Genesis 19:17-22 And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed. And Lot said unto them, Oh, not so, my Lord: Behold now, thy servant hath found grace in thy sight, and thou hast magnified thy mercy, which thou hast shewed unto me in saving my life; and I cannot escape to the mountain, lest some evil take me, and I die: Behold now, this city is near to flee unto, and it is a little one: Oh, let me escape thither, (is it not a little one?) and my soul shall live. And he said unto him, See, I have accepted thee concerning this thing also, that I will not overthrow this city, for the which thou hast spoken. Haste thee, escape thither; for I cannot do anything till thou be come thither. Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar.

Note here that Lot believed he had found grace in God’s sight and yet begged not to obey God’s gracious gift. When told to go to the mountain Lot said no. He offered up an alternative, as if he, Lot, was holding God captive in the moment and could extract a bit more grace beyond what was spoken.

Lot’s asking was based on a false assumption, that he, Lot, had found favor in God’s eye.

Genesis 19:29 And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when he overthrew the cities in the which Lot dwelt.

God saved Lot because of the love that He had for Abraham. In like kind we should keep in mind that the grace extended to us is much the same. We are the bride of Christ and that which the Son loves, the Father loves and treats graciously.

Jeremiah 7:28 But thou shalt say unto them, This is a nation that obeyeth not the voice of the Lord their God, nor receiveth correction: truth is perished, and is cut off from their mouth.

Psalm 86:11 Teach me thy way, O Lord; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name.

3 John 4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.

Consequences for sin are not correction, they are punishment. Some might think that correction is like changing the direction you are headed, as in a ships course correction. I believe that is repentance.

Correction should be looked at as coming to a proper understanding of truth. 2 Timothy 3:16 ties correction to a right understanding of the Word of God. If you have an improper understanding of scriptures how can you walk in truth?

Romans 12:1-2 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

One of those sacrifices Paul is speaking of here is your opinion. The transforming of the mind is surrendering one’s own opinions in favor of the truth. Each one of us will do what is right in our own minds but what happens when our thoughts are faulty? We stumble over our own words. While it is needful and good to have private quiet time, the results of private study should not be held secret from fellowship. Our theologies must be exposed to the light of truth, lest they should lead us astray.

Be subject to correction.