Pass The Salt

The scriptures uses several names to identify the saved relationship with the Savior, these names are also in many ways relative to the responsibilities of those who proclaim to be saved. For instance:

The believers are called sheep in John 10:14, the passage says, I am the good shepherd, and I know my sheep, and I am known by my own. Verse 27 continues that thought in John 10 by saying, my sheep hear my voice and I know them, and they follow me. The believer is called sheep to identify the relationship and the character of the believers. Sheep are led, (no sheep should be left alone, and no sheep is without a shepherd). The shepherd is responsible for feeding, loving, and caring for that sheep.

The saved are referred to as brethren (sisters), I know that the term is masculine, but in scripture it encompasses the entire body; in James 1:2 we read, my brethren count it all joy when you fall into various trials (testings). I Peter 3:8 also says, finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one for another, love as brethren, pitiful, be courteous.

Brethren and sisters, connotes family relationships and a sense of togetherness.

John the aged apostle and the one that that is referred to as the one Christ loved uses the term little children in First John with much frequency. In 1 John 3:18 he says, my little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. The idea of us being referred to as little children is that we are in the process of growing and we need the parenting of a loving and loyal God.

We are even referred to as a body having many members of the body, Christ being the ultimate head of the body. We are even referred to as building with stones that are fitly joined together, with Jesus Christ being the chief cornerstone. These words are in some form the badge of being His children. They are some identifying marks of us and our relationship with Christ the King.

But in Matthew 5:13, we get an unusual image, an unusual badge is placed upon the faithful. Jesus says: Ye are the salt of the earth!

What an image! What a label to be placed upon us! What a tag on our testimony! What a description of our destiny and duties. This pronouncement comes as a result of what we now call the Be Attitudes (vs. 3-11). The Be Attitudes are the spiritual qualities that should be a part of the attitudes of believers. It’s in 3-13 that we get the attitudes of the faithful and in verses 14-15 that we get the expected actions of the faithful. In verses 3-13 we get the descriptions, in verse 13-14 we get the demonstration, we get the lessons in 3-13, and in 13 and 14 is the living of those lessons.

The disciples and those hearers may not have fully grasped the in depth meaning of verse 3-13, but they got what He said in 13 and 14. Those listening had a clear and working understanding of salt. Salt in that day was a commodity, it was priceless and it was precious, it had a significant worth in that day. As a matter of fact, the Roman soldiers and other soldiers were paid their wages in salt. It could be traded and sold to someone who did not have access to salt, but had the resources to pay for it. Thus the phrase “being worth your salt” is understood. When you heard that phrase, a person was being questioned if they were worth their salt was a way of saying “does your work measure up to your worth”. Is there a correlation or a contradiction between your doing and your being?

Jesus uses a common but priceless commodity to teach them a lesson on the importance of being His disciples and His followers. I think we need to hear and think about this, because too many of us are just relishing in being saved and coming to worship. Which is wonderful and great, but Christ challenges us to do more and to be deeper!

Ye Are The Salt of the Earth!!!!

A Peanuts cartoon, showed Peppermint Patty talking to Charlie Brown. She said, “Guess what, Charlie Brown. It’s the first day of school, and I got sent to the principal’s office. It was your fault, Charlie Brown.” He said, “My fault how could it be my fault? Why do you say everything is my fault?” She said, “You’re my friend, aren’t you, Charlie Brown? You should have been a better influence on me.”

That is what Jesus was saying to the believers, and that is what He is saying to us.