“Salt is good; but if the salt has lost its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is neither fit for the land nor for the dunghill, but men throw it out. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!” (Luke 14:34-35)
Salt serves four main purposes: 1. salt is a preservative; 2. salt adds flavor; 3. salt can be used as a fertilizer; 4. salt causes thirst. Jesus says that we who believe in Him are to be like salt: “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. (Matthew 5:13)
As salt, Christians are to:
1. "preserve" this world. Then Abijah stood on Mount Zemaraim, which is in the mountains of Ephraim, and said, “Hear me, Jeroboam and all Israel: Should you not know that the Lord God of Israel gave the dominion over Israel to David forever, to him and his sons, by a covenant of salt? [II Samuel 8] (II Chronicles 13:4-5) God has given us "dominion ... over all the earth and [every thing] on the earth.” (Genesis 1:26) We are to keep this world for God until Christ returns, as God commands all people to, saying ‘Obey My voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be My people. And walk in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well with you. [Exodus 19:5]’ (Jeremiah 7:23)
2. add "flavor" to this world. Can flavorless food be eaten without salt? (Job 6:6) And every offering of your grain offering you shall season with salt; you shall not allow the salt of the covenant of your God to be lacking from your grain offering. With all your offerings you shall offer salt. (Leviticus 2:13) We have to live in such a way that the world desires to "taste" the Word of God. Just like we share our food with eachother, if someone has somethig that looks tasty and we want to try it, we must also share the Word of God with people, so that they can ...taste and see that the LORD is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him! (Psalm 34:8) We can't make Christianity out to be a "no more problems" lifestyle, because Jesus promised that In the world you will have tribulation; (John 16:33) but we can create a hunger in people by showing them that even with troubles, Christianity is a "no more worries" lifestyle, because Jesus promised “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life,... If then God so clothes the grass, which today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will He clothe you... (Luke 12:22-28)
3. "fertilize" this world. Then the men of the city said to Elisha, “Please notice, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord sees; but the water is bad, and the ground barren.” And he said, “Bring me a new bowl, and put salt in it.” So they brought it to him. Then he went out to the source of the water, and cast in the salt there, and said, “Thus says the Lord: ‘I have healed this water; from it there shall be no more death or barrenness.’” So the water remains healed to this day, according to the word of Elisha which he spoke. (II Kings 2:19-22) The world needs the Word of God, and we have to share the Word of God with all that God allows us to, so that we are can grow to be what God created us to be. The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree, He shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. (Psalm 92:12)
4. create "thirst" in this world. Thus says the Lord: “Cursed is the man who trusts in man And makes flesh his strength, Whose heart departs from the Lord. For he shall be like a shrub in the desert, And shall not see when good comes, But shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, In a salt land which is not inhabited. “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, And whose hope is the Lord. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, Which spreads out its roots by the river, And will not fear when heat comes; But its leaf will be green, And will not be anxious in the year of drought, Nor will cease from yielding fruit. (Jeremiah 17:5-9) We have to realize that without God, we exist in a "desert", we are in a spiritually dry place. The "salt" of the Word of God brings about that realization. When we were controlled by our old nature, sinful desires were at work within us,... In fact, it was the law that showed me my sin. (Romans 7:5-7) Once we realize our true condition, then Jesus promises "...those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.” (John 4:14)
But if we who profess to be believers are found to be counterfeits, then we will be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. (see Christianity vs. Religion; Watch Out For Counterfeits) This lesson is clearly taught by what happened to Lot's wife, when she did not obey the instruction of the Lord God, regarding what to do when her family left Sodom: But his wife looked back [at the city of Sodom] behind him, and she became a pillar of salt. (Genesis 19:26) Lot didn't gather up her salt remains and take them with him, but she was left behind. The same will happen to all of us, if we get to the end of life's journey and have never accepted the free gift of salavation from God, through faith in Christ Jesus, even if we have appeared to be be "good", But He [Jesus] will say, ‘I tell you I do not know you, where you are from. Depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity.’ (Luke 13:27)
Light has two main functions: 1. light expells darkness; 2. light enlightens, or reveals. "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:14-16)
As light, Christians are to:
1. get rid of "darkness" in this world. They grope in the dark without light, And He makes them stagger like a drunken man. (Job 12:25) By nature, none of us naturally know where to go, how to live, what to do, we are spiritually blind, running into all kinds of "walls" and making all kinds of mistakes. But once we hear the Word of God, believe it, and accept Christ as our Savior and Lord, God promises, I will bring the blind by a way they did not know; I will lead them in paths they have not known. I will make darkness light before them, And crooked places straight. These things I will do for them, And not forsake them. (Isaiah 42:16) God takes care of His own! God will not take us out of this dark world, but God will lead us through it!
2. "enlighten" this world. For You will light my lamp; The LORD my God will enlighten my darkness. (Psalm 18:28) As we read earlier, by nature we do not know right from wrong. Only after hearing the Word of God do we know what sin is. Just as Christ called Paul, He has called each of us also, "to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me." (Acts 26:18) There is only one thing needed for us to be light in this world, and that is the Word of God! This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. (I John 1:5) And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts; (II Peter 1:19) Your word [God] is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.!(Psalm 119:105)
The lessons of Jesus' "Sermon on the Mount"! Refer to the previous lessons, to study the entire sermon in context:The "Beattitudes" Lesson!; "Salt & Light" Lesson!; Importance of The Commandments!; "You Shall Not Murder" Lesson!; "You Shall Not Commit Adultery" Lesson!; 'Til Divorce Do Us Part?; Watch Our Mouth, and Responses!; Don't Be A Hypocrite, A Show-off!; God and His Kingdom First!; Don't Judge; Be An Example!; Follow The Leader!; Not Just Hearers, but Doers Also!
