Saints Who Slip

Saints Who Slip

[Lot] and his two daughters lived in a cave. One day the older daughter said to the younger, “. . . Let’s get our father to drink wine and then lie with him and preserve our family line through our father.”

Genesis 19:30–32

Moses recorded this despicable sin in Genesis for a good reason. It was horrible enough for so many people in Sodom and Gomorrah to perish. But for Lot and his daughters to fall into such a sin, after witnessing the destruction of so many people, is even more horrible. This incident was recorded in the Bible to frighten the ungodly and to keep believers from becoming smug.

You might ask, “Why did God permit his people, whom he loved, to sink so low?” We shouldn’t question God’s motives for what he permits. Still, in this case, we can easily find a probable explanation. God wants us to recognize our helplessness so that we don’t lapse into a false sense of security. Lot and his family saw the sins of the people of Sodom and condemned them. But then what happened? Lot’s devout daughters disgraced themselves by committing incest. This was so scandalous that it seldom occurred even among the people of Sodom.

So God’s intent is clear. He wants us to humble ourselves and to find comfort in his mercy and grace. As far as humans are concerned, no one is better or holier than the next person. Thankfully, God protects us from sinning too seriously. But if he were to withdraw his hand, we might fall into the very same sins. So this story teaches us to humble ourselves in God’s presence and continually pray for the Holy Spirit’s guidance.