In the previous verses the Lord presented the principles and qualities that make a Christian distinctive. Beginning with verse 13 He goes on to give a striking picture of what it really means to behave as a Christian. In describing the Christian as the salt of the earth, Jesus provides a powerful illustration of the impact and impression we are to be making on the society in which we live.
The size of our influence is not the focus in this verse, but rather the strength of it.
I. A DIVINE OPPORTUNITY
We must keep in mind as we approach this verse that this is not a call for volunteers. Jesus is telling those of His day, as well as those of us today, that as believers we ARE salt whether we want to be or not. It is not a matter of whether or not we are influencing others, but it is a matter of how we are influencing them.
As salt, we have an awesome opportunity to make an eternal difference in the lives of those around us.
A. Salt is Visible
1. Notice that as Christians we are the salt of the earth. Our ministry is to a lost and dying world. We are to win lost souls and establish them in the faith.
2. The only way we can accomplish our God-given mission is to be a visible part of our society. We are not to hide ourselves within the confines of the four walls of the church building, totally isolated from the rest of the world.
3. We must remember - NO CONTACT, NO IMPACT!
4. Matthew 9:10-13; John 17:14-15
B. Salt is Valuable
1. In today’s society, we tend to miss the impact of what Jesus was saying in this verse. However, those in ancient societies understood the value of salt far better than we. The Romans believed, for instance, that there was nothing as valuable as salt, except for the sun. Many Roman soldiers received their pay in salt. Some have said that it was from this practice that the phrase "not worth his salt" originated.
2. Those listening to Jesus may not have understood all of what He was saying, but they knew that to be called "the salt of the earth" was to be something very special and valuable.
3. Jesus has chosen us (John 15:16), as believers, to do His work here on earth. We are of great value to Him. But not only are we of value to the Lord, but we are also of great value to the world, although they may not realize it or acknowledge it.
C. Salt is Vital
1. Among its many other uses, salt is essential to the health of both humans and animals. In ancient days it was a vital part of the economy in terms of a source of revenue.
2. Our existence as believers and our influence as "the salt of the earth" is vital to the preservation of our society. Right now it is the existence of believers in the world that is staying the awful punishment of a holy and righteous God.
II. A DEFINITE RESPONSIBILITY
By nature and by purpose believers are to be distinctly different. By nature we are a new creation, born of God (2 Corinthians 5:17; 1 Peter 1:23). By purpose we are to:
A. Be Pure
1. Its color being white, salt symbolizes purity.
2. Purity is a must on the part of God’s people (1 Timothy 5:22; 2 Corinthians 7:1; 1 Peter 1:15-16; 1 John 1:3).
B. Preserve
1. To the people of Jesus’ day salt was a preservative vital to their way of life. The only way fishermen could get their product to the market in good condition was to salt it and pack it between layers of salt. The salt kept the fish fresh and edible.
2. "Ye are the salt of the earth" implies that there is a rottenness in the earth. It implies a tendency to pollution and to becoming foul and offensive. The world’s tendency is to evil. It’s like meat which has a tendency to putrefy and become polluted. Ever since the fall of man in the garden, the world has become more and more corrupt. It is the purpose of believers to be a preserving influence to retard the moral and spiritual decay in the world.
3. The most effective way of halting the corruption in society is by bringing individuals in society to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.
C. Be Pungent
1. If something is said to be pungent it means that it has a stinging or biting quality causing an irritating sensation.
2. In our own unique way, as believers we are to be somewhat irritating to the world. Just as salt in a wound stings, believers are to prick the conscience of the world and be an irritant to ungodly behavior.
3. Our life as a Christian ought to be a positive witness for Christ, but it should also be a negative condemnation to the person who refuses to believe.
4. 2 Corinthians 2:15-16
D. Penetrate
1. Once salt has been applied to food, it penetrates that food and changes the way it is. As Christians we are to penetrate the world and change the way it is. The apostles penetrated the society in which they lived and made such a difference that it was said that they had "turned the world upside down" (Acts 17:6).
2. As salt penetrates the food to which it is applied, it adds flavor to that food. And in much the same way, we as Christians are to add flavor to the world around us. If as a Christian we are not making the world around us a better place by our presence, we are not fulfilling our function as salt. Our life as a Christian ought not to be dull and tasteless (Job 6:6). We ought to be a living example of the "flavor" that Jesus Christ can add.
3. Salt also creates thirst. Christians ought to create a thirst for God in those around them.
III. A DREADFUL POSSIBILITY
"It is a well-known fact that the salt of this country [ie. Palestine] when in contact with the ground, or exposed to rain and sun, does become insipid and useless. From the manner in which it is gathered, much earth and other impurities are necessarily collected with it. Not a little of it is so impure that it cannot be used at all; and such salt soon effloresces and turns to dust--not to fruitful soil however.
It is not only good for nothing itself, but it actually destroys all fertility wherever it is thrown...No man will allow it to be thrown on to his field, and the only place for it is the street; and there it is cast, to be trodden under foot of men." (The Pulpit Commentary, Volume 15, page 152)
There is danger, disgrace, and possible disaster here in terms of our Christian testimony. The possibility of a Christian losing his or her testimony is as real as salt losing its saltiness. The above quote gives us some idea as to how salt loses its savor and how we can lose our testimony as a child of God.
A. Association "It is a well-known fact that the salt of this country [ie. Palestine] when in contact with the ground, or exposed to rain and sun, does become insipid and useless..."
1. Just as salt can become insipid and useless through exposure to the wrong elements, so can a Christian.
2. Proverbs 13:20; 1 Corinthians 15:33; 2 Corinthians 6:14-18
3. Nothing will cause a child of God to be stale and tasteless and render them useless any quicker than associations with worldly people and worldly activities.
B. Contamination "...From the manner in which it is gathered much earth and other impurities are necessarily collected with it. Not a little of it is so impure that it cannot be used at all..."
1. James 1:27
2. As we discussed at the beginning of this lesson, Jesus did not pray that the Father would remove believers from the world but that He would keep them from the contamination of the world (John 17:14-15).
3. Prolonged association with the world will ultimately mean being contaminated by the world.
C. Devastation "...It is not only good for nothing itself, but it actually destroys all fertility wherever it is thrown..."
1. The Christian who through prolonged association with world becomes contaminated by the world will have a devastating effect upon the world in terms of his or her testimony.
2. Not only does a contaminated Christian become ineffective in having an influence upon the lost, but they also render other Christians around them ineffective.
D. Repudiation "...No man will allow it to be thrown on to his field, and the only place for it is the street; and there it is cast, to be trodden under foot of men."
1. While the world may not embrace them, they will tolerate a "salty" Christian, but they have absolutely no use for a tasteless one. They will reject them and the God they supposedly served.
2. A Christian who has lost their testimony is good for nothing. It is a sad reality that there are a lot of "good for nothing" believers in the world today.
