The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah in the book of Genesis is one of the most well-known events in the bible and indeed in human history. As we come to it beginning in Genesis 18, one important lesson can be learned.
The condition of the human heart is unchanged.
In the days of Noah, prior to the flood, we read “The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth and every intention of the thought of his heart was only evil continually” Ge. 6:5. But then after the flood we hear God saying, “the intention of man’s heart is evil from his youth.” Gen. 8:21. This means that the destruction of the earth by the flood did not change the nature of man’s heart. Therefore, here is God again in Genesis 18 needing to deal with the outcry of Sodom & Gomorrah’s sin.
What then can change man?
The answer is being born again. To be born again means to die to our old nature and be born again a new creation. The Lord Jesus said in John 12:24 “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit”. Here, he was speaking of himself dying on the cross. But immediately in the following verse he says: “whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life” John 12:25. Here, he is speaking of those who would follow him. They, like him, would need to die to the world. That’s the principle of carrying the cross and following him. The cross is an instrument of death. We died with him, buried with him and rose with him into newness of life. Our old nature, which loves sin and demands judgement, has changed. Our heart of stone is replaced with a heart of flesh. Now, we want “to keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice” Gen. 18:19. Now, we can say with the apostle Paul what the people of Sodom & Gomorrah could not say, “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Rom 8:1