The Gospel Of Matthew Part 9 Do We Live As Salt Of The Earth and Light Of The World?

What does it mean for Christians to be the salt of the earth?

Matthew 5:13  Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men

Jesus declared that His disciples (which includes Christians living today) are the salt of the earth.

He gave us a simple yet powerful picture of how Christians are related to the world.

"Ye are the salt of the earth." 

This picture of our role as disciples of Christ is simple and understandable with regard to its application. 

The context of Jesus' statement involves God's judgment on the corrupt society, and a lofty goal for how His disciples respond to the corruption. 

An abundance of evidence around us shows that the culture is a cesspool of depravity.

Substance abuse, sexual perversion, dishonesty and heinous crimes all point to moral decay.

Our whole world is waxing worse and worse just as the apostle said it would (See 2 Timothy 3:11-13) . 

Our Lord shows us how preachers of the Gospel, and all His disciples should live.  

We are to be the salt of the earth, in order to preserve the world from faster putrefaction and swifter destruction.

Our manner of behavior and conduct and obedience to God's Word acts like salt being spread into a decaying culture.

When we bear witness for Christ by sharing the gospel or preaching it, are spreading salt into the culture. 

Christians living for God is compared to properly functioning salt because by our testimony and conduct, we preach the gospel of Christ.

The gospel exalts the life, works and words of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The gospel proclaims the grace of God that is come into the world through Christ.

The gospel is the power of God unto salvation to all who believe it (See Romans 1:16-17).

Those who preach the gospel and sinners converted to Christ through preaching, become living examples of transformed lives.

Spiritual life is given to repentant sinners through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost (See Titus 3:4-6).

The Spirit of God indwells each believer, connecting us to each other and to our Lord Jesus Christ (See Ephesians 2:13-22). 

As He works His fruit into our character, this is a testimony of being the salt of the earth.

We will use meat as an example of how salt is used.

Generally salt is applied to meat in order to preserve it from decay. 

Salt does its preserving work by being brought into close contact with the meat that must be preserved. 

The only way salt can purify meat is by being rubbed on or mixed into the meat.  

Therefore, salt does its work silently and gradually.

Taste and see the goodness of Jehovah in the gospel of Christ.

Psalm 34:8-9  O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him. 9)  O fear the LORD, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him. 

Christians are not withdrawn from the corruption around us but as we are exposed to the truth of God's Word we will not go to places and do things we shouldn't or look at and listen to things we shouldn't look at or listen to. 

The Psalmist invites us to taste and see the goodness of Jehovah by hearing and responding to the gospel of Christ.

Blessing awaits all who put their trust in Him.

Fear, reverence and respect for God will be evident in our lives and we find that God's provision is both sufficient and sure. 

Seek the spiritual sweetness of ingesting the scriptures. 

Psalm 119:103  How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth! 

Thus, the Psalmist and all believers, can say how sweet the Word of God is to their soul and this includes the gospel of Christ.

The gospel is the bread of God from heaven (See John 6:27-35).

The gospel has the words of eternal life (John 6:68).

Our starting point is drinking in the pure milk of God's Word.

1 Peter 2:2-3  As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: 3)  If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. 

The gospel is pure milk from God that starts each believer in Christ on the path of spiritual growth.

Drinking in the Word of God promotes spiritual growth.

Drinking in the Word of God teaches us about the marvelous grace of God.

Hebrews 5:11-14  Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing. 12)  For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. 13)  For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. 14)  But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. 

The gospel is strong meat that sustains our soul in trying times and strengthens our faith. 

Each Christian must strive to make spiritual progress toward a maturing faith. 

If we stay babes in Christ and fail to grow then we miss out on what God has for us. 

Christians must engage in checking cultural corruption by being a pure example of holy living for others to see.

Salt renders food pleasant and palatable, and preserves from putrefaction. 

Each Christian should set an example of godliness and obedience to God. Living a godly life will slow the world's plunge into moral corruption. 

As we live for God's glory and pray for those who are lost, we desire to see sinners come to repentant faith in Christ as the answer to our prayers. 

Our godly testimony, holy influence and good example, can retard the culture's plunge into sin.

This connects with Jesus telling us that man does not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.

What about salt that loses its savor? 

Matthew 5:13  Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.

Salt that loses its savor has become tasteless, or has lost its preserving properties.

Salt that loses its savor can no longer function as it was designed to function.

Eastern countries used an impure salt that was mingled with other substances. 

Therefore, it lost it saltiness and could no longer act as a preservative

This kind of salt was no good except to be spread on paths like we use gravel, for it would stifle vegetation.

This is a picture of a backsliding Christian who lives for self and the world instead of living as Jesus' commands us to live.

Such a one has no testimony or evidence of a life transformed by the gospel of Christ.

Such a one is rendered ineffective as a believer, and when they try to share the gospel, their words are empty.

They are trying to tell others they must be born again, but they are not living it out; thus, they are perceived as hypocrites.

What does it mean that believers in Christ are the light of the world?

Matthew 5:14-16  Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. 15)  Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. 16)  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Next, Jesus taught us about being the light of the world and the comparison He makes is easy to understand and apply.

The sun is our source of light that illuminates our world.

John 8:12  Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. 

Jesus stated clearly that "I am the light of the world" because He is the full and perfect manifestation of the Father to the world. 

All disciples of Jesus Christ shall not walk in darkness but will enjoy walking in the light.

The apostle John tells us that God is light and there is no darkness in Him at all.

Thus, we walk in light and have fellowship with God and each other (See 1 John 1:5-7).

Jesus applies this comparison to His disciples whose primary task is to carry and spread the light of the Gospel all over the world. 

The Word of God which includes the gospel, is pure light from heaven.

Psalm 119:105  NUN. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. 

Light from the scriptures shows us immediate spiritual perils that we must avoid.

This holy light also shows us the path of holiness and purity that God wants each of His children to walk on.

Psalm 119:130  The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple. 

When the gospel of Christ is received by a repentant sinner, it blazes as a divine light in the soul of man.

It illuminates Jesus Christ as our only hope and the only way of salvation.

It shines a light into our heart to show us the way that God wants us to live.

Ephesians 5:8  For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: 

Each Christian is "light in the Lord" and we are commanded to walk as children of light.

All of these truths amplify what Jesus is teaching us about His disciple's being the light of the world.

Sharing the gospel of Christ is like spreading salt into a corrupt culture.

In like manner, walking as children of light, in the light of His Word shines the gospel into the sin darkened world.

May we seek to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world that Jesus saved us to be. 

Bob