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STEPS IN BACKSLIDING

Genesis 13:1-13

May 25, 2014

There are many characters in the Bible that serve God in different ways. In our lesson text we studied about a man named Lot. Lot served as a bad example in the same way many people do in our day. We would have no reason to believe that Lot wasn’t in hell if not for the few words of Apostle Peter mentioned in his epistle.

This story is one of tragedy and heartache that warns us of the great peril of backsliding. However, Lot had a great opportunity to become a man of God as He walked with the influence of his uncle Abraham, the friend of God, but something happened.

Where and how Lot backslid?

Let’s take a look the steps in his backsliding:

I. LOT DEVOTIONS IS WEAK (v. 5)

Genesis 12:7,8 and 13:4,18; Gen. 22:9

A. Lot has no altars so he chose the path of lustful reasoning--v. 10

B. Lot has no altars so he chose the path of least resistance

C. Lot has no altars so he chose the path of loose restriction

Genesis 19:3

II. LOT DESIRES IS WORLDLY (v. 10)

Psalm 37:4 "Delight thyself also in the Lord; and she shall give thee the desires of thine heart."

A. Lot desires for profit.

1 Timothy 6:10 "The love of money is the root of all evil."

B. Lot desires for pleasur

C. Lot desires for position

Genesis 19:7.

III. LOT DECISIONS IS WRONG (v. 11)

"By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured as seeing him who is invisible.... choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season." Genesis 11: 27, 25

A. Lot standards are gone (19:4-8)

B. Lot seed is gone

C. Lot spouse is gone

D. Lot sway is gone

Genesis 19:14

Conclusion:

The life of Lot is a mark of the foolish path of backsliding. Let us learn well the warning that backsliding all began with the negligence of the altar. Then the worldly desires and wrong decisions will be next. Our decisions are determined by our desires, and our desires are determined by our devotions.