Verse: Luke 17:32–33
Theme: Letting Go of the Past and Living a Life of Total Surrender
Remember Lot’s wife. Whoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it and whoever shall lose his life shall preserve it
— Luke 17:32–33, King James Version (KJV)
Remember what happened to Lot’s wife. If you cling to your life, you will lose it, and if you let your life go, you will save it
— Luke 17:32–33, New Living Translation (NLT)
Remember Lot’s wife. Whoever seeks to keep his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will keep it
— Luke 17:32–33, New American Standard Bible (NASB)
Meaning of Luke 17:32–33
These verses from Luke hold both a haunting warning and a beautiful promise. In just a few words, Jesus touches the core of the human struggle: the temptation to hold on to what feels familiar and safe, even when it is spiritually fatal. He references Lot’s wife from Genesis to illustrate the danger of divided loyalty. She was delivered from a doomed city, yet looked back and lost her life. Jesus uses her as a living symbol of what happens when we cling to the past while God is calling us forward.
“Whoever seeks to save his life shall lose it” is a paradox that pierces through human logic. Jesus is not condemning the desire to live, but He is challenging our understanding of what real life is. Clinging to worldly security, reputation, material comforts, or self-centered dreams may feel like survival, but in God’s economy, it often leads to spiritual death. On the other hand, those who surrender what they cannot keep in exchange for what they cannot lose—eternal life—will truly find preservation of soul.
These two verses come in the context of Jesus explaining the coming of the kingdom. He warns His listeners not to look back or hesitate when God’s judgment comes. The example of Lot’s wife serves to caution believers that when God calls you out of something, you must not look back in longing or regret. Her story is not just about disobedience but about a heart tethered to a way of life God had condemned.
To seek to save your life is to prioritize self over God. It is to try and hold on to your own definitions of comfort, meaning, and success. But Jesus invites us into a better kind of life—one shaped by surrender and trust. The preservation He promises is not always physical but eternal. Losing your life in this world, when done for His sake, is never a loss in His kingdom.
Popular Words of Wisdom from Luke 17:32–33
When Jesus said “Remember Lot’s wife” He was not just speaking of her actions but of her affections. You cannot walk toward God while your heart leans backward
— Christine Caine, Evangelist and Founder of A21 Campaign
True surrender is not giving up your life but placing it in the hands of the One who can truly save it
— Tony Evans, Senior Pastor and Author
Lot’s wife reminds us that proximity to deliverance is not the same as participation in it
— Lisa Bevere, Christian Author and Speaker
The danger is not just in looking back but in looking back with desire. What you love determines what you follow
— Tim Keller, Pastor and Christian Apologist
Self-preservation outside God’s will is self-destruction in disguise
— C.S. Lewis, Writer and Christian Thinker
Clinging to what you think is life often keeps you from what actually is
— Dallas Willard, Philosopher and Christian Spiritual Teacher
She left the city but not the longing. Salvation is a direction of the soul, not just the feet
— Priscilla Shirer, Bible Teacher and Actress
If you are always looking back, you cannot walk forward with confidence. Faith has no rearview mirror
— John Maxwell, Leadership Expert and Former Pastor
Your past is a place of reference, not residence. Lot’s wife made the mistake of turning it into her final destination
— Bishop Noel Jones, Senior Pastor of City of Refuge
Explaining the Context of Luke 17:32–33
Luke 17 is a chapter filled with profound teachings from Jesus about the end times, discipleship, and the cost of following Him. As He journeys toward Jerusalem, He speaks about the suddenness of the kingdom’s arrival and how people should prepare for it. He describes how life will be going on as usual when God’s final judgment comes, just like in the days of Noah and Lot.
In that context, Jesus delivers the sharp command: “Remember Lot’s wife.” It is not merely a historical reference but a warning for the future. Lot’s wife represents a heart unwilling to let go of a corrupt world. She was given a way out but chose to emotionally and spiritually stay behind. Her body moved forward but her soul turned back.
Jesus continues by emphasizing that anyone trying to preserve their life—meaning their own version of what life should be—will ultimately lose it. This is in direct confrontation with the human instinct for control and safety. Jesus wanted His followers to know that His way is not about hoarding security or status, but about radical trust and surrender.
These verses were meant to strip away illusions and prepare believers for what true discipleship entails. The moment of judgment reveals the heart’s true allegiance. Jesus does not water down His message. He calls for total devotion. When He returns or when our lives end, there will be no time for indecision. Lot’s wife did not get a second glance. Neither will we.
Explaining the Key Parts of Luke 17:32–33
Remember Lot’s Wife
This is the only time in the New Testament that Jesus explicitly tells people to “remember” a specific individual from the Old Testament. It signals the gravity of her example. Lot’s wife serves as a symbol of spiritual hesitancy, of divided love. Her backward glance was more than a physical action. It was a revelation of her heart. She remembered what she was losing more than what she was gaining. Jesus does not want us to forget that such hesitation can be spiritually fatal.
