The first portion of the Sermon on the Mount gave us a look at the description of the Christian. The Beatitudes demonstrated the things that will characterize one who follows Christ. The next leg of the journey, verses 13-16, will help us understand the use and purpose of Christ's disciples on earth. In other words, we have seen what we ought to be, but now we will see what we ought to do.
Jesus uses two illustrations, salt and light, in order to instruct us. Along with these two illustrations comes both a warning (with the salt) and an exhortation (with the light). We will begin in this post with the first illustration - salt.
“You are the salt of the earth...” (Matthew 5:13a, NASB)
Notice, first, that Jesus says you are salt. The same is true of the light. You are light. At no point does the salt stop being salt or the light stop being light. The light must not be hidden and the salt can lose its saltiness. Nevertheless, they remain light and salt. It is their identity.
If you are a believer, salt and light is who you are. This identity is neither earned nor lost by your performance. It has been freely given to you. The warning that follows the salt illustration is often misunderstood as referring to a loss of salvation, or even the evidence of one who is not truly saved. However, the keen eye will notice the trampling is done by man, not God. More on that in the next post.
As for this post, I want to briefly walk through three uses for believers in this world based on the salt illustration.
Preservation
Salt is a preservative. Before the invention of refrigeration technology, salt was rubbed into meat to keep it fresh. The salt would keep the meat from becoming putrid and spoiled, at least for a time.
The church has a similar function in this world. The natural direction of this world is toward sin, corruption, and ungodliness. The world is the meat in this illustration. Left alone, it will quickly rot. But the world is not left alone to rot. God has chosen for His people to remain in the world. As the masses of humanity are descending into the filth of depravity the saints are being drawn up to holiness. This means there is a pull, a holy tension, keeping the world from the utter and total depravity of which it is capable.
Let me give you an example. When I was working at the warehouse, many of my coworkers would adjust their speech any time I was around them. They would have otherwise been talking in shameful and lude ways, but the presence of a Christian called them, for that moment, up to a higher standard. I was a preserving salt in that situation. That is a small scale example. On a larger scale, imagine all of the evils that have been prevented or ended by the Church’s presence in the world. Truly we are preserving the world from its natural rot.
Flavor
Not only does salt preserve, but it enhances flavor. When salt is added to bland, tasteless food it often makes the food enjoyable. Christ’s disciples add flavor to an otherwise bland and tasteless world. If you reach back throughout the centuries and pay attention to the origins of the most influential and masterful works of art, music, architecture, literature, and poetry, you will notice something very striking. It is overwhelmingly Christian. History is our witness that societies flourish under Christian principles and crumble without them.
Do a survey of the societies that have, for the last few centuries or so, flourished and produced the best in things like art, academia, entrepreneurship, literature, and music. What do they have in common? They have a deep and rich Christian history with biblical principles embedded into the fabric of their social systems.
Did you know that we can trace the foundations of our American democratic tradition back to the reformer, John Calvin? One of the earliest organized democratic governments was Calvin’s Geneva. It provided checks and balances. It called for the separation of powers. His system also included the election of officials by the population. The impact was global. As one author notes,
“…wherever Calvinism spread, so did a love for free markets and capitalism.” (David Hall)
Calvin got this idea of democracy from his understanding of the implications of Exodus 18. This is just an example of the fact that if you find something pure, good, and beautiful in the world, you can usually trace its origin back to a Christian source or influence. The church does not just preserve the world from rot, but it flavors the world with beauty and wonder.
Healing
Have you ever gargled salt water to help heal a sore in your mouth or ease the pain of a sore throat? In addition to preservation and flavor, salt has a medicinal use. I am no health professional so I won’t even try to explain how it works. However, I know that salt water is a proven way to help get rid of sores and ease sore throat pain. Basically, it helps purify and get rid of bacteria in the infected area, allowing it to heal more efficiently. The salt is not the cure, but it does make way for it.
God uses His people in the world in the same way. We, like salt, cannot heal anyone’s spiritual condition. Only the Holy Spirit can do that. However, through our proclamation of the gospel and example of godly living, God uses us to expose the world to purity and prepare the way for the healing of the Spirit. It is so often the case that someone is converted to Christ only after being exposed in some way to His people and being drawn to the purity they see. The Church is God’s salt, scattered across the world, making way for His cure.
One additional note to this point is the world’s reaction to the Church. We have already discussed this at more length in the previous post, but it is further amplified here. When salt touches a wound it burns and stings. The instant reaction of the wounded is to flush it out as quickly as possible. Though the healing made possible by the salt will bring great relief, the wounded cannot see past the temporary pain. This is why lost sinners will often be so indignant, and even cruel, to the believers who try to apply the gospel to them.
When the pure salt of the gospel of Jesus Christ touches the wounded soul of the sinner it causes pain; pain of conviction, pain of conscience, and desperation. The hard of heart will run from the pain and try whatever they can to get rid of it. But, for the elect of God, the pain will give way to the cure and healing of the soul.
Conclusion
After reflecting on these things, I am encouraged. And I hope you are too. So often I have wondered why God allows His Church to remain in this world. Why does He not bring us home and end our misery? I am reminded today that God is not abandoning this world. He is restoring it. He is redeeming it. And He is using His church as His instrument to do so.
We are the salt of the earth. God is using our presence here, by the Spirit’s power, that the world may be preserved, enhanced, and healed. That is why the plea is not, “Get me out of here,” but, “Come quickly, Lord!” That is why the Lord’s Prayer teaches us to pray, “Thy kingdom come…on earth as it is in heaven.” That is why the Lord tells us in the concluding chapters of Scripture, “Behold, I am making all things new” (Rev. 21:5, NASB).
So, dear Christian, weighed down by this world, take heart and be encouraged! This is God’s world, He is restoring it to glory, and you are His chosen instrument. The King of Kings is preparing to hand the kingdom to the God of Glory (1 Cor. 15:24). And you belong to His chosen servants who are called out for this work. Surely God’s use and purpose for you cannot be overstated.
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