Abram and Lot had to separate themselves one from the other because of the strife between the herdsmen of Abram’s cattle and the herdsmen of Lot’s cattle. Lot lifted up his eyes and chose the plain of Jordan.  And “Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom” (Genesis 13:12).

Lot’s choice of Sodom and Gomorrah proved to be one of the flesh and not of the Spirit. Evidently he looked at the well-watered plains of Jordan and concluded that it would be a place of prosperity. However, Lot made a bad choice in Sodom and Gomorrah, for they were cities filled with the sins of the flesh. The goals of their inhabitants were the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life.

Because of the greatness of the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah, God told Abraham that He was going to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah; and He did destroy these cities by fire. Lot’s cost was great. He came out before Sodom was destroyed, but he lost his wealth, lost part of his family and lost his wife. He and two daughters were the only ones spared. Later he lay with his two daughters drunk; these two daughters were the mothers of the Ammonites and the Moabites from these incestuous relationships. The Ammonites and the Moabites became the enemies of God’s People. Yes, the cost was great for this saved man.

Where is your tent? Why is it where it is? Are you following the flesh or are you following God? (Galatians 6:7-8) says, “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.  (8) For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.”

There is no doubt that Lot knew God, for (2 Peter 2:7-8) says, “ And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: (8) (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds.)” God called Lot a “just” and “righteous man.” Then in (verse 9) Peter writes, “The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations (or trials)…” However, Lot found himself stripped of everything, even his own dignity because of his choice to pitch his tent toward Sodom and Gomorrah. A saved man can make the wrong choice and Lot did.

You may be asking yourself, “How did I get here?  I am saved; how did this happen?” The answer is the location of your tent. The location originates in the desires of the heart. If your heart desired to enjoy the promises of this wicked, evil, and filthy world, then you pitched your tent toward Sodom. But if you desired to follow, please, and honor Christ, then you pitched your tent toward the Word of God and the Holy City, the Church.

The solution of having pitched your tent toward Sodom is confession and deliverance. You must return to pleasing and obeying Christ. You must be willing to deny your flesh and your goals. You must make your master Christ and not the flesh. (1 John 1:9) is the answer, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Then the follow-up is (Hebrews 11:6), “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” And also (Colossians 3:1-3) “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.  Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.”

So I ask you, “Which way have you pitched your tent?”