Whoever Shall Seek to Save His Life Shall Lose It
This phrase hits at the core of worldly thinking. To seek to save your life means to live self-protectively, to cling to control, to worship comfort and self-interest. But Jesus teaches that the very act of trying to keep life on your own terms leads to the loss of the truest life—one anchored in God’s eternal purposes.
Whoever Shall Lose His Life Shall Preserve It
This is not a call to recklessness but to submission. Losing your life means surrendering your preferences, your ego, your agenda, even your safety—when they come in conflict with God’s will. In doing so, you find what really matters. This kind of loss is actually gain. This kind of surrender is what leads to preservation in God’s kingdom.
Lessons to Learn from Luke 17:32–33
1. Partial Obedience Is Still Disobedience
Lot’s wife obeyed in part. She left the city. But she looked back. That moment revealed that her heart never fully left. God does not ask for halfway devotion. The call is to follow Him with your whole heart.
2. Surrender Is the Path to Real Life
Trying to protect your status, your dreams, or your life at the expense of obedience will result in loss. But when you surrender your life to God, you find a version of life that far exceeds your own expectations.
3. The Past Can Be a Trap
Longing for what God has called you out of is dangerous. The past can feel familiar, but that does not mean it is safe. Letting go of it is necessary for spiritual growth and preservation.
4. Judgment Reveals the Heart
The story of Lot’s wife and Jesus’ teaching show that in times of crisis or judgment, the true state of your heart becomes clear. What you love most will be revealed by what you cling to.
5. Remembering Can Be Redemptive
Jesus tells us to remember Lot’s wife so we do not repeat her mistake. Memory, when guided by truth, can be a powerful safeguard against disobedience.
Related Bible Verses
And Jesus said unto him No man having put his hand to the plough and looking back is fit for the kingdom of God
— Luke 9:62, King James Version (KJV)
For whosoever will save his life shall lose it but whosoever will lose his life for my sake the same shall save it
— Luke 9:24, King James Version (KJV)
Set your affection on things above not on things on the earth
— Colossians 3:2, King James Version (KJV)
Do not love 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
— 1 John 2:15, King James Version (KJV)
I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus
— Philippians 3:14, King James Version (KJV)
How This Verse Points to Christ
Luke 17:32–33 is not only a warning but also a foreshadowing of Christ’s own path. Jesus did not seek to save His earthly life. He laid it down. He walked willingly into suffering and death, not clinging to comfort or safety. In doing so, He became the model of what it means to lose your life and preserve it.
Jesus is the perfect fulfillment of what Lot’s wife failed to be. He never looked back. He set His face toward Jerusalem and the cross. His obedience was complete, and because of that, He became the way to eternal life for all who follow Him. He not only tells us to lose our lives for His sake but shows us what that looks like.
Through Christ, we are given the courage to let go. The promise of preservation in Him outweighs anything we could possibly lose. He invites us to release the temporary for the eternal, the known for the better unknown. And unlike Lot’s wife who turned into salt, Jesus calls us to be the salt of the earth—preserving, flavoring, and representing His life in a fading world.
Closing Reflection
Luke 17:32–33 compels us to examine where our hearts are truly anchored. Jesus is not simply calling us to remember a historical event. He is urging us to evaluate our desires and priorities. Lot’s wife was pulled back by what she cherished. If we are not careful, our affections can pull us away from the future God intends.
When Jesus calls you to follow Him, He calls you forward. There is no room for nostalgia when obedience is required. Whether it is a relationship, a habit, a mindset, or a dream that no longer aligns with God’s will, let it go. Do not look back. Do not cling to what cannot save.
Your new life in Christ is ahead of you, not behind. And the promise is clear—what you surrender for God, you will never truly lose. What you give up for Him, He redeems in greater measure. So walk forward boldly. And remember Lot’s wife.
Say This Prayer
Lord Jesus
Thank You for reminding me through Your Word that there is danger in looking back. Help me to trust You fully and to release anything that holds me back from Your will.
Teach me to surrender. I no longer want to cling to the things You’ve called me out of. I repent for the times I’ve hesitated when You said move.
I want to lose my life for Your sake and find it in You. Preserve me, Lord. Keep my heart focused on what lies ahead.
I fix my eyes on You and choose to follow You without turning back.
In Jesus’ name I pray
Amen.
Evang. Anabelle Thompson is the founder of Believers Refuge, a Scripture-based resource that helps Christians to find biblical guidance for life’s challenges.
With over 15 years of ministry experience and a decade of dedicated Bible study, she creates content that connects believers with relevant Scripture for their daily struggles.
Her work has reached over 76,000 monthly readers (which is projected to reach 100,000 readers by the end of 2025) seeking practical faith applications, biblical encouragement, and spiritual guidance rooted in God’s Word.
She writes from personal experience, having walked through seasons of waiting, breakthrough, and spiritual growth that inform her teaching.
Evang. Thompson brings 12 years of active ministry and evangelism experience, along with over 10 years of systematic Bible study and theological research.
As a former small group leader and Sunday school teacher, she has published over 200 biblical resources and devotional studies.
She specializes in applying Scripture to everyday life challenges and regularly studies the original Hebrew and Greek texts for a deeper biblical understanding.