When the World Gets Into Your Heart (Genesis 19:30-38)

Story: You can take the boy out of Sodom, but you can’t always take Sodom out of the boy.

A few years ago, I read of a pastor who left his wife to marry his secretary, who left her husband. That’s bad enough, but then they both murdered their former mates! To top it off, the pastor and his new wife were planning to move to another state and set up a counseling ministry!

Whenever you hear of professing Christians who have fallen into gross sin, you ask yourself, “How did they ever stoop to this low level?” If the people involved had made no claim of being Christians, it would be one thing. But when they claim to know God and then commit the worst kind of sins imaginable, you wonder what’s going on.

Lot’s story is like that. If Lot were not a righteous man, you would say, “That’s the way this evil world is.” But Peter emphasizes that Lot was a righteous man (2 Pet. 2:7-8). So when you read about his two daughters getting him drunk and committing incest with him, you wonder how a righteous man could stoop to that low point.

Lot’s terrible sin should make us realize that just being a believer isn’t enough. Christians can fall into sins that are just as bad as those committed by unbelievers. Though Lot was a righteous man, he failed miserably. We need to examine why, so that none of us will fail the Lord and our families as Lot did.

The reason Lot failed is illustrated by an event that happened on June 5, 1976. On that day, under clear skies, without warning, the massive Teton Dam in southeastern Idaho collapsed, sending a torrent of water surging into the Snake River basin. There was extensive property damage and loss of life. It seemed to happen so quickly. Some workers on the dam barely had time to run for their lives.

But it really didn’t happen suddenly. Beneath the water line, a hidden fault had been gradually weakening the entire structure. It started with just a tiny bit of erosion. But by the time it was detected, it was too late. No one had seen the little flaw; no one got hurt by it. But everyone saw the big collapse, and many were hurt (adapted from Luis Palau, Heart After God [Multnomah Press], p. 68).

That’s what happened to Lot. He allowed Sodom to get into his heart and slowly erode his faith. Leaving Sodom for Zoar, and then Zoar for a mountain cave could not evict Sodom from Lot’s heart. That’s what happens when we let the world get into our heart. While we are shocked by the rotten sin of Lot and his daughters, let’s be careful not to overlook the fact that all sin is disgusting to God. And especially living in a culture that normalizes sin, like ours does, we need to be careful not to let this culture get into our hearts. Here’s what we can learn from Lot’s family.

The Main Points

When the world gets into our hearts, fear rather than faith often drives our behavior. (19:30)

We see this in Lot’s behavior in verse 30 and also in verse 18. When the angel of the Lord told Lot to run to the hills, Lot hesitated and asked permission to run to Zoar instead. Rather than believe that God could empower and protect him and his family to run to the mountains, Lot wanted the path of least resistance. God granted it in that case. Now, in verse 30, we read that Lot “departed from Zoar and lived in the mountains,” believe it or not, “because he was afraid.” Isn’t it ironic that his fear drove him to the place he was supposed to go in the first place? And what was Lot afraid of? Perhaps he feared that eventually Zoar would experience the same fate as Sodom. Fear spawns irrational behavior. If God rescued him from Sodom, wouldn’t God be able to rescue him from Zoar? Notice also the isolation that fear inspires. Lot and his daughters chose a cave for their home. How dreadful is that? In ancient times, caves were used as tombs. It’s like Lot was choosing death over life. That’s what fear does to the heart.

Just like Lot, when the world gets into our heart, it can influence our behavior in ways that are driven by fear rather than faith. Here's how fear manifests itself in our hearts.

Worry and Anxiety: We obsess on potential problems and uncertainties instead of trusting God's plan and provision.

Control: We try to control everyone and every situation out of fear of failure or harm, rather than trusting God's sovereignty.

Despair and Hopelessness: We feel overwhelmed by circumstances, leading to doubt about God's goodness or timing.

Isolation: We withdraw from community or fellowship because of fear of rejection or vulnerability.

Impatience or Frustration: We tend to act hastily or negatively because of a lack of trust in God's timing and purposes.

God has an antidote for fear; it’s called faith! Throughout the Bible, God provides many promises and principles that encourage believers to trust rather than be overwhelmed by fear. 1 John 4:18 says, “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear.” Knowing and experiencing God’s unconditional love helps us feel secure and confident, reducing fear.

Joshua 1:9 encourages us to be strong and courageous, because "the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." The awareness of and trust in God's constant presence dispels fears of loneliness or danger.

Philippians 4:6-7 advises us not to be anxious but to present our requests to God through prayer, and His peace will guard our hearts and minds. Recognizing that God is in control and that His plans are good helps us surrender our fears, trusting that He works all things for good.

But when the world gets into our hearts, fear takes over and drives our behavior.

2. When the world gets into our hearts, we use desperation to justify sin. (19:31-32)

Lot’s corruption had consequences for his family. He lost his wife back in Sodom. He and his daughters escaped by the skin of their teeth. And now they’re living in fear, in a cave. As dark as that cave was, their behavior was even darker.

