“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.
“You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.
Matthew 5:13-15, the infamous talk about being the salt and light of the world. It’s a talking that’s more than obviously targeting God’s people, not the people of the world:
“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? (Now) it’s no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.”
Often Separate This Part From the Beatitudes
Many people, even the Bible itself, often separate this part from the beatitudes. But if you read it together with verses 11 and 12, you may notice that they actually go well (if not better) together. For Jesus is talking to God’s people, telling them that when they take on God’s character, versus that of the world’s, they will be persecuted and falsely accused for all kinds of evil. But when they are, instead of retaliating, rejoice and be glad, for they treated God’s prophets in the same way. And if they stand firm, then great will their reward be in Heaven.
Now we go into the part about being the salt.
Being the Salt
When you take on Jesus Christ as your Lord, you gain a flavor that’s unlike anything in the world. The best way to describe it is with salt. If you take a little dab of salt on your tongue, you’ll notice that it has a very distinct taste to it. It really is quite different from other spices (in fact, it’s often used as a means of enhancing other spices). So those in the world are like the tasteless sand, and Christians are like salt. But now say that sometime while trying to live as a follower of Jesus, you’re persecuted and fall away, maybe figuring it’s too hard, or you can’t handle the opposition, thus fall away, or stop your ministry. This then is like losing your saltiness. Understand, this is not a matter of salvation…it’s a matter of distinguishing God’s people from not-God’s people.
So now, you’ve lost your saltiness. What good is salt that isn’t salty? How, other than the white color, is salt different from the sand of the earth if it’s lost its saltiness? Nothing, nada, zilch. So if a grain of salt loses its saltiness, it’s thrown away, and trampled on, like sand, for what good is it now if it can’t serve its purpose?
We’re called the Salt of the Earth
As Christians, we’re to be distinguishable from everybody else in behavior, in mission, in attitude, in thought, in faith, in love…but if we “lose our saltiness“, then we become like everybody else…like a grain of sand. And a grain of sand does nothing in terms of standing up for the Kingdom of Heaven.
The problem though is that so many Christians today are losing their saltiness, and thus becoming like the sands of the earth. They’ve taken on the world’s cultures, thoughts, theories about God, judgments against God, and indifferences. But these are God’s people! How can this be happening?
Biblical Illiteracy
One way is by not reading God’s Word (Bible) regularly. I’ll tell you, I’ve served in churches where I’ve actually fought to make it mandatory for youth to bring their Bibles to youth group. FOUGHT, and lost! Why? Because so many “Christians” today don’t want God’s Word or Truth to tell them what to do or that they need correcting. Instead, they want games and happy messages that tell them they’re doing well and don’t need to change. They want pats on their backs and a warm, fuzzy feeling when they leave church. They want more games and food for the body, but nothing for the Spirit.
Good Suggestions for Life’s Instructions
Another reason is because many don’t even recognize the authority of the Bible. Instead, they see it as opinions, good suggestions for life’s instructions, words of wisdom, or argue that it’s outdated. And so for guides in life, they do as they did in the book of Judges: decide for themselves what’s right and wrong, as according to the culture. They judge God and deem Him guilty of anything from being unfair to unjust. Indifference settles in, and instead of standing up for what’s Godly, they stand up for what feels good and what seems right.
Liberal Theology and the Gospel of Cheap Grace
Such Biblical illiteracy has produced liberal theology and the gospel of Cheap Grace. In response, churches focus more on God’s love than on discipleship, being careful not to offend anybody; holiness is traded in for happiness; the Bible is dissected like DNA until it supports their own agendas and what they want it to say.
Indifference to Sin
“Homosexuality is fine and fully acceptable in the Church!” they say, and “Sin has different levels, so just don’t do the bigger ones!” They claim there’s no Hell because “if God was a loving God, then he wouldn’t let anybody go to hell, so there’s no hell!”
So today, many Christians act, think, argue, and believe as people of the world, yet still call themselves “Christians”. They don’t even realize that they’ve lost their saltiness, and are no longer distinguishable from the sands of the earth.
Light of the World
Christians, don’t you realize that you’re not only the salt of the land, but you’re also the light of the world? There’s a second part to that passage in Matthew 5: “You are the light of the world (the cosmos). A city on a hill can’t be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.”
It isn’t just a problem that so many are losing their saltiness. But it’s also a problem because they’re the light of the cosmos…the world and everything in, on, and around it. In other words, as they’re losing their saltiness, and becoming like the world, the world around them continues to recognize them as “Christians”, and believes their false representations of God.
Don’t You Realize? Don’t You Understand?
Don’t you realize that you’re the salt of the earth? Yet you’ve lost your saltiness and aren’t any good for the Kingdom of Heaven. Yet, you’re still light, and the darkened world recognizes you as such. So if anything, you’re knocking down the Kingdom walls with your un-Godliness.
Don’t you understand? When facing persecution, don’t fall away in order to keep from attracting attention to yourself. Is that not like a candle going out? Is that not like letting the opposers win? Don’t let that happen. Don’t fall into their ways. Don’t allow their germs to make you spiritually sick. Don’t let them put out your flame. You should be lighting up! Shine! Shine in the darkness so that everyone may see that you are from God, a member of the Kingdom of Heaven! They will see this when they compare you to God, as people of His Kingdom. When you keep your saltiness, and let your light shine, others will see from your good works and good deeds (spiritual gifts?) that you are legit…from God! Now, they may not agree with God and His Word, and may in turn lie against you, bring up false accusations, but it will all fall away due to lack of evidence. If all you shine is light, then how can others actually believe that the persecutors are right?
This Isn’t New
But even if they do believe the persecutors, remember that they also did so against God’s prophets. Therefore, don’t give in. Don’t fall away from God’s grace. Don’t become confused and back away from God. Don’t be afraid of offending. Instead, rejoice, for you are being put on the same standing (level) as the prophets, who were blessed by God Himself. In the same way in which they were persecuted, so you are also. But in the same way that they were blessed by God, so you are, too.
Blessed are Those who…
Blessed are those who are poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. Blessed are those who mourn…
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.
And blessed are YOU when they insult you…
Blessed are you if you stand firm until the end.
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