Salt and Light – Matthew 5:13-16 – When Jesus tells us that Salvation is like a seasoning, it means that our salvation is something that should be used as a preservative against moral decay. It’s also a command to be humble and lowly.
Salvation is a seasoning
A short saying of Jesus about “salt” appears in each Gospel narrative. Each time it is used in a different context. This is important because interpretation is more about the context than about the words.
In this passage, Jesus tells his disciples that they are the salt of the earth. They are to be a source of light and flavor to all. The disciples are to bring people to Christ and to be salt in their world.
When a person accepts the gospel, they are salted by the perfect righteousness of Jesus. During the Old Testament, salt represented the covenant between God and His people. It was also used as a preservative.
Salt was also used in ancient Palestine to preserve food before refrigeration. However, it was not very useful by itself.
The light is a beacon of hope
“Beacon of Hope” is a multi-media installation designed by Scottish artist Craig Morrison. It consists of a wooden sculpture, an educational component, and a community engagement initiative. The piece has its own Twitter account and a website boasting a legion of volunteers. In addition to its onsite components, the work will travel to several locations in the coming years. This includes the GLOW festival in Eindhoven, France, the Fete des Lumieres in Lyon, France, and Jyvaskyla, Finland.
While it may be tempting to compare it to the aforementioned Golden Gate Bridge, Beacon of Hope is not a copycat. It uses a variety of sustainable materials. Also, the project is the brainchild of a local creative community, which helps ensure the work is not only environmentally friendly but also locally produced.
It’s a preservative for moral decay
The Bible is not the only source of the salt of the earth, but it is a good ole boy’s best friend. To the uninitiated, the world would be a dark place without the aegis of the Holy Spirit. For better or worse, the Bible is the undisputed alpha dog in the pack. If you’ve read the history of the Christian church, you know that it has been a major force for good and evil over the years. In short, it is one of the last bastions of civilization.
One of the best perks of being a believer in Christ is that you get to be a part of a community that works to cleanse the dross from the tarnished jewels. That is, if you are willing to put in the effort.
Jesus’ intention is to restore the saltiness of the salt
The saltiness of the salt was a concept of great significance in Jesus’ day. Salt was used to season meat, prevent decomposition, and preserve freshness. In many parts of the world, salting is still a common practice.
Although salt can have a wide variety of functions, the primary purpose of salt in the days of Jesus was to preserve food. Several times, Jesus mentions salt as a preservative agent.
Aside from its function, salt also has a flavor. When mixed with too many minerals, salt can taste less than desirable. Therefore, if a person is too lenient, they can lose their saltiness. As Christians, we must maintain our Christian character and slow the decay of our moral and spiritual lives.
Jesus uses salt as a metaphor for purity, preventing decomposition and corruption. He also warns us not to preserve ourselves from sin.
It’s a command to be humble and lowly
Taking a look at the Bible, we can see that humility and lowliness are righteous characteristics. There are many references to them in the scriptures. They have also been defined and summarized in Zephaniah.
A humble person has no pride and is not arrogant. Instead, they are willing to associate with others who are also humble. For instance, they would be happy to help anyone who asks for assistance.
The Bible calls all of us to live in humility and lowliness. This is what Jesus preached. He said that the followers of His church are all brothers and sisters. Those who are humble will be rewarded by God.
In Ephesians 4:2 we read, “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he will exalt you.” Peter also wrote, “God will exalt the humble. But he who is proud will be destroyed.”
One of the greatest examples of meekness is in Matthew 16:24. This verse says that the meek will inherit the earth. Another one is in James 4:10, which states that if we humble ourselves, God will exalt us.
