SALT OF THE EARTH

(Extract from my book "The parables of Jesus", soon to be published)

Therefore, when Christ called the disciples salt of the earth, these aspects would have naturally come to their minds. Salt was extremely valuable and so were they. Even wars have been fought over salt. Though at times hated by the world, believers are extremely valuable to it.

What does this metaphor tell us about the world and its nature?

Nothing more nothing less than the implication that the world is on a progressives' path to destruction. Left to itself, societies an cultures will naturally decay. Religion erodes because people don't want to acknowledge the true God. The family erodes as people lack love. Businesses and governments erode as people lack ethics. Society becomes full of evil, murder, and strife. This is the natural decay happening in the world.

In the midst of this world-wide moral decay, believers are salt - a preserving influence on this world. They preserve the world in a negative sense by retarding the decay. But they also preserve it in a positive sense by promoting righteousness.

Salt is aseptic but not antiseptic - it does not cure infection but rather may prevent the spread of infection. If meat is tainted, salt will not make it untainted and pure. The function of the subjects of His kingdom is to live in the middle of humanity in the terrible condition of sin and by living there according to the ethic of the Kingdom of God, to prevent the spread of evil. It is the Lord's work to ultimately cure and restore to relationship the cursed, corrupt, and impure spiritual and physical beings. No matter how corrupt or impure God can cleanse it and make it pure.

Believers are salt by bringing flavour to society and creating thirst for Christ. Jesus seemed to be saying that those who were in step with God would make the world a more enjoyable place by enhancing and communicating God's goodness. And, as Jesus pointed out, if His followers were to lose their saltiness, they would no longer be effective at protecting and amplifying God's goodness in the world.

The truth is, if a seasoning has no flavour, it has no value. If Christians make no effort to affect the world around them, they are of little value to God. If we are too much like the world, we are worthless. Christians should not blend in with everybody else. Instead, we should affect others positively, just as seasoning brings out the best flavour in food.

The point is, if you are a follower of Jesus, your preserving presence in this world should be as obvious as salted food.