You Are The Salt Of The Earth
Bible Reading verse: Matthew 5:13
“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot”
The value of Salt
The value of salt, especially in the ancient world cannot be under estimated. Even today I is still relevant in a similar way, but most of us may not be able to appreciate the value or importance of salt….Let me elaborate on the importance of salt now…
Importance of salt
1. Roman soldiers received their wages in salt. The English word salary is derived from the Latin word Salarium which refers to the payments made to a Roman soldier with salt.
2. The Greeks considered salt to be divine.
3. The Mosaic Law required that all offerings presented by the Israelites contain salt. (Lev. 2:13) When Jesus told his disciples that they were “the salt of the earth”, as recorded in Matthew 5:13, they understood the metaphor. While the universal importance of salt is not as readily apparent in our modern world, the mandate that Jesus gave to his first disciples is still relevant and applicable to His followers today.
Characteristics of salt that act as a comparison to our Christian life today…..
1. Whiteness represents the peace and purity:
Just as we are purified through Jesus Christ, we must live as if we are purified. We can purify others in their walk with God by encouragement, involvement, and through the teaching of God’s Word.
2. Salt’s flavoring properties:
Salt’s flavoring properties imply that Christians are to add divine flavor to the world. I was working in a hospital, where I had a friend whose father was a cook. So, this friend of mine was also good in cooking because he learnt the trade from his father. I do not know if you know this, but when you add a little salt, the dish becomes extremely tasty.
In the same way that salt enhances the flavor of the food it seasons, the followers of Christ stand out as those who “enhance” the flavor of life in this world.
Christians, living under the guidance of the Holy Spirit and in obedience to Christ, will inevitably influence the world for good, as salt has a positive influence on the flavor of the food it seasons. Where there is strife, we are to be peacemakers; where there is sorrow, we are to be the ministers of Christ, binding up wounds, and where there is hatred, we are to exemplify the love of God in Christ, returning good for evil (Luke 6:35).
3. Salt as a preservative:
When Jesus said, “You are the salt of the earth“, He meant that all of His disciples were to serve as preservatives, stopping the moral decay in our sin infected world. Without refrigeration, the fish that they caught would quickly spoil and rot unless they were packed in salt. Once salted, the fish could be safely stored and then used when needed. The spiritual health and strength of the Christian is to counteract the corruption that is in the world. Christians, as salt, are to inhibit sin’s power to destroy lives. This in turn creates opportunity for the gospel to be proclaimed and received. Believers in Christ are preservatives to the world, preserving it from the evil inherent in the society of ungodly men whose unredeemed natures are corrupted by sin (Psalm 14:3; Romans 8:8).
4. Salt stings but heals:
Still others believe that Christians are to sting the world with rebuke and judgment the way salt stings an open wound. Although we cannot heal anyone, we know the antidote for healing. Dr. Luke tells us in Acts 3:18, “Repent and be converted, so that your sins may be blotted out.”
5. Salt creates a thirst:
Christians are to create a thirst for Christ. Salt, however, has another vital purpose which is probably what the Lord had in mind-it stops decay. We are to leave people thirsty for more. Live your life as if you are saved. This will make people want to know what you have. Ask the Lord to give you a lifestyle that would make people thirsty to know what hope you have. Give all of the credit to Jesus Christ.
6. Salt disappears, but changes the taste of a dish:
As a child of God, we have to become living sacrifices if we have to make a change in the lives of people around us. We cannot remain as we are but change. We need to change our hearts completely and sacrifice ourselves if we have to make a difference in this world.
7. Melts Ice:
If there is someone who might have gotten cold in there faith, we are to melt that barrier by being the salt of God. We must be careful to not be lukewarm as well. “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold or hot. I wish you were one or the other! So, because you are Lukewarm neither hot nor cold, I am about to spit you out of my mouth” (Revelation 3:15-16 NIV). In some situations you will find yourself talking with someone who has a cold heart from their past life. We are to help warm their heart with the love of God.
What happens when you lose the saltiness?
We have been given a wonderful privilege to be the salt of the earth, but Jesus gave us a warning. The second half of Matthew 5:13 states “But if salt loses its taste, how would its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trodden underfoot by men”. Jesus did not say that we can lose our salvation, but he said that we can lose our saltiness. When salt is contaminated it becomes corrosive and poisonous. Contaminated salt cannot even be used for fertilizer on the field, but it has to be thrown on the road. If we have allowed disobedience, carelessness and indifference to rule our lives, we have become contaminated salt and have lost our saltiness. We need to confess our sin and let the Lord restore us to the purpose for which we were called.
Illustration for being salt and light in church
A pastor and his wife decide to have the church deacons and their wives over for dinner. It was quite an undertaking, but the pastor and his wife want to be “Salt and Light” for the leaders of their church. When it comes time for dinner, everyone is seated and the pastor’s wife asks her little four year old daughter if she will say grace. (As a note to new parents: Don’t do this!)
The girl says “I don’t know what to say.”
Her mom tells her, “Just say what I say honey.”
Everyone bows their head and the little girl says, “O dear Lord, why am I having all these people over for dinner! Amen!”
Though the couple wanted to be a salt of the Earth in their church, their actions failed to be the salt. They lost their saltiness. Let us not be such people who have lost the saltiness. Instead, let each Christian help each other to be salty and bring more people into the fold of the kingdom of God. If you remain as the salt of the Earth, it is like sowing the seeds and Jesus Reaps in his own time.