The salt of the world
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.
In many years there has been a debate on the stand of the Christians and their relationship with the world. Many are of the opinion Christians who carries the light of God must not have anything to do with the world
Others seek to mimic the world in order to influence it. Church services play secular music, believers enjoy the same entertainment and wear the same clothes as the world. In this community, it is often hard to tell the difference between Christians and nonbelievers. This is frequently all done in the name of being “seeker sensitive.”
But Jesus Christ in His word describes the position and relationship of the church, the believers in the world in. 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.
As salt preserves food, so also Christians with their godly characters preserve the society from moral decay. The impurities of unrefined salt had no preservation qualities, when Christians lose their preservative influence of a godly example, they are useless for God to preserve the decay of society.
When salt loses its saltiness, it is good for nothing, and thus, it is thrown out into the rubbish heap. So it is with a disciple. When a Christian loses his Christian influence in the community, he is good for nothing with reference to influencing people to come to Jesus. His bad reputation repels people from coming to Christ
The position of every believer in Christ in the world is to be the salt of the world. To be the salt of the world means that believers are valuable to the world. Believers becomes essential commodity that is needed in the world in order to have sane society.
To be the salt of the world also means that believers preserve the society from moral decay.
In the midst of this world-wide moral decay, believers are salt, a preserving influence on this world. They preserve the world in a negative sense by retarding the decay. But they also preserve it in a positive sense by promoting righteousness.
Believers are a righteous influence by practicing godly behaviour: caring for the weak and vulnerable in society, practicing honesty and integrity, championing righteous causes and condemning sin, etc. When this is done, it will spur hatred and anger in some, but with others, it will draw them to repentance
The light of the Gospel that dwells in the hearts of humble people draws the lost to the cross, therefore, when one considers becoming a disciple of Jesus, he must consider whether he will be a positive influence for Jesus or a negative one.
Those who are not willing to forsake all for Jesus will be a negative influence, but those willing to pay the price of discipleship will reap the life about which Jesus spoke of in John 10:10
You are the salt of the world by which God has made you, your duty is to preserve the world from decay through the word of God in your mouth as the Gospel, and His word in your heart which is evident in your character and behaviour.
Don't disappoint God.
God bless you.
Prayer key:
1. Lord, thank you for the blessing of today in Jesus Christ name.
2. Lord, help me to preserve the world from decay in Jesus Christ name.
3. Lord, give me the grace never to lose my savour in Jesus Christ name.
4. Thank you Lord for answered prayers in Jesus Christ name. Amen.