Salt of The Earth
The following is a reading from Rev. Otis B. Read D.D.
Jesus taught His disciples “Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost its savour, wherewith shall it be salted? It is henceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden underfoot of men.” (Matt.5:13) Mankind has been dependent on salt from the beginning of time. His body demands it. Food unflavoured by it is flat and tasteless. Man is dependent on it for a preservative. It is one of the oldest cleansing agents known. Almost all life is dependent on its presence for existence.
Jesus informed his early disciples that their presence and those spiritual qualities constituting their lives were as necessary to mankind’s continued existence as was the chemical compound called salt. It isn’t just our solitary presence in the world, but the contribution we are responsible for making that makes us worthwhile. If we fail to make this contribution we are thenceforth “…. good for nothing, but to be case out, and trodden underfoot of men.”
Those whom Jesus informed were the salt of the earth were later commanded to “preach the gospel to every man.” (Mark 16:15) It was to be through them and their witness that God would communicate with His creation. He commanded “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations,” that is, mix with the world and communicate it to those which I have taught you. Bear witness to others! For “…..Lo, I am with you always even unto the end of the world (age). Amen.” (Matt 28: 19- 20)
When we become Christian we become Christ-like. Jesus Christ’s nature becomes ours. Paul wrote: “For the love of Christ constraineth us, because we thus judge that, if one died for all, then were all dead: And that He died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto Him which died for them, and rose again.” (II Cor. 5:14-15) Christ’s love constrains us, and his interests become ours. Every Christian is another expression of Christ in human flesh.
The Christian is life as Christ would live it here upon earth in our society in our generation, nothing more, nothing less. By watching our conduct, others see Christ. People should hear Christ speak when they hear us speak. We are His representatives, His ambassadors, for unto us He hath committed the word of reconciliation. The apostle wrote: “Be ye followers of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample.” (I Cor. 11: 1; Phil. #: 17)
The world all about us is looking for an example, a pattern of Christ by which they can judge their own life. Paul wrote: “Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his . . . But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you . . . For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.” (Rom. 8: 9, 11, 14)
If we are what we profess to be, then we are living expressions of the Christ-life before our fellow man – truly the salt of the earth! If we profess to be, but are not, the world loses its respect for us, and we are good-for-nothing but are to be trodden under the foot of our fellow man.
Paul wrote the Corinthians: To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them . . . “This is the heart of the Gospel (good news) Message. “. . . and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead (as Christ or in His stead), be ye reconciled to God. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him”. (II Cor. 5: 19-21) Bearing such a message as this is the Christian’s privilege!
If we are truly “the salt of the earth”, we will busy ourselves in doing and in living the way Jesus did. We will discover great joy in communicating the Gospel to sinners, non-churchgoers, friends, relatives, neighbours and all who will lend us their ear outside the Sanctuary throughout the week. Ninety percent of people never enter the church! Matthew tells us in his gospel recorded that “when he (Jesus) saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them because they fainted, and were scattered abroad as sheep having no shepherd. Then said he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.” (Matt. 9: 36-38)
It is the Lord’s harvest. He pays well and is asking us to go forth in His name, equipped with His power, to gather in the harvest of souls abounding on every hand. Those who stumble about in darkness are God’s children. He loves them, has reconciled them to Himself in Christ, and reaches out loving arms toward them as He awaits us to tell them the good news (gospel) of their reconciliation and salvation.
The Apostle Paul wrote: “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? and how shall they preach except they be sent? as it is written, how beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!” (Rom. 10: 13-15)
What happier tidings could anyone bring than the fact we are reconciled to God through the death of Jesus Christ and that the Life of God which indwelt Him is now available to us? What has the world to offer a man in comparison to that which God offers him through Jesus Christ?
We hear professing Christians talking about how much they love God and how they want to love Him even more. Jesus taught us that the only way we can really love God Whom we can’t see is by first loving our fellowman whom we can see. We show our love for God by loving those whom God loves! The apostle John wrote: “For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another . . . he that loveth not his brother abideth in death. . . Hereby perceive we the love of God, because He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren . . . Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and everyone that loveth is born of God and knoweth God; for God is love. In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent His only begotten Son into the world that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. . . We love him, because he first loved us. If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? And this commandment have we from Him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.” (I John 3 and 4)
Paul asked the Corinthians if they recognized the fact that their bodies were God’s purchased possession, purchased with the blood of Christ and having since become the Temple of the Holy Spirit. (I Cor. 3: 16, 6: 19-20)
The Spirit of the Living God Who indwells us continues to serve and minister those about us through us, even as He did through Jesus Christ. HOW CAN HE, if we refuse to surrender our will and life to Him? God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself. Today, God is in us and through us would manifest His love anew and draw men to Himself. We are co-partners with God in this wonderful ministry of reconciliation. We are a most necessary instrument in God’s hands in the bringing of the good news of man’s salvation through Christ to others. We are the salt of the earth!
