The Many Attributes of Salt

Tuesday, February 17, 2020

"You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how will it be made salty again? It is good for nothing anymore, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. Matthew 5:13

In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus said that we are to be the salt of the earth. Why salt?  What exactly does salt do?  It has many uses besides just flavoring our food.

What Does Salt Do?
Salt was a great treasure in ancient times. We couldn’t imagine eating our food without it now, but we don’t consider it a treasure.  Salt was and still is valuable for many different uses besides seasoning.  How does that pertain to Christians today?
Heating - put under tiles to hold heat until cold - then cast into the street. 

Preserving - used to keep things from going bad or spoiling.

Hard to deny the power of Christianity in holding back evil.  Biblical values were the base of our nation and Christians stand to defend them.

To be effective, the salt had to be rubbed into the meat. It cannot just be available.  Christians must allow God to rub them into the world. And this means that they must be Christians at work, at school, in politics, at home, and everywhere else that a normal life in their own society would take them.

Jesus called His disciples, and now us to make a difference.  We shouldn’t go along with the world and sinful behavior but stand against it and offer a better alternative with the Word of God and His gospel.

Another perspective is that Jesus saves our souls from death by preserving us.  Our job is to help everyone see the preserving power of Jesus Christ that saves.

Purifying - draws out soreness, swelling, infection. Salt can prepare wounds for healing by purifying and it also has healing properties. Salt must be purified itself to do its work the best.

As Christians, God purifies us and uses us to spread out and cover the world, just like you would spread salt out and cover a wound. He uses us to be the purifying agent in a world of sin.  We can bring the healing to a sick world by sharing the gospel so that the world knows that salvation is theirs if they will only accept it.

Seasoning - gives flavor, pleasure and quality to that which is flat or tasteless.

The joyful and radiant Christian should be the normal, not the abnormal in life.  Salt is a SPICE. It adds zest.  It is the Christian who has found the source and fullness in life which gives him the capacity to be happiest of all.

Salt makes things taste better and taste more irresistible.  We can live our lives in such a way that people want what we have.  When they find out we have Jesus – they will want Him.  We can make the Christian life look irresistible to the rest of the world, not in a fake way, but just living in joy, for Jesus, and loving those around us unconditionally.

To be the salt of the earth, means providing a life-preserver for the perishing, enhancing the lives of those around us by making an impact that changes lives, and leading wounded souls to the purest healer. 

How can you be salt to those around you today?