The Consequences of Looking Back

In our Christian journey, we are often reminded of the profound decision to follow Jesus. It’s a choice that should be held close to our hearts, a commitment to move forward without turning back. The powerful hymn, “I Have Decided to Follow Jesus,” encapsulates this sentiment, urging us to embrace our faith with unwavering dedication. The lyrics serve as a reminder that once we set our course towards Christ, there should be no looking back. The call to follow Jesus is clear in Luke 9:62, where He states, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.” It is a stern warning that turning our gaze back to the world, symbolizing the system of sin, is not an option. The consequences of looking back can be severe, as demonstrated in the story of Lot’s wife in Genesis 19.

But Lot’s wife looked back, and she became a pillar of salt. (‭‭Genesis‬ ‭19:26‬)

The story of Lot and his family serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of looking back. Angels, sent by God, warned Lot and his family of the imminent destruction of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah due to their wickedness. The angels urged Lot to escape to the mountains and emphasized the importance of not looking back. Their instructions were clear: “Flee for your lives! Don’t look back, and don’t stop anywhere in the plain! Flee to the mountains or you will be swept away!” (Genesis 19:17). The consequences were dire, with a divine warning that looking back would have severe ramifications. Despite this warning, Lot’s wife couldn’t resist casting a glance back at the city she was leaving behind.

As Lot’s wife cast her gaze back toward Sodom and Gomorrah, she paid a grievous price. She was transformed into a pillar of salt, a fate that was a result of her disobedience and attachment to her former life. This account serves as a clear illustration of the peril of looking back when God calls us to move forward. Lot’s wife paid the ultimate price for her inability to leave her past behind. Her act of looking back revealed a lack of commitment to God’s call and a dangerous attachment to the world she was leaving. There are profound implications to consider when we find ourselves yearning for the past or entertaining thoughts of returning to our former sinful lifestyles.

1. Loss of Salvation: Our salvation is a precious gift, granted to us through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. The decision to look back can jeopardize this salvation. The consequences of forfeiting our eternal security are severe.

2. Inadequate Commitment: Looking back signifies a lack of commitment to God. It suggests that we are not fully dedicated to the journey we have embarked upon. Total commitment to Christ means there is no room for longing for the sinful past.

3. Comparing the Unsaved Past: Our past, marred by sin and darkness, should never be compared to the glorious present and future we have in Christ. The blessings and fulfillment we find in our walk with God should far outweigh any attachments to our former lives.

4. Endangering Our Faith: Whenever the allure of our past sinful lifestyles or the luxuries we once enjoyed beckons, it endangers our faith. The consequences of looking back can disrupt our spiritual journey and lead to moral and spiritual decline.

The story of Lot’s wife is a poignant reminder of the consequences of looking back when God calls us to move forward. The decision to follow Jesus is a profound one, and it demands unwavering commitment. Our faith is a journey with a specific direction – forward. The world, with its system of sin, is behind us, and the cross, symbolizing both suffering and redemption, is before us.

We have been saved from sin, eternal death, and damnation, and this salvation is a treasure we cannot risk losing. The consequences of looking back are severe. In our Christian walk, we must remember the wisdom in the hymn, “I Have Decided to Follow Jesus.” We have chosen to follow Him, and no turning back, no turning back. Our commitment to Christ should be unwavering, our gaze steadfastly fixed on the cross before us, and our hearts resolute in following the path He has laid out for us. Looking back is not an option.

Lot’s wife: The dangers of looking back

Have you ever wanted something so badly that even though you knew that it is not good for you, you still went ahead to have it? Desires and cravings if not controlled can lead one to make the wrong choices and decisions. Whatever does not add to us, takes away a virtue from us and as such we should be very intentional about what we desire for. We shall consider one woman whose desire to look back to see what she left behind caused her to lose her life. Lot’s wife was a mother to two girls and obviously the wife of Lot. The only name we have is Lot’s wife so let’s call her Mrs. Lot. Like many women in the Bible, Mrs. Lot is not heard of much. The Bible does not tell us much about her personality. Let’s imagine that she was happily married to Lot and they were blessed with two daughters. Mr. and Mrs. Lot lived with Abraham and family until a conflict arose between the herdsmen of Abraham and Lot. For peace to prevail, Abraham  said to Lot, “Let’s not have any quarreling between you and me, or between your herders and mine, for we are close relatives. Is not the whole land before you? Let’s part company. If you go to the left, I’ll go to the right; if you go to the right, I’ll go to the left.” (Genesis 13:8‭-‬9)

We are not told whether Lot consulted his wife before making this all important decision. “Lot looked around and saw that the whole plain of the Jordan toward Zoar was well watered, like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt. (This was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.) So Lot chose for himself the whole plain of the Jordan and set out toward the east. The two men parted company” (Genesis 13:10‭-‬11). These verses reveal the heart of Lot when he chose the best of the land. His wife and children and all he had followed him to the well watered land which was like the Garden of the Lord. Mr. and Mrs. Lot moved and “lived among the cities of the plain and pitched his tents near Sodom. Now the people of Sodom were wicked and were sinning greatly against the Lord” (Genesis 13:12‭-‬13). Moving to the well watered land had its own implications and Lot and his wife suddenly became part of a sinful community whose act of sin became so obnoxious to God that they were marked for destruction. How did Mrs. Lot survive in such an infiltrating environment? Did she have friends from the city? How did she manage her household to live holy in the midst of the stench of sin? Unfortunately, even though Abraham bargained up to ten righteous souls, Mr. and Mrs. Lot did not even have servants who were not polluted by the sins of Sodom. 

But Lot’s wife looked back, and she became a pillar of salt. (Genesis 19:26)

Lot and the family hosted the two divine men who were sent by God to destroy the cities and that caused the men of the land to attack Lot’s house. “The two men said to Lot, “Do you have anyone else here—sons-in-law, sons or daughters, or anyone else in the city who belongs to you? Get them out of here, because we are going to destroy this place. The outcry to the Lord against its people is so great that he has sent us to destroy it” (Genesis 19:12‭-‬13). Even the men who had pledged to marry the children of Lot were not ready to leave the sinful city. The men brought the family out of the city and “as soon as they had brought them out, one of them said, “Flee for your lives! Don’t look back, and don’t stop anywhere in the plain! Flee to the mountains or you will be swept away!” (Genesis 19:17). Looking back was no option. The mess in Sodom was not healthy for the family and God saved Lot’s family because of his covenant with Abraham. Don’t look back should have echoed in their eyes and with fear and trembling, the family would have run with all the strength in them. Their future was ahead of them, their past was behind them. All that they possessed, their house, their animals, their expensive garments, the beautiful gold accessories, the friends, the pomp of their lives were all left behind in Sodom. “But Lot’s wife looked back, and she became a pillar of salt” (Genesis 19:26).

Mrs. Lot was rescued from Sodom but she became a monument of salt reminding us of the dangers of looking back. She lost all that she possessed and the single act of looking back to see what she lost led to the loss of her life. She was saved from Sodom but did not reach her destination. Whenever we are saved from the lust and passions of this world, we should be intentional about looking up to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. Looking back could be disastrous and can cause one to miss the destination. Our future is ahead, what lies behind is a baggage of sinful acts that pulls us from knowing God. In the past, we were slaves to our sinful passions. Now, we are children of the Most High God and our focus is things above not those behind. Mrs. Lot looked back and lost her soul. We should be intentional about looking unto Jesus. The old ways of life are permanently closed and we should not desire it nor look back to see what we have lost. The truth is, we lost nothing but gained everything.