Matthew 5:13 - You Are The Salt Of The Earth.
Matthew 5:13 (NIV) 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 by men.
Mat 5:13 (CWB) If you hold on to these
values (the beatitudes just discussed), you will be
the salt of the world. But if you let go of
these values, youll be like tasteless salt.
What good is tasteless salt? The only thing to
do with it is to throw it out onto the road for
people to walk on.
INTRODUCTION
Salt speaks of inward character that
influences a decaying world; light speaks of the
outward testimony of good works that points to God.
Our task is to keep our lives pure that we might
salt this earth and hold back corruption so that
the Gospel can get out. Our good works must
accompany our dedicated lives as we let our lights
shine. [Wiersbe Expository Outlines]
Tasteless salt and hidden light are good for
nothing! Salt arrests decay in our world, and light
banishes darkness. Salt is hidden, but light is
visible. Both are needed in the world, and both must
give of themselves in order to serve. [Chapter by
Chapter Bible Commentary by Warren Wiersbe]
COMMENTARY PEARL
Salt was kind of a big deal in the first
century. In fact, it was so important and valuable
that Roman soldiers sometimes were paid in salt.
Hence the expression, Hes not worth his
salt.
Salt can make an impact as well. A little
bit of salt will go a long way. Salt takes
watermelon or cantaloupe to another level. Just a
little works on oatmeal too. Salt also stops the
rotting process. Without refrigeration in the first
century, people would preserve meat by rubbing salt
into it.
In the same way, a disciple of Jesus can
stop the spread of evil. When something is wrong,
a Christian can speak up for what is right -
in a classroom, in an office, in a
neighborhood, or in our culture. And most importantly, we
can speak up for Jesus Christ.
The greatest compliment that can be paid
to a Christian is when a nonbeliever says,
What is it about you? I admire you. I want to
know what makes you tick. Youve done your
job, Christian, because youve created thirst
in another.
Jesus said, You are the salt of the
earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall
it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but
to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by
men (Matthew 5:13 NKJV). Flavorless salt is
neither good for the soil nor for the manure pile.
Its thrown away. Its like an espresso without
caffeine.
In effect Jesus was saying, What good
is a halfhearted Christian? What good is a
diluted believer? What good is a decaf disciple?
The answer is not much. Disciples of Jesus must
impact their culture.
You are the salt of the earth. This means
that as a disciple of Jesus, you are valuable.
Your life can make difference. [Greg Laurie from
Harvest Ministries; https://www.harvestdaily.com]
COMMENTARY
The underlying idea in comparing citizens of
the kingdom to salt is in its quality as a
preservative (cf. MB 35). Before the day of refrigeration
and other modern modes of preserving food, salt
and spices were largely used for preservation.
In ancient Palestine salt was used almost
exclusively for this purpose and for seasoning (see Job
6:6). In a similar way the Christian, by becoming
an agent in saving others through the diffusion
of the gospel, exerts a preserving and
purifying influence in the world. The disciples were
to recognize the salvation of their fellow men
as their primary responsibility. They were not
to withdraw from society, because of
persecution (see Matt. 5:10"12) or for other reasons,
but were to remain in close contact with their
fellow men. [SDA Bible Commentary]
Salt must be mingled with the substance
to which it is added; it must penetrate and
infuse in order to preserve. So it is through
personal contact and association that men are reached
by the saving power of the gospel. They are not
saved in masses, but as individuals. Personal
influence is a power. We must come close to those whom
we desire to benefit.
The savor of the salt represents the
vital power of the Christian--the love of Jesus in
the heart, the righteousness of Christ pervading
the life. The love of Christ is diffusive and
aggressive. If it is dwelling in us, it will flow out to
others. We shall come close to them till their
hearts are warmed by our unselfish interest and
love. The sincere believers diffuse vital energy,
which is penetrating and imparts new moral power
to the souls for whom they labor. It is not the
power of the man himself, but the power of the
Holy Spirit that does the transforming work
Without a living faith in Christ as a
personal Saviour it is impossible to make our
influence felt in a skeptical world. We cannot give to
others that which we do not ourselves possess. It
is in proportion to our own devotion and
consecration to Christ that we exert an influence for the
blessing and uplifting of mankind. If there is no
actual service, no genuine love, no reality of
experience, there is no power to help, no connection
with heaven, no savor of Christ in the life.
Unless the Holy Spirit can use us as agents through
whom to communicate to the world the truth as it
is in Jesus, we are as salt that has lost its
savor and is entirely worthless...
When love fills the heart, it will flow
out to others, not because of favors received
from them, but because love is the principle of
action. Love modifies the character, governs the
impulses, subdues enmity, and ennobles the affections.
This love is as broad as the universe, and is in
harmony with that of the angel workers. Cherished in
the heart, it sweetens the entire life and sheds
its blessing upon all around. It is this, and
this only, that can make us the salt of the
earth. MB35-38
Gods people are His preserving agents
for a world that is corrupted and degenerating
because of sin. Your life is designed and
commissioned by God to enhance a community and to
preserve what is good and right. There is deep
significance today for a godly life that is involved in
its community. The presence of Christ in you
makes all that He is available to others. His
salvation can free an addict, mend a broken home, heal
the pain of the past, restore a wayward child,
and comfort a grieving heart. All of this is
available to those around you as Christ expresses His
life through you.
