Did you know Lot’s wife was turned into a pillar of salt for looking back? Do you feel that the LORD is leading you and taking you by the hand, urging you to flee Babylon? Do you understand what it means to give up all you have? Consider these words of Paul. “I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before.”

We are probably all familiar with the story of Lot and his wife. As previously stated, she was turned into a pillar of salt. It is evident that she was still holding on to things in the world, unable to let go fully. Her actions teach us a valuable lesson. This is also an example of what Jesus teaches. After Lot is taken by the angel of the LORD and led out of the city, he is told, “Escape for thine own life. Look not behind thee, nor stay on the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed.” Jesus teaches us that the Kingdom of GOD is within us. Were you aware that, “fleeing to the mountain,” is something that happens spiritually?

Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? Or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. – 2 Corinthians 6:14-18.

In the Gospels, Jesus teaches, “So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.” – Luke 14:33. “Remember Lot’s wife?  Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life, shall preserve it.” – Luke 17:33. “For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.” – Matthew 16:25. By going through the teachings of Jesus Christ and comparing spiritual with spiritual, we learn what letting go truly means. “Ye shall walk in all the ways which the Lord your God hath commanded you, that ye may live, and that it may be well with you, and that ye may prolong your days in the land which ye shall possess.” – Deuteronomy 5:33. As we see in the Law, they were instructed to do certain things and to live a certain way. What I know, is that I don’t want to be turned into a pillar of salt for not fully letting go.

When the Lord came in the flesh, He fulfilled the Law and gave us something better. And, what do we know about John the Baptist? He was preaching the Gospel of repentance to a group of people who understood and kept the Law. They were even stoning people for breaking certain commandments. So when we see John saying, “I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make STRAIGHT the WAY of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias,” we then need to begin looking further at the teachings of Christ, and what His Words were in the Gospels. “Jesus said I am the WAY,” and “Enter ye in at the STRAIGHT gate… Because STRAIGHT is the gate, and narrow is the WAY, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” Logically we know that the Messiah fulfilled the Law according to Matthew 5:17. What specifically is being said that we all must be missing?

Peter tells us, “Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance.” He also says, “Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul.” As well as, “the WAY of truth shall be evil spoken of.”

Paul tells us in Galatians 3, “O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you… Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?” Below are three screenshots of the KJV Bible with the Strong’s Concordance referenced. You will see the words crucified, foolish, and flesh highlighted and expanded on so that we can understand specifically what Paul was teaching them at that time.

In essence, Paul is telling us that Jesus Christ was able to subdue His passions and selfishness. Which also equates to lust and the things that we are holding on to in this world. Regardless of whether you are married or not. He goes on to say, “are you so sensual, having begun in the Spirit, are you now made perfect by being a carnally minded human being?” In 1 Thessalonians 4 Paul states, ““For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication.” The implication isn’t to abstain from adultery. He is reaffirming once again, what he said in Galatians to the Thessalonian church. The whole world, Christian or non-Christian knows that adultery is bad. “Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another.” – Romans 2:15. The question is, how was he so sure of these things? The answer is by looking further at the Gospels and additional Words of Jesus. He says, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.” He also said unto his disciples, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.”

It is mentioned in the New Testament, “He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.” We are also told through the parables and the miracles of Jesus things such as this,  “Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy BED, and WALK.” The connections are endless once you understand this, have obtained this knowledge, and fully believed it. At the moment of 100% belief and the execution thereof, it is accounted unto righteousness. Just think of it as Abraham being 100% willing to sacrifice his son. For the Bible, His very Word becomes a part of you, and you have then understood one Principal of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, that will help you in finding your path back to the Father, our Lord, our God.

My prayer and my hope in these efforts are to help us all find the things which we seek the most, the very answers to the Truth, and our Way Home. “Jesus saith unto him, I AM the WAY, the Truth (who we are, where we come from, and why we are facing judgement), and the Life (man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God). May you be blessed with spiritual understanding and may the Lord God’s Spirit shine upon you in all things. Stay blessed.

– Jonathan Heller – Lift Up A Banner