The Sermon on the Mount begins with Jesus setting forth the godly virtues his disciples should embody and practice in their everyday life. Humility, mourning, gentleness, desire for righteousness, mercifulness, purity of heart, peacemakers, and blessedness with joy when persecuted all prepare disciples for their mission to the world as salt and light. These beatitudes are intended to yield at least three significant outcomes: 1) glory to God, 2) blessedness (holiness and happiness) for the disciple, and 3) godly influence in the world.
Jesus established the cornerstone of his guidance for his disciples with the Sermon on the Mount, encouraging us to stand apart from the world and to serve as both the salt of the earth and lights of the world. We are not meant to assimilate into the world’s views, culture, or behavior. True followers of Christ are different – different from both religious and the irreligious, from the Pharisees (Matthew 6:1-18) and the Gentiles (Matthew 6:24-34).
To understand how Jesus used the salt and light metaphors, we must first consider the literal properties and purposes. Salt and light were and are indispensable commodities. The need for light is obvious. Salt was used as a condiment, a preservative, and a disinfectant. The metaphor is not about making the earth taste better; rather, its relevance is to the latter two qualities. Without refrigeration, salt was vital to keep meat and fish wholesome and to prevent decay. It still is used this way today. Beef jerky, pickles, and salmon are a few examples of foods still preserved using salt.
Salt is also a natural disinfectant that was widely used before modern medicine and pharmacy emerged. In the ancient world, it was commonly used to treat wounds by killing bacteria. Throughout history, salt has been employed in unhygienic environments, particularly in situations where medical resources were scarce, such as times of war or mass migration. Today, we continue to utilize salt for disinfecting purposes in areas prone to infection, such as wounds, cuts, and burns.
So, what exactly was Jesus referring to when he said his disciples are the salt of the earth?
Matthew 5:13 “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless [saltless], how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.”
Our prayers can have an impact on individuals, our local community, the country, and the world. In addition to prayers, it is necessary to be different but not separate from the world. For others to glorify God with the supernatural change we have received, they must be able to view our behavior (which is impossible if we are sitting on the couch at home). The blessings and joy we experience should not only be visible to others but also elucidated as we share with them the teaching of God’s
word.
The world is constantly attacked by the evil one and his cohorts, thereby shaping society into a sinful cesspool of wickedness. We hold the spiritual antidote to this moral decay and the disinfectant for incessant depravity. Our responsibility is not to sit around complaining about the sad state of our times, but to model purity and speak truth that confronts the lies. We are not to just peacefully coexist and acquiesce to the world’s insanity. As disciples of Christ, we are to follow Jesus’ example set forth in the Gospels. He was continually out in the community modeling holiness, confronting evil, and speaking the truth.
Another aspect about salt relates to a common cultural practice in ancient times that is still observed in many Asian cultures today. Many years ago, I had an odd experience in Tokyo, Japan. I was invited to participate in a Christian conference for those involved in the airlines. Pilots, flight attendants, mechanics, and travel agents gathered for the weekend event. My involvement was to impart the teachings of the Bible, a task I felt privileged to undertake. The first day, one of the flight attendants connected with a local person who invited some of us to her home and a tour of the city. The next day, four of us went to this non-Christian, single, Japanese woman’s home. She graciously served as a generous hostess and offered a complete meal with appetizers and local cuisine. She honored us like dignitaries; yet, we were complete strangers.
Part way through the meal, she excused herself to go pick up her child from school. She left four strangers in her home unattended as if we were well-known friends. Until I grasped this Eastern custom, the significance of this event eluded me. In parts of Asia and the Middle East, hospitality is considered a deeply ingrained value and a matter of social etiquette. Welcoming guests, whether known or unknown, with warmth and generosity is often viewed as a sign of respect, kindness,
and community cohesion. This tradition can be traced back to ancient customs and religious teaching prevalent in these regions. The Bible also certainly addresses the subject of entertaining strangers.
The account involving Lots’ hospitality for the two angels, initially mistaken for men, highlights the significance of this custom plus the sharing of food with salt in it. Salt represented qualities like loyalty, fidelity, commitment, purity, integrity, and protection. Sharing salt with guests in one’s home conveyed all of these virtues, symbolizing an unbreakable bond. The gravity of this covenant was so profound that when the men of the town sought relations with the two angels, Lot went so far to protect these men that he offered his two virgin daughters in their place, illustrating the seriousness of the salt covenant. Scriptures to consider regarding salt are Leviticus 2:13; Numbers 18:19; Ezekiel 16:4; 2 Kings 2:20-22; and Judges 9:45.
When the beatitudes are our lifestyle, we represent God in the midst of “a crooked and perverse generation”. The qualities symbolized by salt − integrity, purity, fidelity, honesty, loyalty, commitment, and love − are inherent to our being and have a profound impact on those around us. The preservative qualities of salt represent how disciples can influence other people to preserve their life eternally plus how we may preserve God’s blessings on our community and country. God told Abraham that
He would save Sodom if He found ten righteous living there. We are painfully aware that God’s blessings have diminished in our country since reverence for God has decreased. Similarly, faithful, outgoing disciples can have a disinfectant impact on individuals and communities with our example and godly words.
Mark 9:50 Salt is good; but if the salt becomes unsalty, with what will you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves and be at peace with one another.
Luke 14:33-35 So then, none of you can be My disciple who does not give up all his own possessions. “Therefore, salt is good; but if even salt has become tasteless [saltless], with what will it be seasoned? “It is useless either for the soil or for the manure pile; it is thrown out. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.
Salt on your grass, plants, or compost pile will kill it. For effectiveness, a disciple must retain his Christlikeness, as salt must retain its saltiness. If we become assimilated to non-Christians and contaminated by the impurities of the world, we lose our influence. The effect of Christians in and on society depends on our being distinct, not identical. If we are indistinguishable from non-Christians, we are useless just like salt that has lost its saltiness.
Matthew 5:14-16 You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.
A city nestled in a valley is hard to see as is a light hidden under a basket. We have been made to be lights, so others can see, for then God will be glorified, you and the world will be blessed. We are expected to be out and about like Jesus was meeting people and witnessing this glorious gospel with our lifestyle and words.
Jesus called himself the light of the world and light of life in John 8:12 and 9:5. Now that he ascended and sent the holy spirit, we are the lights of the world because he lives in us.
Ephesians 5:8-9 for you were formerly darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth),
Philippians 2:15-16 so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I will have reason to glory because I did not run in vain nor toil in vain.
The two essential aspects for us to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world are: 1) living the beatitudes and 2) getting out into the world so we can connect with others. As we respond accordingly, God will be glorified, you will be blessed, and 3) there will be a godly influence in the world.
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