If we are not in a right relationship
with our Lord, however, Jesus said we are like
salt that has lost its saltiness and is,
therefore, good for nothing. None of Gods saving
grace and power can be dispensed through us to
others. How do we test the saltiness of our
life? Look at our family. Are we preserving it
from the destructive influences that surround it?
Examine our workplace. Are the sinful influences in
our work environment being halted because we are
there? Observe our community. Is it a better place
because we are involved in it? What about our
church? The evidence that we have been used by God
as a preserving agent is that things are
becoming spiritually better around us instead of
worse. If people around us are deteriorating
spiritually, we need to go to our Lord and allow Him to
adjust our lives so that we can be used to preserve
others. [Experiencing God Day by Day by Henry and
Richard Blackaby]
If a seasoning has no flavor, it has no
value. If Christians make no effort to affect the
world around them, they are of little value to
God. If we are too much like the world, we are
worthless. Christians should not blend in with everyone
else. Instead, we should affect others positively,
just as seasoning brings out the best flavor in
food. [Life Application SB]
ILLUSTRATION
Ever smelled old, rotten meat?
Remember forgetting for several weeks
something you put in the refrigerator? There is an
odor that accompanies decay that's like nothing
else. Down in Houston where I was raised, we were
only fifty miles from the seaport city of
Galveston. Delicious, fresh seafood was available in
numerous restaurants in that area - and still is. But
there were other ways we used to use seafood,
especially shrimp.
When a friend would get married, one of
our favorite tricks was to secretly pull off the
hubcaps of his getaway car and stuff them full of
shrimp. It was great! Those shrimp wouldn't make any
noise as they sloshed around hour after hour in
the heat of South Texas. But the result was
unreal. After two or three days of driving, parking
in the sun, stop-and-go traffic, the bride
(bless her shy heart) would slowly start sliding
over closer to the door. She would begin to
wonder if maybe her beloved groom had forgotten his
deodorant. As the day wore on, he would begin to wonder
the same about her! All the while, those little
shrimp were doing their thing in each wheel.
Finally (and sometimes they wouldn't discover the
trick for over a week!), young Don Juan would pop
off a hubcap - and I don't need to tell you the
result. Old shrimp inside a hot hubcap for a week
would make a skunk's spray seem like a shot of
Chanel No. 5. It is gross! To keep shrimp, you must
preserve them. If you don't, they perish. Years ago,
salt was used as a preservative. Today, we use
ice.
Now, think of this earth as shrimp when
you read these words of Jesus: "You are the salt
of the earth; but if the salt has become
tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no
longer good for anything, except to be thrown out
and trampled under foot by men" (Matthew 5:13).
A society characterized by savage
violence and the darkness of depravity and deception
will, without a preservative, deteriorate and,
ultimately, self-destruct. Because servants of Christ
are like salt on society, our influence is
essential for society's survival.
Are you being salty? [Chuck Swindoll
www.insight.org.]
LINK FOR FURTHER STUDY ON THIS PASSAGE
Mark 9:50 - How Salty Is Your Character,
Your Influence?
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2018/20181213-1035.html
YOUR COMMENTS
If anyone has a paraphrase, commentary or
testimony on this passage of Scripture, either
personal or otherwise, I would be interested in
hearing from you. Thanks in advance and let's keep
uplifting Jesus that all might be drawn to Him. Fred
Gibbs
LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT
Most Important Decision in Life:
http://www.youtube.com/embed/WGnEuGwvXqU?rel=0
A Man without Equal by Bill Bright:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiVa7UoruIo
Seeking God Made Real:
http://vimeo.com/31489782
Prayer Made Real:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tc8VdMV26VE
Importance of Choice:
http://creationhealth.com/CREATION-Health/Choice [click on video]
Medical Seminar on Healthful Living by David
DeRose, MD, MPH:
https://www.smartlifestyletv.com/lifestart
LINKS FOR BIBLE STUDIES
Lifting Up Jesus Bible Studies:
http://www.liftingupjesus.net/
Amazing Facts Bible Studies:
http://www.amazingfacts.org/bible-study/bible-study-guides.aspx
Hope Awakens Bible Study Guides:
https://www.hopeawakens.study/lesson-header;id=2
Glow Tract Video Bible Studies:
http://www.bibleresearch.info/
LINKS FOR BIBLE PROPHECY SEMINARS
Unlocking Bible Prophecies by Cami Oetman of
Adventist World Radio (currently live):
https://bible.awr.org/the-warning/
Hope Awakens by John Bradshaw of IIW:
https://itiswritten.tv/programs/hope-awakens
The Last Day of Prophecy by Pastor Doug
Batchelor:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLmGvdtMCf1aJTiC59-lPtuUMEq_uEn0BK
Prophecies Decoded by Pastor Ron Clouzet:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1A435C5373550657
