You Are The Salt Of The Earth (Part 1) Series

YOU ARE THE SALT OF THE EARTH

(Part 1)

Matthew 5:13

According to the Cambridge dictionary, the phrase “salt of the earth” is an idiom that refers to someone who is “very good, honest, and reasonable; one who does not think that they are special in any way”. The examples given are statements such as: 1. They were such good people. They really were the salt of the earth. 2. He was the sort of person referred to as salt of the earth: very friendly and straightforward. (Information retrieved from https//dictionary.cambridge.org)

While this is a good representation of how “salt of the earth” is used in our society, the Biblical definition is much deeper and far more important. In the Sermon on the Mount, just after the Beatitudes, the Lord Jesus says to His followers, “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)

Salt is a very useful product, in fact, someone has estimated that there are over 14,000 uses for salt. We know that salt serves as a flavor enhancer and we use it to season our food but it is also a preservative and can be used as a cleaning and healing agent and much more.

It seems that the preserving aspect of salt is what Jesus had in mind in this passage. Obviously there was no means of refrigeration in the first century, therefore salt would be applied to meat to preserve it for future use and to hinder the spread of decay.

When salt is washed out or contaminated by other minerals it loses its pungency and has no real value. It is not fit to be used as a preservative, nor is it useful for seasoning. Christians who have become influenced by the world are of no use to the world. Furthermore, they will not have a positive impact for Christ and His Kingdom.

Jesus wanted His followers to know that they were to do for the world what salt does for meat. We cannot divorce this metaphor from the verses that precede it. In the previous verses we find what is often referred to as The Beatitudes. In those verses Jesus very clearly illustrated proper Kingdom living. When we live in the manner that Jesus described in verses 3-12, we will be Christians who have a positive impact on the world around us. If we fail to live in such a way, then we will become “tasteless” and in many ways useless and even harmful representatives of Jesus Christ.

In verse 13, Jesus warns His followers against losing their saltiness. This warning applies to us just as much as it did to those who were in attendance on the Mount of Olives. I would like to examine this verse and consider Jesus’ declaration that “You Are The Salt Of The Earth”.

It would be beneficial for us to remember the setting for this message, for this reason I ask you to look with me back to verses 1-2. Matthew tells us that “seeing the multitudes, (Jesus) went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him. Then He opened His mouth and taught them”. While there was a multitude of people in attendance for the Sermon on the Mount, this portion of the Savior’s discourse was clearly intended for the “disciples” of Jesus. Here the word disciple means follower. This involved more than just the men who would later become “the twelve”.

Though there was a vast multitude following Jesus at this point in time many would eventually turn away and no longer follow Him, thus making it clear that not all were true disciples. This is often the case when the church gathers together. There are many who profess to belong to the Savior who have never truly experienced regeneration, though they may be identified with Jesus, they do not truly belong to Him. With that being said, those who are “the salt of the earth” are those who have a personal and eternal relationship with the Lord Jesus.

- Understanding the setting helps us to better see the first heading I would like to consider and that is:

I. AN INESCAPABLE REALITY

“You are the salt of the earth”

Here in verse 13, when Jesus says “you”, He is referring to the genuine disciple (or follower) of Christ. He is speaking to the one who has been transformed by His mighty power and lives a Kingdom focused life. One who exhibits the traits that are mentioned in The Beatitudes.

When Jesus says “you”, He is talking to those who are “poor in spirit”, “those who mourn” over their sins, those who are “gentle”, “merciful”, and “peacemakers”. He is speaking to those who “hunger and thirst for righteousness” and are “pure in heart”. When Jesus says “you”, He is talking to those who live such a different and devoted life that they are “persecuted for the sake of righteousness”, those who are “insulted” and “slandered” because of their faithfulness to Him.