You Are The Salt And Light Of The World

YOU ARE . . .

THE SALT AND LIGHT OF THE WORLD

By Rodney W. Francis

The Bible continually challenges Christians to know who we really are after Jesus Christ has come into our life and saved us from the power of sin. In Matthew Chapter 5 He tells us we are “the salt of the earth” and “the light of the world”. Here it is directly from the Scripture: “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavour, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:13-16, NKJV).

Let us stop for a moment and consider what He is saying here. Jesus in our lives in a real way makes us transformed human beings ~ so transformed that we are now to make a positive difference in the lives of other people. When people see us, they should see and know that there is something very different about us than with other people. As salt we add flavour and taste into mundane lives. As light we are to light up their world of darkness and bring hope and answers where they can find no solutions to their problems. The truth is that only born-again, Holy Spirit-filled Christians have the real answers to life’s problems because we know they are spiritually-rooted and people everywhere need the Only Answer to all life’s problems ~ Jesus Christ the Son of the Living God! All other remedies only minister to the natural, physical needs of a person, whereas Jesus Christ came into this world to make mankind whole: spirit, soul and body. Most people do not know the source of their problems is spiritual, so they seek natural answers to life and all it brings to us.

SALT

Salt is intended to nourish: it is an article of food. The godly must nourish the earth spiritually. Salt is intended to preserve. Salt also has a consuming power. There is something sharp, biting, and aggressive in it. Notice that Jesus warned us about the salt losing its savour (KJV) or flavour (NKJV). The word “savour” is translated from the Greek word “moraino” and means “to make dull, not acute, to become insipid, tasteless, to lose its savour” (Bullinger’s); “to make or act as a simpleton; become a fool, make foolish” (Strong’s). When we Christians are not fulfilling our calling in Jesus we become like that salt that has lost its savour. We become “good for nothing” and get “thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.” These are very serious words from the mouth of Jesus.

Be on guard against this!
Remember, Jesus has saved us to make a positive difference in the world!
As salt we should be making people thirsty for more of what we have got!

See also Mark 9:49-50: “For everyone will be seasoned with fire, and every sacrifice will be seasoned with salt. Salt is good, but if the salt loses its flavour, how will you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace with one another.”

“Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time. Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one” (Colossians 4:5-6).

LIGHT

The word light is from the Greek word “phos” meaning “light, radiance” (Young’s); “to shine or make manifest, especially by rays; luminousness (in the widest application); fire, light” (Strong’s). What Jesus has put within us when we are born-again of His Holy Spirit is sufficient for us to bring light, life, radiance, revelation and wholeness to all who still live in darkness. Light is not given to be hidden in a basket (where no one can see or get the benefits of that light ~ in this regard there is no such thing as a “secret disciple”). Our light is Jesus “the Light of the world”living inside of us and is sufficiently strong and bright enough to light up a city that is set on a hill. In other words this light shines for miles around when we are shining as Jesus made us to shine. If you want to compare the difference between darkness and light, stand in a dark room, then turn the light on and observe the difference. They are two opposites. Christians are called to live that positive difference to the glory of God. What Jesus has invested in us enables us to bring others out of darkness into His Glorious Light. Jesus is the Light of the world (John 8:12), and He now makes us the light in a world that desperately needs light. Unless others see Jesus in us they will not get to know Him as the True Light Who came into this world to set us all free from the power of sin and darkness! “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness and truth), finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose (“reprove”) them” (Ephesians 5:8-11).

There are numbers of Scriptures that refer to us being light. Just a very few are: “Blessed are the people who know the joyful sound! They walk, O Lord, in the light of Your countenance (“face, favour”)” (Psalm 89:15).

“But the path of the just is like the shining sun, that shines ever brighter unto the perfect day” (Proverbs 4:18).

“Arise, shine; for your light has come! And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you. For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and deep darkness the people; but the Lord will arise over you, and His glory will be seen upon you. The Gentiles (unsaved) shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising” (Isaiah 60:1-3).

“For it is the God Who commanded light to shine out of darkness, Who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us” (2 Corinthians 4:6-7).

“But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:7).

See also 2 Samuel 23:4; Psalm 119:130; Isaiah 58:8; Matthew 6:22; Luke 11:36; John 5:35 (referring to John the Baptist); 1 Thessalonians 5:5.

The “salt” and “light” that Jesus is talking about is far more than the solving of natural problems. It involves the preparing of people, not only in this present life, but for all eternity. Jesus wants to use us all more and more to bring the true flavour and light into others so they will know Jesus in this life in such a way that it stands them in good stead that will last throughout time and into all eternity. Jesus has chosen you and me to be that salt and shining lights so others will see that we are very different and want to know the reasons why.“But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready (“prepared”) always to give an answer to every man that asks you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear” (1 Peter 3:15, KJV). Think about that.

God has chosen you and me to make a positive difference in the lives of mankind.
Jesus lives inside the true Christian and desires that we so walk with Him, listen to Him and obey Him that we can be used by Him to bring about eternal change in the lives of others.
It is Jesus Christ, the Light of the world, living inside true Holy Spirit-filled believers Who causes us to shine brightly in a world of darkness!
What a challenge, but what a privilege!
God bless and impact your life more and more, Amen!

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