Salty Christians
By Pastor Scott Guiley
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".
Matthew 5:13
Many times throughout the Bible we find God comparing His people unto things in the natural world. For instance, in Psalms 1:3, God compares a saved person to a tree: "And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water." Again, in Daniel 12:3, God compares His people unto stars: "They that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars forever and ever." Malachi 3:17 likens Christians unto jewels: "They shall be mine, saith the Lord, in that day when I make up my jewels."
In our text, however, God compares His people unto salt. In the days of Jesus a bag of salt was almost as valuable as a man's life. It was so valuable that the Roman soldiers were sometimes paid in salt instead of money. That salt was called their "salarium", from which we get our word "salary". A person's salary is his "salt Money." Sometines the statement is made, "That man is not worth his salt." In other words, he is not worth the money that he's being paid.
Now, Jesus looked at His disciples one day and said, "Ye are the salt of the earth." What did He mean by that statement? Why did He compare His followers unto salt?
First of all, salt is a seasoning agent. We put salt on our food to make it more appetizing. Salt brings out the flavor. Perhaps you have had the experience of sitting down to a meal and discovering that the cook had left out the salt. Or perhaps you have been a patient in the hospital and the doctor ordered a salt-free diet. Food just doesn't taste right without salt. Even your favorite meal becomes bland and dull.
Now, the world without Christians would be like a meal without salt. Whether the world admits it or not, society is a better thing because of the presence of Christians. If we were to take out of civilization the influence of Christian thought and Christian people, very little would be left. This is not to say that only Christians have made lasting contributions to society, because many unbelievers have contributed much that is of value. But it is because of the fruits of the Christian message that mankind has freedom and the dignity to pursue it. More than anything else it has been the message of the Gospel that has opened the way for child labor laws, poor laws, the abolition of slavery, and educational opportunities. Hospitals, orphanages, homes for the aged, care for the underprivileged - these, too, are the fruit of the Gospel.
In the second place, salt holds back decay and corruption. It plays a vital role in the preparation an preserving of many foods. Not many years ago it was a common thing for people to do their own "hog killing." After the hogs were killed and the meat was cleaned, it had to be put away for future use. And so, a heavy layer of salt would be put in a big box, then a layer of meat, then another layer of salt and so on. The reason for the salt being rubbed into the meat was to preserve it from germs and decay. In like manner, God's people are in the world to preserve it from complete corruption. Without the presence of Christians int the world, civilization would almost immediately become unrestrained in moral corruption. In fact, that is exactly what will happen when the rapture of the saints takes place. In that day there will be no immediate Christian influence left in the earth. Is it any wonder that God will be "forced to pour out His wrath during that time?
A third characteristic about salt is that it creates a thirst. You can eat a piece of salty meat an before long your body will cry out for water. It ought to be the same with Christian people. Our testimony ought to be such that people around us will have a thirst for Jesus Christ, Water of Life. John chapter 4 tells us of a sinful woman who came to Jesus and got saved. At once she wanted to go back to her townspeople and tell them about Jesus. "Then they went out of the city, and came unto him" (vs 30). You see, this woman's testimony had awakened a thirst in her neighbors. Christian friend, are you causing other people to thirst for the Gospel? Are others being drawn to the Lord Jesus through your testimony?
Too many times we allow our testimony to lose its effectiveness. William Thompson, in his book The Land and the Book , tells about a merchant who rented several houses in which he stored salt. The merchant, however, forgot to cover the dirt floors of the houses and simply unloaded the salt directly on the earth. When he returned many days later, he discovered that his salt had lost its flavor from being next to the ground. The entire supply was actually thrown into the street, where men walked upon it. This is the great danger in our Christian lives. If the salt has lost its savour, it is good for nothig. The Christian who has lost his power of salt is a worthless Christian. We are not fulfilling our purpose before God if we are not creating a thirst in people for Jesus Christ. We are failing in our job if we are not adding flavor to the world. May God give us grace to examine ourselves in the light of this simple comparison and resolve to be the people of God that we ought to be.
