Genesis 19

Lot went outside to meet them and shut the door behind him and said, “No, my friends. Don’t do this wicked thing.” ‭‭Genesis‬ ‭19:6-7‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Lot calls these men his friends, which tells us that he had become like them.  We need to be careful to surround ourselves with other believers, so we can encourage each other to fight the good fight of faith.  Our minds are like sponges, waiting to soak up whatever we are surrounding ourselves with.  If we surround ourselves with the things of this world and the desires of our flesh, then this becomes the dirty water that we soak up and it can eventually lead to sin and death.  If we surround ourselves with the things of God: prayer, reading the Bible, talking to others about God, serving others, etc., then this becomes like pure, life-giving water that we soak up. This leads to righteousness, or right standing with God, and eternal life.  Are we obligated to do certain things in order to earn God’s love and favor?  No, the amazing thing is that He gives it to us freely.

Then the Lord rained down burning sulfur on Sodom and Gomorrah—from the Lord out of the heavens. ‭‭Genesis‬ ‭19:24‬ ‭NIV‬‬

When we see the way that God can punish the wicked, this should make all people on Earth fear God.  What does it mean to fear God?  For the unbeliever, this is fear of judgement and eternal death.  For the believer, the fear of God is a reverential fear: respecting Him, obeying Him, submitting to His discipline, and worshipping Him in awe.  We are not to be afraid of God.  He promises to always love us, and to never leave us nor forsake us.  There are benefits that come from having this healthy fear of the Lord: Proverbs 1:7 tells us that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.  Proverbs 3:8 says that the fear of the Lord will bring health to our bodies and nourishment to our bones.