Tuesday, November 4, 2008

The Believers Influence In The World - Salt - Part 1

In Matthew 5:13 Jesus said "You are the salt of the earth. But if 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 men." This verse is the start of a new section in the Sermon on the Mount. We are moving from abstract definition of a Christian to a functional one. This teaching on the believer as salt and the next teaching on the believer as light deal with the believer’s influence in the world in which he lives. If you live according to the Beatitudes you will function as salt and light. Salt acts secretly, its work is not noticed immediately, but is seen afterward. To live as salt means that your life as a Christian will make a difference in the long run. By contrast light is something that is seen right away and makes immediate changes. To live as light means that your life as a Christian will have obvious and clear impact on others around you.

Salt was greatly valued in the ancient world, the Greeks called salt divine. Roman soldiers were given salt rations and would revolt if these rations were changed. The Romans held that except for the sun nothing was more valuable than salt. The English word “salary” literally means “salt money”, this is where we get the expression “that person’s not worth their salt”. In the ancient world salt was a symbol of purity and faithfulness, and Jesus dared to apply this symbol to those who trust Him. This says something about the character and conduct of a Christian's life.

Do you know what Salt Is? Salt comes from the union of chlorine (a gas, vapor, from above) and sodium (a dark metal of the earth). We could say that Chlorine represents the Holy Spirit and sodium represents the unregenerate man that when combined produce salt, a white pure substance which represents a new creation, someone who as Jesus said has been born again. in John 3:3 Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again."

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