And Abram went up out of Egypt, he, and his wife, and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the south. 2 And Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold. 3 And he went on his journeys from the south even to Beth–el, unto the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Beth–el and Hai; 4 Unto the place of the altar, which he had made there at the first: and there Abram called on the name of the Lord.

We see Abram and his caravan returning to the Promised Land. Pharaoh sent Abram away with a great deal of riches, in the form of “sheep, and oxen, and he asses, and menservants, and maidservants, and she asses, and camels.” Gen. 12:15 These gifts were given to Abram by Pharoah when he was entreating for Sarai. In the above passage, we read that Abram also came away with much gold and silver. Even in backsliding – God’s people are blessed.

Abram has “turned back,” and offered sacrifice. True repentance involves a turning, an identifiable change from the sinful path, back to the straight path. Without the “turning,” or repentance – there can be no fellowship with God.

5 And Lot also, which went with Abram, had flocks, and herds, and tents. 6 And the land was not able to bear them, that they might dwell together: for their substance was great, so that they could not dwell together. 7 And there was a strife between the herdmen of Abram’s cattle and the herdmen of Lot’s cattle: and the Canaanite and the Perizzite dwelled then in the land. 8 And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen; for we be brethren. 9 Is not the whole land before thee? separate thyself, I pray thee, from me: if thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if thou depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left.

Abram lays out to Lot, a choice, similar to the choices that every believer must make in their lives. Do we take the hard road, full of resistance and challenges? Or do we take the easy road that will give ease and comfort to our flesh?

Abram and Lot represent the two kinds of Christians. Lot – the Carnal believer, and Abram – the Spiritual believer.

10 And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar. 11 Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east: and they separated themselves the one from the other. 12 Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom. 13 But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the Lord exceedingly.

Lot’s worldly vision – only has eyes for the well-watered plain of Jordan. In his eyes, it is even like the Garden of Eden, and the lush land of Egypt. In his covetousness – he blocks out the reality of the depraved moral condition of the men of Sodom. His desire has overruled his faith.

14 And the Lord said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward: 15 For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever. 16 And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered. 17 Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it unto thee. 18 Then Abram removed his tent, and came and dwelt in the plain of Mamre, which is in Hebron, and built there an altar unto the Lord. Genesis 13: 1-18

This is likely the view that Abram had of the Promised land. Not in any way like the lush, well-watered plain of Sodom that Lot chose. Abram remained in the rocky, stubble filled mountains.

Lot – the carnal believer chose the selfish way, the worldly way. He chose not to separate himself from evil and its influence, rather, he chose to live alongside it; in the same fashion that the post modern Christian does; thereby inviting disaster. Like Lot, when disaster comes, the carnal Christian will fail to see it as a warning from God.

15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.