Magdy Samuel

Chapter 5: 3
The Negative effects of temptations (1)

The Christian believer is subject to various and enormous losses if he decides hobnob himself among the people of the world. God has warned us, within his Holy Book, from loving the world which is shown in the love of money saying: “For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” (1Timothy 6:10). Dear reader, notice the word “Pierced themselves” which does not mean direct punishment from God’s hand but it’s a normal outcome  and harvest of the love of money and attachment to the world.

Lot when falling in the world’s temptations, he lost many things. We will meditate in some of them:

First: Losing fellowship with God and believers
Lot has lost the life of the tent and the altar. He also lost his fellowship with God and with his uncle Abraham. He missed the spiritual opportunities that he had with his uncle Abraham, when they were glorifying the Lord and praising His name by presenting burnt offerings for their thankfulness and gratefulness to God.

Concern about the worldly matters and, makes you lose the fellowship with God, as you will lose your interest in such fellowship, besides you will not have time for it. The worldly life leads you to grieve the Holy Spirit inside you thus depriving you of your joy and fellowship.

Dear reader: How big is this loss?!  Remember what David says in Psalm 84: “For a day in thy courts [is] better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness” (Psalm 84:10). Hence abide with the fellowship with God and believers and do not renounce it for the sake of this frail and vanishing world.

Second: Losing internal peace and comfort
Lot has lost his peace and comfort by going around with the people of Sodom. He had to flatter them and share them their deeds while his righteous nature rejected such deeds. Therefore an internal conflict started and led to the torture of his righteous soul.  The Gospel has witnessed it and said: “For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed [his] righteous soul from day to day with [their] unlawful deeds” (2Peter 2:8)

Dear believer, the new nature given to the believer will never align with the world’s wickedness. Thus, believers who keep company with the world will suffer and be in pain in spite of all their success and achievements.
You may attain the highest positions and own much but you still cannot enjoy the true happiness, if you are not having a restful conscience.
May God protect us from this situation and may He grant us the peace of mind and the rejoicing of the Holy Spirit.

Third: Losing the testimony before others
Lot did not only lose his internal peace, he lost his external testimony as well. His sons in law did not believe what he said about God’s warning to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah. They were not used to hear him talking about God. They said how could Lot know and read God’s mind and thoughts, and come out of what God will do “But he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in law” (Genesis 19:14)

Lot has also lost his testimony before the people of Sodom who mocked him saying: “This one came in to stay here, and he keeps acting as a judge; now we will deal worse with you than with them.” (Genesis 19:9).

What a big difference between Abraham’s testimony before the Canaanites around him when Sarah died and he wanted to bury her, they said to him: “Hear us, my lord: You are a mighty prince among us; bury your dead in the choicest of our burial places. None of us will withhold from you his burial place, that you may bury your dead.” (Genesis 23:6)

It is so distressing to lose testimony. Some believers had their lives a great testimonial, as they were serving the Lord with their strong impact on believers and non believers, but because of the worldly life, they lost their testimony and became no longer fit for testimonial.  The Bible says, “But if the salt have lost his flavor, wherewith shall it be salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.” (Matthew 5:13).

Dear reader: May God protect us and protect our testimony, letting us be a blessing to all who are around us. Also may our life style be a reprimand to other’s conscience, an incitement for their life, and a light for their way, so that because of us they return to the Lord.

Magdy Samuel