Even the ancient peoples who worshiped idols considered incest abhorent. And the Hebrew Scriptures forbade this behavior. According to Leviticus, the penalty was death. As wicked as Sodom and Gomorrah were, incest was an aberration. Lot’s daughters knew this was sinful.

Lot’s daughters were desperate for the social security that only children could provide a woman. The fact that they had to get their father drunk to do it shows that they were abusing their own moral convictions. Also, notice that the girls’ names are not recorded; this implies censure. The girls sinned intentionally; and they used their desperate circumstances to justify their disgusting and sinful behavior.

But none of us are guilty of this disgusting act. So we should just pinch our noses — puwee! — and move on, right? Wrong. All of Scripture is inspired by God for our instruction. So what’s the instruction?

When the world gets into our heart, it can influence us to justify sin rather than obey God's Word by shifting our perspective and priorities. Here are some ways this happens:

The world’s influence may present alternative views that downplay sin’s seriousness or redefine what is right and wrong, leading us to justify behaviors that conflict with God's commandments.

The desire for pleasure or comfort can overshadow obedience, making sin appear acceptable or even necessary to meet our needs.

Being influenced by societal values that normalize or accept certain behaviors can influence us to rationalize sin as harmless or beneficial.

Downplaying the harm or impact of sin can lead us to excuse ourselves, convincing us that our actions are not so bad or are justified under the circumstances.

When our heart aligns more with worldly perspectives than with God’s truth, we tend to doubt or diminish the importance of His commands, leading to our justifying disobedience.

We use excuses such as “It's not that bad,” “Everyone else is doing it,” or “I deserve this” to rationalize sinful behavior instead of confronting it in light of God’s holiness.

Do any of these sound familiar?

Obedience to God's Word requires humility, recognizing the absolute truth of Scripture, and resisting the temptations and distortions of the world. It involves renewing our minds through God’s truth and aligning our hearts with His will, rather than allowing worldly influences to justify disobedience. Romans 12:2 says, “Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.”

But when the world gets into our hearts, justifying sin becomes so easy for us.

3. When the world gets into our hearts, we try to take control from God. (19:33-35)

These verses are dark. The deeds took place at night in a cave. There could scarce be a darker context on earth. It is evident that Lot’s life choices had provoked his daughters’ to absorb the spirit of Sodom into their hearts.

It seems odd that Lot’s two daughters couldn’t trust God to provide for their futures. After all, they witnessed the Lord rescue them from the fiery judgment of their own city. But even though God saved them in the past, they refused to trust him with their future.

Unfortunately, that same lack of trust in spite of God’s track record of faithfulness shows up repeatedly in the lives of people in the Bible and often shows up in our own decisions as well. This lack of trust undergirded Israel’s creation of the golden calf (Exod 32), David’s illicit census (2 Sam 24), and Peter’s three denials (Luke 22:54–62).

Are we guilty of this character flaw? You know the answer to that question.

When the world gets into our heart, we often try to take control of our circumstances out of God's hands . Here’s how we do it.

We worry about what might happen or try to plan every detail of our lives to avoid uncertainty, instead of trusting God's plan and provision.

We try to manipulate people and situations through hard work or exhausting efforts to achieve outcomes we desire, rather than surrendering control to God.

We act hastily based on fear, frustration, or personal judgment, bypassing God's wisdom and guidance through prayer and the Word.

Becoming impatient, we try to force things to happen faster, rather than trusting that God’s timing is perfect.

We cling to and rely on possessions, finances, or relationships for security instead of trusting and relying on God’s love and power to provide.

We Attempt to solve problems on our own rather than praying for guidance and seeking God’s Word for direction.

We seek validation and approval from people instead of waiting for God’s affirmation.

When we attempt to control circumstances outside of God's plan, we reveal a lack of faith and a desire for self-reliance. True peace and power come from surrendering control, trusting God's sovereignty, and relying on His guidance through prayer, faith, and obedience.

But when the world gets into our hearts, we want to take control of our lives away from God and go it on our own.

4. When the world gets into our hearts, we leave a legacy of sin. (19:36-38)

This is the last story of Lot; and it ends poorly. Peter informs us that nwardly, Lot was “distressed by the sensual conduct of the wicked” which was “tormenting his righteous soul over their lawless deeds.” (2 Peter 2:7, 8). But outwardly he said little or nothing as he became a prominent man in town. Godliness would have jeopardized his standing. Lot had mastered the craft of turning a blind eye and a deaf ear to the social and sexual abuses of Sodom. Perhaps he did not do them. Probably, he did not approve of them. But did he speak out against them? there’s no record that he did. It seems that blasphemies and filthy speech were met by Lot’s benign smile and deft deflection. No wonder his sons-in-law thought he was joking when he told them that judgement was coming.

Dirty deeds in the darkness of a cave do not remain there. What happens in Vegas, does not stay there forever. And in this story, the dark deeds of the cave are recorded in the names of the children born to Lot’s daughters.

The firstborn bore a son and called his name Moab. He is the father of the Moabites to this day. The younger also bore a son and called his name Ben-ammi. He is the father of the Ammonites to this day” (vv. 36–38). The names the daughters gave their sons immortalized Lot’s paternity. Moab is based on the Hebrew, “from [my] father.” And Ben-ammi means literally, “son of my paternal kinsman.”

