He briefly recounts his personal history (Philippians 3:4-6) then states that all he has gained in life he considers a loss, and everything that he lost for Christ’s sake is surpassed in worth by knowing Christ Jesus The Lord. (Philippians 3:7-9)  Then he said that he wants to know more about Christ, the power of His resurrection, and participate in His suffering, and somehow attain the resurrection from the dead. (Philippians 3:10-11)  He said that he had not yet attained this but it is his goal and he is pressing on towards that goal.  He encouraged them to follow his example and be an example to others to live as they do. (Philippians 3:15-17)  He ends by reminding them that they are citizens of heaven, eagerly awaiting the day when The Lord Jesus Christ would transform their earthly bodies into glorious bodies like His. (Philippians 3:18-21)

Application:

We know that it is not humanly possible for us to obtain perfection but it is still a goal which is well worth striving for.  No matter what it is that we are going through, we need to keep our eyes on the prize.  There is so much more that we can learn about our Lord and Savior Jesus, The Christ, and like Paul we should want to know more. (Philippians 3:10-11)  After we ask Him for forgiveness, let us leave all of our past mistakes behind us and look forward to that which lies ahead, the prize which God has in store for us.

ONCE WE ARE COMMITTED TO CHRIST THERE IS NO TURNING BACK

Proclamation:

“Jesus replied, ‘No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.’”  Luke 9:62 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by Luke, the physician and frequent travelling companion of the Apostle Paul.  Luke begins this chapter by recounting when Jesus sent His twelve disciples out to the surrounding towns to proclaim the gospel, heal the sick, and to cast out demons. (Luke 9:1-6)  Luke also reports that Jesus fed five thousand men, not counting the women and children who were also in the crowd, with two small fish and five barley loaves of bread. (Luke 9:10-17)  He said that then Jesus predicted His death twice. (Luke 9:21-27 and 43-45)  Luke then presents the transfiguration of Jesus and the appearance of Moses and Elijah with Him. (Luke 9:28-36)  Later Jesus healed a demon possessed boy who the disciples could not heal. (Luke 9:37-43)  Luke end this chapter by explaining the cost that men bear for following Jesus. (Luke 9:57-62)

Application:

Nothing on earth is more important than following Jesus, The Christ.  That includes taking care of and burying a family member (Luke 9:59-61) or delaying following Him to go and say goodbye to your family. (Luke 9:61-62)  The Apostle Paul made it clear that he feels nothing is more important than following Christ. (Philippians 3:13-14)  Once we have committed to following Him, we cannot look back on our past life and long for any of it.  After being warned not to look back, (Genesis 19:17) looking back and longing for what she left behind is what cost Lot’s wife her life. (Genesis 19:26)  Wanting things from our past life after committing to follow Christ makes us unfit for service. (Luke 9:62)  Our worldly concerns should not interfere with our heavenly focus.  However, there are some Bible scholars (like John Gill) who think that this last section refers to preachers and their ministry.

DON'T LET GO AND DON'T LOOK BACK

Proclamation:

"It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in The Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of The Word of God and the powers of the coming age, if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting Him to public disgrace." Hebrews 6:4-6 (NIV)

Explanation:

The human author of these words is unknown but they were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by someone other than one of the apostles. (Hebrews 2:3)   This unknown author basically said that if a person has received The Word of God and then rejects it, and returns to their previous philosophies and beliefs, they will not be forgiven for their severe unfaithfulness.  "It is impossible for those ... to be brought back to repentance.  To their loss they are crucifying The Son of God all over again ..." (Hebrews 6:4-6) 

Application:

Jesus replied, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God." (Luke 9:62)  Once we accept Christ as our personal Savior, we may mess up on occasion, but there is no letting go of Christ, no looking back wanting the past, and no turning back to our sinful past.   We may remember the sinful things that we did, but there is no wanting to return to our previous non-Christian beliefs.  Don't let go of God, and don't look back wanting the past.  Remember Lot's wife, when The Lord rained down burning sulfur on Sodom and Gomorrah for their wicked ways, she looked back, and she became a pillar of salt. (Genesis 19:24-26)  Her problem was not just looking back, but she was longing for what she had left behind.  There is a cost for following Jesus.  We must let go of our previous beliefs and lifestyles. 

Hear Him Follow Him And Don't Look Back

"He said to another man, 'Follow me.'^' But the man replied, 'Lord, first let me go and bury my father.'  Jesus said to him, 'Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.'  Still another said, 'I will follow You, Lord; but first let me go back and say good-by to my family.'  Jesus replied, 'No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.' "  Luke 9:59-62 (NIV)

After His transfiguration, Jesus was walking along the road with His disciples and they were approached by several men.  The first man said that he would follow Jesus anywhere.  Jesus told the second man to follow Him, but he wanted to first go bury his father.  The third man said that he would follow Jesus, but first he wanted to say good-bye to his family.  Jesus basically said, let the spiritually dead take care of those mundane things.  Then He added, if they had the desire to follow Him, and looked back to their worldly life and longed for things in it, then they were not fit for service in the kingdom of God.

Once we have heard The Word of God, it is time right then to take action and follow Him.  Delaying action for any reason is just plain procrastination.  God does not want to hear our excuses, either we will follow Him or we won't.  Longing for anything in the life that is behind us is unacceptable.  Remember what happened to Lot's wife when she looked back towards Sodom.  (Genesis 19:26)  Once we hear The Word of God, nothing in our past life should interfere with our following and obeying Him.  Start the walk with Christ immediately, and grow in Christ as you walk with Him.  Step out on faith and trust in God.  Do not wait until you "get yourself together", that is just procrastination.  Putting anything before God makes us unfit to serve Him.