More Things JESUS Said: “You Are the Salt of the Earth.”

Christians are half-way through the 2019 Lenten season calendar – the 40-day period leading up to Easter Sunday during which we prepare our hearts and minds to commemorate CHRIST’s resurrection, three days after His crucifixion and burial. With this one-time divine act of grace, JESUS purchased the gift of eternal life in heaven for all who believe. (John 3:16)

Believers in turn worship and honor JESUS’ life and ministry daily, not just once a year at Easter.

Romans 12: 1-2 reminds us that since GOD has shown us such great mercy through His SON, we honor Him by giving our lives back to JESUS and being a world-changer on His behalf.

Everything that JESUS did and said during His life on earth up to His resurrection and return to the Father become the foundation on which we base our lifestyle choices. The world does not shape our thinking and choices – JESUS does and He gave a specific task and role to His followers – 

“You are the salt of the earth...You are the light that gives light to the world.” Matthew 5:13-14 

How are JESUS followers “salt of the earth”?

Not everyone cooks but we all eat and we all know the difference salt makes in enhancing the flavor of our food. The right amount of salt changes a blah-tasting dish to one that’s finger-licking good while too much salt will thoroughly ruin a meal. We also know that substitutes do not satisfactorily replace the real. Although human life cannot be sustained without salt, too much salt can be harmful to health.

Salt is also used as a purifier and a preservative.

As we maintain optimum physical well-being by careful use of salt, so too we desire our spiritual saltiness to have maximum effect.

The doctrine, beliefs and moral values, of the gospel teachings are said to be like salt to seekers of truth. As believers we should both live the gospel and share its good news to a dark and dying world (be salt).

Scripture tells us to be ready always to explain and share the gospel news – what we have in CHRIST (1 Peter 3:15.) And to do so with respect and gentleness. Being pushy and aggressive with GOD’s grace is like putting too much salt in a dish – it’s unpalatable to the hearer and the damage is often irreversible.

Matthew Henry’s Bible Commentary on “You’re the salt of the earth,” states in part, “Mankind, lying in ignorance and wickedness, were as a vast heap, ready to putrify; but Christ sent forth his disciples, by their lives and doctrines to season it with knowledge and grace.”

Combining our knowledge of the gospel with grace is key to exposing others to the cleansing and redeeming love of JESUS the SON and GOD the Father.

The Apostle Paul’s zeal for spreading the gospel to the Gentile world is well documented in the Scriptures, by his own hand and that of others. Paul is a model for us of what it takes to be “the salt of the earth.” His epistle to the church at Colossae gives us a glimpse into what it takes to do as well as maintain our passion.  

In Colossians 4:2-4 Paul asks believers to pray with him that:

• GOD will give opportunity to tell people His message
• He can preach the secret that GOD has made known about CHRIST (that Jews and Gentiles will share in GOD’s promise of eternal life through His grace Ephesians 3:5-6)
• He can speak the message in a way that will make it clear

Paul also gives the Colossian church advice on living and sharing the gospel (Colossians 4:5-6):

• Be wise in the way you act with people who are not believers,
• Make the most of every opportunity.
• When you talk, you should always be kind and pleasant so you will be able to answer everyone in the way you should.

Paul's story is memorable. He was a persecutor of Christians who JESUS called into His service after which he suffered many hardships and challenges that eventually cost him his life. But Paul, once He met JESUS, never faltered (Acts 9,)  

In some parts of the world Christian persecution still exists. But for many, we have freedom and open access to everything we need to press forward. It’s all written down for us in the Scriptures.

Fear of being wrong, or looking or sounding foolish, may cause us to shrink back and question ourselves. But here’s the deal – our role as CHRIST’s representatives, the salt of the earth, is one of simply living what He has done for us and telling what the WORD of GOD says. The changing of lives and hearts is GOD’s doing, through His Holy Spirit and the divine power of His WORD. (Hebrews 4:12; Acts 2:14-42)

JESUS tells us that if we love Him, we obey His teaching. The reward for doing so is access to the Father’s enduring love and the divine wisdom and knowledge of the Holy Spirit. On the other hand, those who do not love JESUS, do not merit these rewards. (Matthew 4: 23-25)

Choosing to do what JESUS says is always a win/win for the believer.

Prayer and Thanksgiving:  Holy Father, thank you for YOUR saving grace that made us partners with JESUS in taking the message of truth and hope to a world that would perish without it. Father we ask that YOU increase our love for the things that YOU love.  Thank YOU, JESUS, for giving us life with joy to the fullest through the things YOU have done and said. We pray and ask all things in YOUR NAME. Amen.

Always by God’s Word and prayer,

Cecile