Salt serves four main purposes: 1. salt is a preservative; 2. salt adds flavor; 3. salt can be used as a fertilizer; 4. salt causes thirst. Jesus says that we who believe in Him are to be like salt: “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. (Matthew 5:13)
As salt, Christians are to:
1. "preserve" this world. Then Abijah stood on Mount Zemaraim, which is in the mountains of Ephraim, and said, “Hear me, Jeroboam and all Israel: Should you not know that the Lord God of Israel gave the dominion over Israel to David forever, to him and his sons, by a covenant of salt? [II Samuel 8] (II Chronicles 13:4-5) God has given us "dominion ... over all the earth and [every thing] on the earth.” (Genesis 1:26) We are to keep this world for God until Christ returns, as God commands all people to, saying ‘Obey My voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be My people. And walk in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well with you. [Exodus 19:5]’ (Jeremiah 7:23)
2. add "flavor" to this world. Can flavorless food be eaten without salt? (Job 6:6) And every offering of your grain offering you shall season with salt; you shall not allow the salt of the covenant of your God to be lacking from your grain offering. With all your offerings you shall offer salt. (Leviticus 2:13) We have to live in such a way that the world desires to "taste" the Word of God. Just like we share our food with eachother, if someone has somethig that looks tasty and we want to try it, we must also share the Word of God with people, so that they can ...taste and see that the LORD is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him! (Psalm 34:8) We can't make Christianity out to be a "no more problems" lifestyle, because Jesus promised that In the world you will have tribulation; (John 16:33) but we can create a hunger in people by showing them that even with troubles, Christianity is a "no more worries" lifestyle, because Jesus promised “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life,... If then God so clothes the grass, which today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will He clothe you... (Luke 12:22-28)
3. "fertilize" this world. Then the men of the city said to Elisha, “Please notice, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord sees; but the water is bad, and the ground barren.” And he said, “Bring me a new bowl, and put salt in it.” So they brought it to him. Then he went out to the source of the water, and cast in the salt there, and said, “Thus says the Lord: ‘I have healed this water; from it there shall be no more death or barrenness.’” So the water remains healed to this day, according to the word of Elisha which he spoke. (II Kings 2:19-22) The world needs the Word of God, and we have to share the Word of God with all that God allows us to, so that we are can grow to be what God created us to be. The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree, He shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. (Psalm 92:12)
4. create "thirst" in this world. Thus says the Lord: “Cursed is the man who trusts in man And makes flesh his strength, Whose heart departs from the Lord. For he shall be like a shrub in the desert, And shall not see when good comes, But shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, In a salt land which is not inhabited. “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, And whose hope is the Lord. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, Which spreads out its roots by the river, And will not fear when heat comes; But its leaf will be green, And will not be anxious in the year of drought, Nor will cease from yielding fruit. (Jeremiah 17:5-9) We have to realize that without God, we exist in a "desert", we are in a spiritually dry place. The "salt" of the Word of God brings about that realization. When we were controlled by our old nature, sinful desires were at work within us,... In fact, it was the law that showed me my sin. (Romans 7:5-7) Once we realize our true condition, then Jesus promises "...those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.” (John 4:14)
But if we who profess to be believers are found to be counterfeits, then we will be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. (see Christianity vs. Religion; Watch Out For Counterfeits) This lesson is clearly taught by what happened to Lot's wife, when she did not obey the instruction of the Lord God, regarding what to do when her family left Sodom: But his wife looked back [at the city of Sodom] behind him, and she became a pillar of salt. (Genesis 19:26) Lot didn't gather up her salt remains and take them with him, but she was left behind. The same will happen to all of us, if we get to the end of life's journey and have never accepted the free gift of salavation from God, through faith in Christ Jesus, even if we have appeared to be be "good", But He [Jesus] will say, ‘I tell you I do not know you, where you are from. Depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity.’ (Luke 13:27)
Light has two main functions: 1. light expells darkness; 2. light enlightens, or reveals. "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:14-16)
As light, Christians are to:
1. get rid of "darkness" in this world. They grope in the dark without light, And He makes them stagger like a drunken man. (Job 12:25) By nature, none of us naturally know where to go, how to live, what to do, we are spiritually blind, running into all kinds of "walls" and making all kinds of mistakes. But once we hear the Word of God, believe it, and accept Christ as our Savior and Lord, God promises, I will bring the blind by a way they did not know; I will lead them in paths they have not known. I will make darkness light before them, And crooked places straight. These things I will do for them, And not forsake them. (Isaiah 42:16) God takes care of His own! God will not take us out of this dark world, but God will lead us through it!
2. "enlighten" this world. For You will light my lamp; The LORD my God will enlighten my darkness. (Psalm 18:28) As we read earlier, by nature we do not know right from wrong. Only after hearing the Word of God do we know what sin is. Just as Christ called Paul, He has called each of us also, "to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me." (Acts 26:18) There is only one thing needed for us to be light in this world, and that is the Word of God! This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. (I John 1:5) And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts; (II Peter 1:19) Your word [God] is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.!(Psalm 119:105)
The lessons of Jesus' "Sermon on the Mount"! Refer to the previous lessons, to study the entire sermon in context:The "Beattitudes" Lesson!; "Salt & Light" Lesson!; Importance of The Commandments!; "You Shall Not Murder" Lesson!; "You Shall Not Commit Adultery" Lesson!; 'Til Divorce Do Us Part?; Watch Our Mouth, and Responses!; Don't Be A Hypocrite, A Show-off!; God and His Kingdom First!; Don't Judge; Be An Example!; Follow The Leader!; Not Just Hearers, but Doers Also!
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