…But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt. – Gen. 19:26 KJV
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God had taken the decision to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah based on their many atrocities so he sent angels to effect his wish. With intercession from Abraham, Lot had been given the grace together with his family to escape the city before commencement of the destruction process. They were instructed to leave the city and not look back but for whatever reason, the wife of Lot decided to look back and the Bible reveals that she immediately turned into a pillar of salt.
Looking back, which is the offence of the wife of Lot was not explained further in the scriptures but taken literally, it could mean that physically attempting to return to Sodom and Gomorrah or thinking about the positives that she left behind in Sodom and Gomorrah with the intention to go back for them. Both ways, the intention will be the most important as the act merely looking back with no such thoughts may not necessarily attract that level of penalty.
Today, many Christians there are who have been saved from the various challenges that almost drowned their lives. Before they met Christ, they were deep in acts that were completely against the instructions of God and their fate was sealed as the only direction they were moving was in the path of destruction. All hopes were lost with regards to their lives and every one had given up on them but then a plea was made on their behalf, not by Abraham but by Jesus Christ. He pleaded with the father for such to be exempted from such judgement hoping that the time gained will afford the opportunity to perfect their relationship with God.
Suddenly, the street man became a renowned minister of the gospel and the prostitute became lady evangelist with all kinds of miracles and testimonies highlighting their ministry but lust for the things of the world has created a challenge in their lives today. Same can be said of that born again Christian who by grace was called into Christianity with a complete change in fortune but became comfortable and decided to look back to those times spent in the world with the feeling of loss and desire to have them return.
Jesus Christ explains this kind of situation with a parable of the fig tree – Lk. 13:6-9. In that parable a man had planted a fig tree and watered it for three years expecting to find fruit on it but when he got there, he met nothing on the tree and so decided to cut it down. An appeal was however made that time be given to water and apply fertilizer with the expectation that it will produce fruit after that grace period. That is what happened to the Christian that is saved from destruction. The expectation is that the Christian will produce good fruits and not look back on those things that he left in the world he was living before his new life. Those same things that deterred from producing good fruits.
Unfortunately, not only are Christians looking back, they are taking those acts in Sodom and Gomorrah along with them into their new life and new location which is the Church. They are forcefully changing the atmosphere of the church into that of Sodom and Gomorrah. They are turning the norm of a Christian life style to that life style lived in Sodom and Gomorrah and still want to avoid the judgement that came to Sodom and Gomorrah. It was not the land of Sodom and Gomorrah that was at fault but the people of Sodom and Gomorrah. Physical relocation from that old life style to the new location and bringing those same old atrocities to the new location leaves such a person in the same spiritual filth of the old location. It cannot only be physical but has to be equally spiritual. The only act that can follow such a relocation type is judgement similar to that of Sodom and Gomorrah.
You may not have turned to Pillar of Salt, but that your current unacceptable situation could just be your own judgement from the Lord for failing to leave behind all those acts that you were involved with before he found you. Those same acts that were listed in the Letter of Paul to the Galatians – Gal. 5:19-21. It is not possible for you to be hot and cold in your Christian life – Rev. 3:15. All it will earn you from the Lord is rejection which may be the reason for your current challenges.
You need to define where you stand today with regards to your faith and live that life as you cannot worship God and Mammon (Matt. 6:24) or worse still pretend to worship God by bringing the worship of Mammon into the Christian Church. May God help you to do the needful in Jesus name. Amen.
