WE ARE THE SALT OF THE EARTH.
When Christ’s disciples live according to the leading and guidance of the Spirit of God, there will be encounters with those who operate under a different spirit with attitudes in opposition to God. In verses Matt:11-12, Jesus spoke about the persecution that will come to believers when they live out the beautiful attitudes in their lives, but how are we to respond to such persecution? Should we withdraw and hide from the world system,and never confront the darkness again? No, as believers, we are the conscience of the world in which we live.Regarding our response to persecution, Jesus gave us two metaphors as to how we respond to those who persecute us.
1) You are the Salt of the Earth
2) You are the Light of the World
Matthew 5:13: “You are the salt of the Earth.”
So today, let us unravel the wonderful truths about the meaning of salt in the Bible, its significance, and how we can truly become genuine salt of the earth.
When Jesus walked on earth, salt was a valuable commodity. In the time of Caesar, Rome paid their soldiers in salt, and in ancient China, salt was second to gold in value. Even today, we talk of people being “worth their weight in salt.” Why was salt so valuable? There are Seven things that Jesus could have been alluding to in His metaphor of believers being like salt
1) Salt as a Covenant
Salt is known as a covenant. and the scriptures mentioned “covenant of salt” three times.
(Leviticus:2:13, Numbers 18:19)
2 Chronicles 13:5 “Ought ye not to know that the LORD God of Israel gave the kingdom over Israel to David forever, even to him and to his sons by a covenant of salt?”
Salt is used as a preservative, which means it is instrumental for making things last longer. So when we say, “covenant of salt”, it simply means that the covenant is perpetual and not to be broken, just as how salt preserves.
2) Salt is purified before use, God has purified us also with the blood of Jesus.
1John 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.
Jesus’ sacrifice for us, however, cleans us thoroughly, providing such a deep-down cleaning that we receive new life. As Hebrews:9:14 explains, the blood of Christ, shed for our sake, cleanses “our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!”
For all who trust in Christ, we are washed in his blood, fully cleansed from sin so that we may serve him!
3)Salt lends flavor to food
So we also have to bring taste in people’s lives.
.(Col. 4:6, Pro:16:24)
. Salt lends flavor to food. Some foods are so bland that food can be made more palatable with added salt. Before I gave my life to Christ, life felt meaningless to me. I found it hard to bear the day-by-day living, but when Christ came into my life, I suddenly began to see life as purposeful, meaningful, and even exciting. I found a purpose and worth by giving my life to the furtherance of the Gospel of Christ. The Lord adds flavor and meaning to life. No longer was I living for the things of this world, but I began to live for what is beyond this life. The Lord adds flavor to our lives!
4) Salt keeps things from rotting
So we also have to save people from rot just like Lord Jesus saved us.
(Psalms16:10, 2Peter 1:4)
Salt was the ancient equivalent of refrigeration. If you wanted to stop meat or fish from decaying, you could rub in salt and make it edible for longer. This was the main reason salt was so valuable.
In this sense, the disciples of Jesus (We are disciples of Lord Jesus Christ) have been sent into the world to protect it from decay, to preserve its goodness and to prevent it from being corrupted or ruined.
Salt does not just savor. It saves.
Just as God has saved us from the mire, we too are to save others who are mired in the mire of sin through the Lord Jesus Christ. They also have to be kept safe.
5) Salt removes bitterness
Similarly, we also have to remove bitterness from each other’s hearts.
(Hebrew: 12:15 , Ephesians:4 : 31-32)
People will have to come out of the bitterness and unforgiveness that they have towards each other, to get rid of it we have to help them, just as salt drives away bitterness, in the same way Lord Jesus has called us salt, we have to help people to drive away bitterness from their lives.
So that they can forgive each other and grow in the Lord
6) Salt has the ability to heal
Lord Jesus has also given us the authority that if we lay hands on the sick, they will be healed.
(2 King20 – 23,Mark :16:18 Luke : 9:1, Matthew: 10:1 )
Salt is painful to an open wound, and of course, no one likes pain. The pain is not often received well, but the salt and other minerals in the Dead Sea water can heal the skin. One feels cleansed and invigorated after bathing in the water. As the cleansing of the salty water is to the body, our salty values bring an antiseptic cleansing power to the world. The light and salt we carry can bring healing to a decaying society
7) Salt creates thirst.
Similarly, seeing our lifestyle, thirst should arise within people, they should be curious to see the changes in our lives.
Salt makes us thirsty. We are called to make the world thirsty for God.”
You and I are called to live in such a way that we make others around us thirst for God. When we do this people will become thirsty and Lord Jesus will quench their thirst because Lord Jesus says if anyone is thirsty come to me and I will give you living water.
(John : 7:37-38)
8)Salt is white ,White colour represents purity
So we too have to remain holy as our God is holy.
( Numbers:18:19,1Peter:1: 15)
Salt spoke of purity. The Romans believed that salt was one of the purest things on earth because it comes from the whitest and purest properties, the sea and the sun. Jesus could have been saying that the believer was to be an example of purity to those around him, i.e., purity of speech and purity of life.
Lord Jesus has called us the salt of the earth. Jesus wants us to be the salt of the earth who preserves, maintains, and brings out “taste” or goodness in ourselves and others. We are protectors of life. We have to be a flavor enhancer for people who can be difficult to deal with. Our mission is to help them see how God works in our lives, share the good news and direct them to the Sustainer of life.
Be the salt in the world that spreads kindness to others through words, thoughts, and actions that embody God’s goodness. In a unique, loving way, you can allow others to experience the Lord’s presence in their lives by being a good friend, child, parent, spouse, colleague, church member!
Let’s Pray
Father, thank You for the identity You have entrusted to us — to be salt. Please forgive us for not always being faithful to the call. Prompt our hearts and teach us how to bring You into every aspect of our lives. Thank You for empowering and entrusting us to do Your work here on earth. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Sol. Laxmi