Living in the Danger Zone

(Inspired by Notes and Reactions to “There’s a Lot to Learn From Lot” a message from Ted Stucker, Brownstown Christian Church, 8/2/2026)

Scripture Reading: Genesis 13-19, The Story of Lot and His Family

A Matter of Choice

Abram and Lot got along fine, but their prosperity was more than their homeland could sustain, and their hired hands quarreled continually. For resolution, Abram gave Lot the choice: you go left and I will go right, or you go right and I will go left. Shaking hands, they divided their flocks and goods and headed off in opposite directions, Lot choosing the fertile plains of Jordan to the east. Abram headed west to what would become the Promised Land of Israel.

There was land in abundance on Jordan’s plains and Lot could have set up housekeeping anywhere. For convenience, I suppose, he made the choice to put his home, his tent, close to the city of Sodom. We know Sodom’s reputation and renown today from history, but it was just as famous in its heyday. The place made Las Vegas look like “Little House on the Prairie.” But Lot, who was a righteous man according to Peter’s second letter, did not reckon that the influence of Sodom could or would affect him or his family. This was a grave error.

There is a dire warning written in 1 Corinthians 15:33 that says,

“Bad company corrupts good character.”

This proverb was widely quoted throughout the ancient world and was well known to Christians and to the entire world in general. Man is naturally drawn to his base desires, so to brazenly expose oneself to depravation and immorality presents great danger to anyone wishing to avoid such things. Sin, because that is what we are talking about here, will use any opportunity to tempt you, torment you, suck you in, and shame you for it after the fact.

Lot’s choice moved him into the “Danger Zone.”

Natural Enemies

Consider the two rhetorical questions from 2 Corinthians 6:14:

“Do not be yoked together with those who do not believe.
For what partnership is there between righteousness and lawlessness?
Or what fellowship does light have with darkness?”

You cannot have righteousness and lawlessness at the same time, nor can you maintain light in the darkness. You can earnestly aspire to compromise, you may even sincerely attempt to compromise, but it is simply impossible. Our sinful nature, otherwise referred to as the flesh, is the enemy of the Spirit, and the two wage constant, active warfare within us! Before we made the great decision to accept Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord of our lives, we were in full-time service of our fleshly desires and focusing every effort against the Spirit of God. Once we surrender to Him, we are faced with a new choice: to be remade into the likeness of Christ.

John Stott wrote in his book Basic Christianity:

“It is one thing to become a Christian. It is another thing entirely to be a Christian.”

Once Jesus declares your righteousness in Him before the Father, the task of your transformation continues for the duration of your life on earth, but you must choose to undergo the metamorphosis. Just as the surgeon will not remove a cancerous mass from your body without your permission, so you must willingly yield to the Lord’s scalpel. And, as in the case of recovery from surgery, pain and suffering to some degree is inevitable, but the freedom and eternal life that result are well worth the discomfort and distress of the process.

Why Make it So Strenuous?

When we choose to move into the “Danger Zone” while simultaneously concentrating on our efforts to grow in grace and in the Lord, our natural man will fight with all his strength, and it is formidable, to coerce choices that will assuage the flesh rather than the Spirit. We are unlikely to choose Spirit when in “bad company.” The question must be asked: where have you chosen to set your tent stakes?

In the twenty-first century, the “who” with whom we associate is becoming secondary to the “what” we allow to come parading through our lives every day. The lyrics of secular music are degenerate regardless of the genre. The language of entertainment sources like movies and television is often blasphemous. The depravity of the Internet is invasive and regrettably convenient. Social media is isolating, separating us from the community and harmony God intended for us. And it is all wrapped up nicely in the biggest “what” of all: the smart phone.

Lot’s story alone should convince you that it is a bad idea to consort with “bad company.” The apostle John adds to the evidence in his first epistle:

“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
For all that is in the world, the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life, is not from the Father but is from the world.
And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.”

Danger Becomes More Dangerous

Sadly, like Lot, we tend to believe too resolutely in ourselves and in our ability to fulfill our commitment to Christ. There is no way we can envision our failure. That, my brothers and sisters, is the ugliest sin of all and it is enumerated in the verse above: “pride.” When we act in pride, we strand ourselves on an island, removing the power of the Holy Spirit to help us.

“God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:5

I will not speak for everyone, but I have enough issues dealing with my “bent to sinning” without being opposed by God. Lot had no chance of a favorable outcome when confronted by the immense influence of Sodom.

By the time God sends two angels to destroy both Sodom and Gomorrah, Lot was no longer camped outside of the city. No, indeed, he had made himself quite comfortable and at home in a house inside the walls. The angels encountered him in a place of honor: sitting in the city gates! He thought he could resist the pull of this evil place but was unable to do so, compromising his morality, his judgement, and the safety of his family.

Accepting the offered safety of Lot’s hospitality, the angels agreed to spend the night with him, but things went terribly awry there. The men of the city surrounded Lot’s home demanding he send his heavenly guests out to them for homosexual rape and abuse. Lot, so familiar now with his surroundings and his neighbors, tried to reason with this mad mob fixed on violence and reduced to animalistic instinct. The angels came to the rescue through supernatural means and averted the crisis, at least for the moment.

Immediately, Lot was pressed to gather his loved ones and prepare to flee because destruction of the city from God was imminent. No immediate flight took place that night and by morning the angels were adamant in urging Lot to escape the approaching judgement. But Lot continued to linger, moving sluggishly, taking last looks around. He hesitated for the same reason any of us would: we do not want to sacrifice our selfish, sinful desires! That is how we got here in the first place, by pursuing what we selfishly wanted or convinced ourselves that we needed instead of following God’s plans and purposes. Fleshly cravings can be so strong that no hope remains of overcoming them. It was hard to let go. During the desperate departure, his wife just had to look back one more time.

Our Way Out

God sent his holy angels to save Lot because of His great mercy and because of His friendship with Abram. Thank God for the abiding gift of the Holy Spirit in our lives, for He is the only instrument that can rescue us from the battles within. The apostle Paul, certainly a high example for Christian behavior, struggled through the same battles that we fight today. He wrote in Romans 7:19:

“I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway.”

His frustration is palpable in verse 24:

“Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death?”

Then verse 25 assures us that victory is within our reach and that we are not alone:

“Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord!’

Make Your Move

The Word of God laments:
“How the mighty have fallen!”

Warriors, prophets, and kings alike, chosen and anointed by God for holy achievement and prosperity, fell victim to their self-confident choices leading to their deterioration, decline, and defeat. Famous last words include the phrase, “I’ve got this.” If these words echo your thoughts, you are living in the “Danger Zone.”

It is past time to pack up and move away.