Matthew 5:13 …
The flavor of faith…
Jesus was painting a vivid picture which left no doubt as to His point. Salt was precious in those days. People were often paid in salt. Salt was the means of preserving and protecting. Salt made things more palatable. All these things and more can and have been applied by Christians in describing the facets of faith.
But those who first heard Jesus would also understand that salt meant sacrifice. Old Testament sacrifices always included salt (Leviticus 2:13 / Numbers 18:19), and true disciples would live their lives as living sacrifices, acceptable to God (Romans 12:1-2). Most people want to live as a success not as a sacrifice, but the way of the world is not the way of the Word. God’s children will be broken, they will have to go through pain, and they will suffer persecution. This is the flavor of faith.
The children of God are the salt of the earth. Jesus says it is a reality, not a choice. They are not salt in their own strength, but the effect of the King on those in the Kingdom is that Jesus flavors and preserves all we do.
The fact is that salt should never lose its flavor, and salt either keeps something from being thrown out or the salt itself is thrown out. It is totally unexpected to find salt without saltiness and totally unthinkable that a follower of Jesus would be without a clear testimony to His glory. Such salt is of no more value than sand, and is like the mix of salt and sand that was found on the shores of the Dead (Salt) Sea.
Believers are like salt, make-believers are like sand. Is Jesus salt or sand to you?
2 comments:
Excellent application. Thank you.
...and thank you...
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