The worldliness of Sodom got into Lot’s heart. Like many today, he thought he could live as close to the world as possible, yet avoid its influence. Consequently he hung on to it for dear life until the bitter end. And the result was that though God judged all of Sodom except Lot and his daughters, Sodom was reborn in their very lives. So we see that it is possible for believing people like us who are truly distressed by the course of this world to live lives that are so profoundly influenced by culture that Sodom is reborn in our lives and in those we love the most.

Paul warned fathers in Ephesians 6:4 “Fathers, don’t stir up anger in your children, but bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.” That is a good word for today, on Father’s Day. Father’s let’s learn from Lot’s error. Let’s speak out against sin but also live a holy life. Let’s live for God in a way that our children and grandchildren see our faith, our passion for Jesus, our humility to serve, our devotion to God’s Word. We can choose whether to leave a legacy of righteousness.

But when we let the world remain our heart, we will eventually build a legacy of sin, like Lot.

Yet, there is …

Hope Beyond the Story: God redeems what we regret.

In Ruth 4:13-22, we see a powerful example of God’s grace bringing redemption out of a life that seemed marked by hardship and past regret. Ruth was a Moabite woman. We already know that the Moabites were direct descendants of Lot and this incestuous story. We can only imagine how Ruth was influenced by a culture distant from God's covenant. The Moabites worshipped a fertility god and indulged in orgies which distracted the Israelites on their way into the promised land (Nu. 25). Ammon, the descendants of the second daughter, became noted for cruelty not only in war (Am. 1:13) but even in religious observance (Lv. 18:21), for Molech was the Ammonite god who demanded child sacrifice.

Yet, despite Ruth’s origins, God’s mercy steps in. The story of Ruth stands as a memorial to the power of faith in the living God, for, though she belonged to Moab, she became the ancestress of both David and Jesus himself (Mt. 1:5). The door of salvation is open to all who are willing to enter in penitence and faith, no matter what their background.

Boaz’s marriage to Ruth and the birth of their son Obed not only transformed her life but also fulfilled God’s divine plan — leading to the lineage of King David and ultimately Jesus Christ.

What this story teaches us is profound: God specializes in redeeming what we regret. No matter how much our past is marked by worldly influences, God’s grace can turn our regrets into His purposes. Ruth’s faithfulness and God’s mercy demonstrate that our origins do not determine our destiny—God’s grace does.

So today, remember: if you feel trapped by your past or influenced by the world, know that God's redeeming love can turn your regret into a testimony of His grace. Just as He did for Ruth, He can save and restore you, weaving your story into His greater plan.

1 John 1:8–9 teaches us, “If we say, “We have no sin,” we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” If you’ve allowed the world to get into your heart, confess it now, and trust in God’s grace, made possible by Christ’s death on the cross, to evict the world and cleanse your heart.

In the meantime, we can resist the world and its influence by taking decisive action built on faith. Here’ how.

APPLICATION

Avoid materialism at all costs. We must say no to materialism. We know it is bad. But we are not saying no when we deny nothing to ourselves. We are not saying no when we give our children whatever they want—if they pester us long enough. We simply must not be worldly materialists who are only offended by those whose lifestyles are more lavish than ours. We must say no! We must not participate in Lot’s folly. Luke 9:23 “Then he said to them all, “If anyone wants to follow after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me.”

Do not fall into the trap of pursuing pleasure. Nothing is more addictive and idolatrous than pleasure-seeking, and few things control our families more than pleasure. Certainly, Jesus promised an abundant life. Absolutely, God intends for us to enjoy life; but we must know how to abound. To determine our actions by a desire for the greatest pleasure is to surrender to Hell—and to bring the ways of Hell on our offspring. Lot could never say no—even in that dark cave. We must. Matthew 6:33 “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you.”

Be discriminating about how we entertain ourselves. We become what we focus on in the same way that we are what we eat. I would like to call men (because we are the biggest offenders) to take control of what comes into our houses. We must become biblically discriminating. Some need to put the TV in the closet for a season. TV violence is de jure in most homes. Sensuality is de jure on every network following the evening news. Today is the day to say no and take control of our own minds and souls—for the sake of our sons and daughters. Philippians 4:8 “Finally brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable—if there is any moral excellence and if there is anything praiseworthy—dwell on these things.”

Reject immodesty. Modesty must be essential in every Christian life not because we think we are good, but because we know how bad we are. We must celebrate the differences between men and women not with lewdness but with the respect that honors the God who made us. 1 Timothy 2:9–10 “Also, the women are to dress themselves in modest clothing, with decency and good sense, not with elaborate hairstyles, gold, pearls, or expensive apparel, but with good works, as is proper for women who profess to worship God.”

COMMITMENT

For the first time in my life I want to confess and repent of my sins and put my faith in Jesus.

I have become too attached to the world and I need to turn my eyes upon Jesus.

I have family and friends who do not believe in Jesus. I need the courage to share the gospel with them.

I need the accountability, encouragement, and fellowship with other believers and I want to join this church.