You Are The Salt

You are the SALT

By

Bishop Melvin L. Maughmer, Jr

OPENING: - Matthew 5:13 says, “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”. This passage of scripture is often preached and it is said that we are to be as salt to preserve the world from the evil that is prevailing in society and enhance the flavor of Christ in the world being a positive influence in society and if we fail at doing that then we have lost our savor, our saltiness, our effectiveness and therefore are good for nothing but to be trodden under the foot of men. Although true and often preached with such vigor and veracity there is more to this passage of scripture than just being a preservative in society and today, I want to go deeper and reveal more about what Jesus was talking about when He said you are the salt of the earth.

Let’s have a quick science lesson Farmers and Gardeners often wince at the idea of applying salt to soil, because large amounts will destroy the land, but the proper amount of salt will cause plants to flourish. That’s why both sodium and the salt substitute potassium chloride appear on the list of ingredients of Miracle Grow and other fertilizers. Salt helps break down fresh excrement for better plant absorption. The mineral also prevents dunghills from rotting and becoming useless for providing nutrients to crops. When Jesus warns of losing our saltiness, He’s not describing table salt; He’s describing fertilizer salt. Yes, as the salt of the earth, we are agents of human flourishing. Jesus is calling us to be fertilizer in His Kingdom. We are the salt poured on that which is foul to foster fresh, new life. We are created to help others blossom and bud as they pursue the life God intends. Flourishing lives demonstrate evidence of the Kingdom of God.

You are the SALT!

PRAYER

SCRIPTURE: - Matthew 5:13 says, “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”.

DEFINITION: - In Hebrew, the word for salt is: "melach" "Melach" means: “to eat salt." But more specifically: “to be under obligation to eat the salt of the palace, to be under the solemn obligation to the King's interests, not one’s own.” And it appears in the Old Testament thirty-three times, and those mentions fall into four categories:

1. Twelve times referring to: Judgement/God’s Curse on Wickedness/Place of Destruction of Enemies of Yisrael/Barrenness (unproductivity)/Slime (sin): Genesis 14.3, Genesis 19.26, Deuteronomy 29.23, Judges 9.45, 2 Samuel 8.13, 2 Kings 14.7, 1 Chronicles 18.12, 2 Chronicles 25.11, Job 6.6, Jeremiah 17.6 (curse on the trust in man who turns aside his heart from the God of Israel), Ezekiel 47.11, Zephaniah 2.9

2. Three times referring to: the LORD’s Covenant of Salt with Israel: Leviticus 2.13, Numbers 18.19, 2 Chronicles 13.5. The church knows of many Old Testament covenants.

3. Seven times referring to: Holiness/Sacrifice/Healing of the God of Israel: Leviticus 2.13 (twice), 2 Kings 2.20, 2 Kings 2.21, Ezra 6.9, Ezra 7.22, Ezekiel 43.24

4. Eleven times referring to: Border/boundary of land of Israel (ie: salt sea, valley of salt) and Protection of the people of Israel: Numbers 34.3, Numbers 34.12, Deuteronomy 3.17, Joshua 3.16, Joshua 12.3, Joshua 15.2, Joshua 15.5, Joshua 15.62 (city of salt), Joshua 18.19, Psalm 60 (Title), Ezekiel 16.4 (to salt a newborn baby). In this last reference, the LORD is talking to Jerusalem and saying she wasn’t salted as a newborn baby to protect her from infection. Therefore, this is one of the reasons she becomes so sinful and adulterous. So, we are normally salted by God when we are Born Again, saved, received Salvation John 3 the same thing spiritually must happen as happens physically. All of us that are Truly Born Again are spiritually salted by God. The problem with the apostate church, the modern-day church, the church of mediocrity is that they don’t want to be salted. There is this concept that becoming a Christian is something that has no pain or sting to it. Therefore, there will be very little protection (from sin) rubbed into the apostate, modern-day, mediocre church by God. So, those people will tragically become infected by the nation’s worldview and current cultural norms. The bacteria of life, whether that is culturalism, unholiness, manipulation, lasciviousness, bitterness, self-pity, hatred will sink in through their spiritual skin, because there is none of God's salt on it as a protective layer. If you are immersed in God's Word, you will not soak up the culture around you but rather reject it and keep your Biblical integrity.