Three Steps Toward Sin...

[lighthousejohn]

Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. – Psalm 1:1
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The Psalms begin by telling us we’re blessed when we avoid three things — walking, standing and sitting in the way of sinners.

Notice the progression: First there is walking with sin, then standing with it, then finally sitting in it. All too often we underestimate the power of sin and overestimate our own power to avoid it. We fall into sin by becoming increasingly comfortable going in the wrong direction.

We first walk with sin, then stand or engaging in it, and before we know it, we’re overwhelmed by it. We find an example of this “negative sanctification” in Lot.
1) Lot Walked With Sin

Lot chose for himself the whole plain of the Jordan and set out toward the east. (Gen 13:11)
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Abraham and Lot were traveling together, but while Abraham walked by faith Lot walked by sight, and decided to go his own way — towards Sodom.
2) Lot Stood With Sin

Lot lived among the cities of the plain and pitched his tents near Sodom. Now the men of Sodom were wicked and were sinning greatly against the LORD. (Gen 13:12-13)
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Lot has gone from walking with God, to walking towards sin, and now we find him standing among the wicked.
3) Lot Sat With Sin

The two angels arrived at Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gateway of the city. (Gen 19:1)
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By the time God had decided to judge Sodom, Lot is sitting comfortably in the city, and he is one of them.

Lot flirted with sin, he engaged sin, then finally was overcome by sin. If we aren’t careful the same thing will happen to us. We must be careful not to compromise with sin. We need to be aware of the company we keep and the actions we take.

If we find ourselves on a path of sin, we must turn from that sin to Christ before going any further.

Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. (Ps 51:12)
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If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)

In Christ,

John
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[Lauren]

Great words John. This really struck me:

Abraham and Lot were traveling together, but while Abraham walked by faith Lot walked by sight, and decided to go his own way — towards Sodom.

For me, I stopped taking God at His word, stopped believing His promises, which led me to start walking by sight rather than faith. And before I knew it, I was "sitting with sin" as you put it.

 

[charisenexcelcis]

John, why dio you think that Lot is called righteous in the New Testament?

 

[lighthousejohn]

John, why dio you think that Lot is called righteous in the New Testament?

Char,

Thanks for a very good question. This is one of those "contradictions" that so many people point to.

The answer is found in the verses in question, 2 Peter 2:7-8:

“7and if he rescued righteous Lot, greatly distressed by the sensual conduct of the wicked 8(for as that righteous man lived among them day after day, he was tormenting his righteous soul over their lawless deeds that he saw and heard);”(ESV)

Lot was troubled by the sin that abounded around him. He continually "tormented" his righteous soul over the sinfulness of his neighbors. Though His deeds may be questionable and sinful in nature, his soul was righteous.
Verse 9 and 10 gives us the point of the passage;

"9then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the
day of judgment, 10and especially those who indulge in the lust of defiling passion and despise authority."

Lot was deemed righteous because of his soul. God judges us by the same standard.

I would appreciate your thoughts on this.

In christ,
John

 

[pickles]

Good scripture John, Ive been thinking alot about sin lately, mostly about how, when we are doing what is right, while another commits a sin against us.
About being justified when another sins against us.
I was praying about this when Jesus showed me that I needed to confess.
Well you can imagine how well this went over with me. I confess, when I was the one wronged?
Jesus gently helped me to understand.
These scriptures helped.
psalm 143:2 And enter not into judgement with thy servant: for in thy sight shall no man be justified.
Galations 3:11 But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for the just shall live by faith.
I thought about how many times I justify my saddness, anger, silence, or reaction, by the sin of another. Thinking that because I do what is right I am justified.
I was not justified, I needed to confess this to Jesus.
How many times do we justify what we do or not do because of anothers sin?
This is a good post John, gives alot to be considered.
Only in faith shall we live!
God bless, pickles

 

[lighthousejohn]

