“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 by man.” (Matt. 5:13)

In a previous blog post I observed how Matthew 5:13 says that we are the salt of the earth — present tense, a matter of fact … it’s who we are as children of God.  What I also find interesting is that rather than talk about the qualities and effects of salt, this verse only deals with salt losing its saltiness.  Why?  — probably because we need to understand the long range effect and damage it can do when we lose our testimony in the world

Could it be that we are seeing why today?  Immorality and liberal ways of thought have so infiltrated the world that people seem blind to truth.  Those who claim that there are absolute truths are viewed as arrogant and intolerant.  Those who take a stand for Christ are so often ridiculed or persecuted.  How did we get here … where Christians are seen as the ones to “be thrown out and trampled by men?”  How did the world get so far off track?

If we as Christians aren’t living as the salt of the earth, the desire for and perceived value of being a Christian decreases.  The salt is losing its saltiness!  If we Christians aren’t living as the salt of the earth, how will it be seasoned with the truth of God’s Word and His grace?  The salt is losing its saltiness when we no longer see a godly influence in the world.  It is when salt has lost its saltiness that we fail to infiltrate our society with His truth and goodness.

Don’t despair.  A salt shaker contains many grains of salt.  Though some may have lost their saltiness, not all have.  If those who want to still influence the world pull together, a little salt can go a long way!

Here is how:

* We can sprinkle God’s love on others around us.  (Salt seasons so it will make the Gospel seem more palatable. - Ps. 34:8)

* We can be ready to give an answer by consistently living according to His grace.  (Salt is always salty unless it loses its saltiness. – Col. 4:6)

* We can hold fast to the infallible Word of Truth, no matter what.  (Salt is a preserving agent so we can let the world know that His truth will not go away, no matter how they treat it. – Matt. 5:18; 1 Pet. 1:23-25)

* We can live a life of integrity rather than selfish ambition, knowing that a better day is coming.  (Salt purifies and cleanses. – 1 Jn. 1:9; 3:2-3)

As we live as the salt of the earth, God will use us to:

1. produce thirst for the Living Water (Enough salt intake and people want water.)
2. bring healing to those around us, maybe even to our land (Salt is useful as an antiseptic.)

Read more about being the salt of the earth.

In a previous blog post I encouraged us, as His Church, to lay aside our differences and stand as one voice in Him especially as we see the liberal and immoral influences and agendas in our world increase. 

The world so desperately needs us
to live as salt and light.

In looking at Matthew 5:13-16, I was struck by how Jesus said we are the salt and light — present tense.  He didn’t say we should be or could be.  The tense of the verb “are” in the original language is present indicative which indicates a simple statement of fact.  We are inherently salt and light because of our life in Him.  It is part of who we are as His children.

Now it is possible for salt to lose its saltiness and for light to be covered over so it is not seen.  But, salt is still salt and light is still light.  Remember, we are salt and light in Him. 

The question then becomes, whether we want to be an influence for good in our world.  The only way that will happen is if we live as the salt and light that we are, reflecting the Lord in all His fullness before others.  Because we are salt and light, we already have what we need to to live that way.  As 2 Peter 1:3 informs us, we have “everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of Him.”  — No exceptions!  No excuses!

In the next two blog posts I will give some thoughts on what it looks like for a believer to not just BE but to LIVE as salt and light in today’s world.