In Matthew 5:13, Jesus said: "You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men." But what did He mean by 'you are the salt of the earth'?
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(1) Well, for one thing; salt is necessary for life. Just as with water, your body requires a certain amount of salt to keep living. And so, just as table salt is imperative to life; the salt of the earth (disciples; Christians going forward w/the saving truth of Jesus) is equally imperative to the soul.
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(2) Salt adds flavor. Just as table salt adds flavor to food; the salt of the earth; Christians, Jesus' disciples add flavor to the world. We offer His truth, which can only be found in the love, and sacrifice of Jesus Himself. The world offers many flavors in the form of religions, sexual lifestyles, freedom to be whom ever you choose, buy what you want, when you want at any cost. No obligations to anyone other than yourself. But in the end, these self-serving pleasures always lose their attraction, because they are only temporary, as well as being hurtful to individuals, society, and the soul.
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On the other hand; the salt of the earth, flavors all for the better. It doesn't offer false, fleeting, and destructive pleasures, it doesn't lose it's pleasurable flavor; but it instead offers everlasting joy (peace), and eternal life in heaven. No lies, or spin, just the simple, yet amazing truth of love, light, joy , and eternal salvation!
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(3) Salt is a preservative. When you want to preserve meats, you use salt. If the meat was not preserved, it would quickly go bad and you would not be able to use it. The same is true with the soul; if the Lords truth is not applied to the soul, the soul would wither away in it's sin, unable to be used, or saved by God. The salt of the earth is only preserving (saving) to the soul, when it is applied. So Christians must not get discouraged. We must continue the work we have been charged with, (The Great Commission) to win lost souls to Christ.
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(4) ....."but if the salt loses it's flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men."
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If you flavored a dish with salt, and then added too much of another seasoning (flavor), the salt would lose it's flavor. So is true with the salt of the earth. Jesus said that we Christians are the salt of the earth. So if we go about our daily lives, not only living in this world, but also being a part of this world; we are affixing the world's flavors, to the flavor's Jesus has imparted to us. We are over-powering His flavor's, with the flavors of the world. When this happens, we lose site of what is important not only to our walk with Him, and our relationship with the Father, but the lost souls we have been charged with. The flavor's of joy, life, light, compassion, understanding, empathy, and sympathy become mixed with pride, depression, sadness, self-servingness, lawlessness, wrong-headedness, and many other emotions, and actions the world generates.
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One final thought... You will note, that Jesus did not say: You 'can be' the salt of the earth if you choose to be, nor did He say; some of you are the salt of the earth, or you are the salt of the earth sometime. No, He left no doubt that He expected us to be the salt of the earth, for as long as we are on this earth, being a part of the Great Commission: "Matthew 28:19 "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen."
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The last part of that verse: "Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.", implies that He was not only giving this commission to the 12 disciples, but to all Christians to follow. He knew that these men would not be here forever, and He knew that they could not possibly go to all nations in their life-time. No, clearly He was telling them to teach all they could, so that they may teach others (us) who would continue His commission down through the ages.
-
(1) Well, for one thing; salt is necessary for life. Just as with water, your body requires a certain amount of salt to keep living. And so, just as table salt is imperative to life; the salt of the earth (disciples; Christians going forward w/the saving truth of Jesus) is equally imperative to the soul.
-
(2) Salt adds flavor. Just as table salt adds flavor to food; the salt of the earth; Christians, Jesus' disciples add flavor to the world. We offer His truth, which can only be found in the love, and sacrifice of Jesus Himself. The world offers many flavors in the form of religions, sexual lifestyles, freedom to be whom ever you choose, buy what you want, when you want at any cost. No obligations to anyone other than yourself. But in the end, these self-serving pleasures always lose their attraction, because they are only temporary, as well as being hurtful to individuals, society, and the soul.
-
On the other hand; the salt of the earth, flavors all for the better. It doesn't offer false, fleeting, and destructive pleasures, it doesn't lose it's pleasurable flavor; but it instead offers everlasting joy (peace), and eternal life in heaven. No lies, or spin, just the simple, yet amazing truth of love, light, joy , and eternal salvation!
-
(3) Salt is a preservative. When you want to preserve meats, you use salt. If the meat was not preserved, it would quickly go bad and you would not be able to use it. The same is true with the soul; if the Lords truth is not applied to the soul, the soul would wither away in it's sin, unable to be used, or saved by God. The salt of the earth is only preserving (saving) to the soul, when it is applied. So Christians must not get discouraged. We must continue the work we have been charged with, (The Great Commission) to win lost souls to Christ.
-
(4) ....."but if the salt loses it's flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men."
-
If you flavored a dish with salt, and then added too much of another seasoning (flavor), the salt would lose it's flavor. So is true with the salt of the earth. Jesus said that we Christians are the salt of the earth. So if we go about our daily lives, not only living in this world, but also being a part of this world; we are affixing the world's flavors, to the flavor's Jesus has imparted to us. We are over-powering His flavor's, with the flavors of the world. When this happens, we lose site of what is important not only to our walk with Him, and our relationship with the Father, but the lost souls we have been charged with. The flavor's of joy, life, light, compassion, understanding, empathy, and sympathy become mixed with pride, depression, sadness, self-servingness, lawlessness, wrong-headedness, and many other emotions, and actions the world generates.
-
One final thought... You will note, that Jesus did not say: You 'can be' the salt of the earth if you choose to be, nor did He say; some of you are the salt of the earth, or you are the salt of the earth sometime. No, He left no doubt that He expected us to be the salt of the earth, for as long as we are on this earth, being a part of the Great Commission: "Matthew 28:19 "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen."
-
The last part of that verse: "Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.", implies that He was not only giving this commission to the 12 disciples, but to all Christians to follow. He knew that these men would not be here forever, and He knew that they could not possibly go to all nations in their life-time. No, clearly He was telling them to teach all they could, so that they may teach others (us) who would continue His commission down through the ages.
