Don’t Linger!

I was reading some more in Holiness today.  JC Ryle points out the sad case of Lot’s lingering.  His is an example of what it is like to be in the world and not of it, but have no salt or light.  I found today’s reading in Holiness especially encouraging, because it directly applied to the last verses that I read in 2 Corinthians today.

2 Corinthians 5:20-21

Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.  For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

Lot was not an ambassador.  He had perhaps had the son of God become sin for Him, but Lot did not let this show in his life.  He chose the land closer to the immoral Sodom, because it was more fruitful (in the worldly sense).  He lived in the city of Sodom, but seemingly had no influence on the city (or over his family).  He was seduced by his daughters.  Lot’s salvation and his actions are hard for me to rationalize, but if the Spirit through the Bible has declared Lot righteous (2 Peter 2:7) then he most assuredly was saved.  In the same passage it states that Lot was “oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked.”  This tells me that the influence of this world drug lot down to a point where he could not shine for Christ as he was called.  If we let ourselves get surrounded by the world we will find ourselves in the same position.  We have a high calling as believers and it is evident from the case of Lot that we can come quite short of that calling while still being justified.  Once justified, always justified.  This says nothing about our sanctification.  Here is our call:

2 Peter 1:10

Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will  never stumble.

Romans 12:1

I beseech your therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.

Galatians 5:25

If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

And an exhortation from JC Ryle:

 If you are a lingerer, you must just go to Christ at once and be cured.  You must use the old remedy; you must bathe in the old fountain.  You must turn again to Christ and be healed.  The way to do a thing is to do it.  Do this at once!

God Bless!