Lessons from Sodom

Genesis 19:29 It happened, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the middle of the overthrow, when he overthrew the cities in which Lot lived. (WEB)

God spared Lot because of the righteousness of his uncle Abraham. Genesis records Abraham's concern -- he kept asking God if He would spare it for smaller and smaller numbers of people. But Genesis doesn't say that Abraham asked God to spare it for Lot's sake. God must have known of Abraham's concern for Lot, even if Abraham never voiced it explicitly.

Some people make a big deal out of Sodom and homosexuality, and, no doubt, their behavior was sinful and despicable. But Ezekiel doesn't even mention anything sexual, but other sins: Ezekiel 16:49 Behold, this was the iniquity of your sister Sodom: pride, fullness of bread, and prosperous ease was in her and in her daughters; neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. (WEB)

In Matthew 10:15, and elsewhere, Jesus said that Sodom would be better off, in the day of judgment, than a city which rejected the Gospel. (Jude 1:7 does mention the sexual sins of the people of Sodom.)

If I had to select the most important sin, it wouldn't be homosexuality. It would be pride, I guess -- putting myself forward, thinking chiefly, or only, of myself, or perhaps unbelief. Note that pride comes first in Ezekiel's list.

For what it's worth, here is a previous post on homosexuality.

Thanks for reading.