Ye are the Salt of the Earth
Salt, in scripture, is the preserving power of active righteousness, and grace.
Salt preserves whatever it is in. It keeps it from becoming putrid and rancid. It kills the germs which would destroy it.
So salt, as Jesus talks about here, is the grace which always seeks the right way of acting and doing. It preserves us from the corrupt policies of the world, and the rotten attitudes and opinions from within ourselves.
It keeps us set aside to God, and His will for us.
In the narrow way, we are helped and maintained by the preserving power of salt.(The empowering of grace, which supports our obedience, each day)
Matthew 5:13 “Ye are the salt of the earth; but if the salt hath lost it’s savor, wherewith shall it be salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and be trodden under foot of men.”
(Salt works its way into things. If you salt meat on the outside, and let it set; that salt will work its way into the meat, and season all of it.)
Like salt on meat, so the “salt” of active obedience, and grace works its way into our hearts, cleansing and purifying us; so that we can have that strengthening fellowship with our Lord Jesus, that we need.
Every sacrifice in the Tabernacle, was to be offered with salt. The nature of man is corrupt; and so it must be “salted”, so the sacrifice unto God would be acceptable.
(Romans 12:1-2). For the salting showed the Covenant of God, who set aside a people to be His, in righteousness, and holiness. The salt symbolized this.
The salt for the sacrifice was provided by money which all the people gave. It showed that fellowship with their Holy God, was to be enjoyed, and preserved by the obedience of all the people.
Leviticus 2:13 “And every oblation of thy meat offering shalt thou season with salt; neither shalt thou suffer the salt of the Covenant of thy God to be lacking from thy meat offering: with all thy offerings thou shalt offer salt.”
The salt of grace tests everyone.
Mark 9:49-50 “For everyone shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt.
Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his saltiness, wherewith shall ye season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another. ”
Either it will preserve us from the uncleanliness of the world, the flesh, and the devil;
Or our sins will be a fire within us. For the pleasures we secretly desire, and won’t put away; will burn us up.
Salt is good. For all who use it. Grace is the unmerited favor of the power of God in a Christian’s life.
Are we putting to use, the “salty” nature of grace for ourselves?
Colossians 4:6 “Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.”
We are to “season” our conversations with the knowledge of Christ, and grace. We are to use wisdom and grace to answer every man that asks us of the hope that is within us, with meekness and fear.(1 Peter 3:15)
Ephesians 3:29 “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.”
Salt is good. It preserves our hearts, and tongues. Let us use the salt of grace, and have fellowship with Christ Jesus in all we do.
Let us be the salt of the earth, helping to preserve those we come into contact with; by showing forth the righteousness of Christ.
Preaching, Teaching, and Notes 