EXPLORE IT - Matthew 5:13

Matthew 5:13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.”

What do you think of when you hear “salt?”  Many of us think of the salt and pepper shakers that sit on the table or are in the cabinet.  We think of French fries or popcorn or our other favorite salty foods.  Some will think of sodium chloride (NaCl), the chemical compound that is salt. This time of year, we may think of the salt we put on the sidewalks and driveways so we don’t accidentally go ice skating!

In the ancient world, salt had many uses.  It was used as a preservative, as there was no refrigeration, as a flavoring agent (like we do), as a substance to treat wineskins, and as an agent to retard fermentation in manure.  Salt wouldn’t be lightly sprinkled on the top to preserve or flavor, it would be used liberally, worked thoroughly throughout the whole substance.  This would allow food to be preserved for a long time or for the entire mixture to be flavored.

Jesus says we are the salt of the word.   Therefore, we are to be worked into the entire culture in order to preserve it.  If we are only sprinkled here and there, we will not have much effect on our culture today.  We must infiltrate the culture of the day, while holding strong to our Christian beliefs and understandings.

Commentators point out that it is impossible for salt to lose its saltiness.  From a chemistry standpoint, salt is always NaCl (sodium chloride).  Some believe Jesus was suggesting salt wouldn’t be as effective if it were mixed with something else (like mixing salt with pepper).  If we mix our Christian beliefs with the beliefs of today’s culture, we will lose our saltiness, our effectiveness to spread the Gospel message.  Other commentators suggest that Jesus was saying, if we as believers lose our saltiness, or walk away from our relationship with Jesus, we might as well be thrown into the streets and trampled.

Either way – how is your saltiness?  Are you mixing your Christian beliefs with the lies from today’s culture or are you keeping your saltiness pure by standing firm on God’s teachings in the Bible?  Are you still committed to your relationship with Jesus?

As we continue this week’s journey through the Sermon on the Mount, take time and prayerfully consider your saltiness.

Blessings,
Pastor Amy