Good scripture John, Ive been thinking alot about sin lately, mostly about how, when we are doing what is right, while another commits a sin against us.
About being justified when another sins against us.
I was praying about this when Jesus showed me that I needed to confess.
Well you can imagine how well this went over with me. I confess, when I was the one wronged?
Jesus gently helped me to understand.
These scriptures helped.
psalm 143:2 And enter not into judgement with thy servant: for in thy sight shall no man be justified.
Galations 3:11 But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for the just shall live by faith.
I thought about how many times I justify my saddness, anger, silence, or reaction, by the sin of another. Thinking that because I do what is right I am justified.
I was not justified, I needed to confess this to Jesus.
How many times do we justify what we do or not do because of anothers sin?
This is a good post John, gives alot to be considered.
Only in faith shall we live!
God bless, pickles

Margaret,

Very good insight. We all fall into the trap that is so subtley set by the enemy. Because we think we are right, all is good. In God's eyes there is probably a certain amount of pride and arrogance in our thinking; Of those we must confess.

In Christ,
John

 

[OreoSoleil]

This is a really great point!! Thank u

 

[charisenexcelcis]

I think that there is a cautionary tale in the story of Lot. Even when the deliverence came, he pleaded for a city to live in. And the sin of Sodom and Gamorrah certainly affected the behavior of his duaghters. So while, apparently, Lot himself was saved, it was as if "through fire." There was nothing more to show for his righteousness.

 

[VW]

Good scripture John, Ive been thinking alot about sin lately, mostly about how, when we are doing what is right, while another commits a sin against us.
About being justified when another sins against us.
I was praying about this when Jesus showed me that I needed to confess.
Well you can imagine how well this went over with me. I confess, when I was the one wronged?
Jesus gently helped me to understand.
These scriptures helped.
psalm 143:2 And enter not into judgement with thy servant: for in thy sight shall no man be justified.
Galations 3:11 But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for the just shall live by faith.
I thought about how many times I justify my saddness, anger, silence, or reaction, by the sin of another. Thinking that because I do what is right I am justified.
I was not justified, I needed to confess this to Jesus.
How many times do we justify what we do or not do because of anothers sin?
This is a good post John, gives alot to be considered.
Only in faith shall we live!
God bless, pickles

Thank you for this Pickles.

We can righteousness in the lives of quiet a few people in the old and new testaments. And we can righteousness develop in several, some who thought they were right, and later, as they grew in God and in humility, they also grew in true righteousness. I think of Paul, who was early in his ministry telling in his letters that he was equal to the other apostles. Years later, he calls himself the least of the apostles. Near the end of his life, he calls himself the cheif of sinners.

As our brother has said, sin so easily besets us. We are truly susceptable by our old nature. But as we draw near to God, the old nature is revealed for what it is in the light of His glory. And we see ourselves truly.

Thank both you and John,
in His love

 

[VW]

That should have been,"we can see righteousness."

sorry, doing this on my phone is different and difficult.

 

[pickles]

John, thankyou again for this thread, you confermed so much in Jesus for me.
I hope I did not overtake it, I was just so excited to see what had been shown to me confermed.
Im sorry if I did.
vw, if you are doing this by phone? I can barely do this in the norm, kudos on the phone!
God bless, pickles

 

[VW]

John, thankyou again for this thread, you confermed so much in Jesus for me.
I hope I did not overtake it, I was just so excited to see what had been shown to me confermed.
Im sorry if I did.
vw, if you are doing this by phone? I can barely do this in the norm, kudos on the phone!
God bless, pickles

iPhone. It works, sort of.

God bless sister

 

[Lauren]

I thought about how many times I justify my saddness, anger, silence, or reaction, by the sin of another. Thinking that because I do what is right I am justified. I was not justified, I needed to confess this to Jesus. How many times do we justify what we do or not do because of anothers sin?

Ouch. True words that I needed to hear. Ouch.

 

[mpaper345]

I understand what you are saying.

The Bible said that Lot was a righteous man who vexed his soul day by day by the wicked men of that city.

The Bible calls Lot a righteous man.

Although Lot was among them he did not engage in their wicked acts for if he was like them he would of perished with them and not been brought out of the city,but Lot wanted to give them his daughters in place of the men which was wrong,but he was not like them to the degree of sin they were.

Matt