You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men.

                                                                                                     Matthew 5:13 

Immediately following the eight declarations of blessing known as the Beatitudes, Jesus makes two additional statements regarding everyone who calls themselves followers of Christ. Jesus begins by telling us that we are to be the salt of the earth.

I have encountered two interpretations as to what “salt” is indicating. One is that salt acts as a means of bringing flavor to food. Although I do believe that Christians are to bring their best to every situation, I do not believe that this is the best interpretation. It is possible to over salt food to the point of making it non-edible. I do not believe that there can be too much Christian influence since Christ is to take the place of prominence in every aspect of our lives. So I do not believe that Jesus is referring to bringing flavor or seasoning to life.

The other interpretation is that salt acts as a preservative. I believe that this is what the original hearers would have taken from Jesus’ reference to salt. Before the advent of refrigeration, salt was used to preserve things like meat. In order to use salt as a preservative, one must use it liberally. Unlike the seasoning in which we use just a small amount, preserving meat requires the packing of the salt all around it. This would more adequately fit the early understanding and brings with it the idea of an abundance of Christian presence and influence. For these reasons, I believe that by declaring that we are the salt of the earth, Jesus is calling on believers to act as a preserving agent in this corrupt and sinful culture.

So how do we accomplish being the salt of the earth? I believe there are three areas in which Christians can act as preserving agents.

First, we are to bring God’s preservation power into our own life. Preservation begins in our own hearts. It is impossible for us to bring others to Christ if we ourselves are void of His life giving power. We must be saved! We must be born again! Once this spiritual transaction has taken place, we are then equipped to grow in our faith and become all that God has created us to be. Prayer, Bible study, and worship all act as ways for us to grow up in our faith. The more we live in the power and provision of Christ, the more we are able to bring others along with us.

Secondly, we are to bring God’s preservation power into our families. Do we want to be the best parents that we can be? Leading our children to Christ is the single most important thing any of us can do. Without our children’s salvation, nothing else that they accomplish in this life will ultimately matter. One of the indicators that the culture is heading in the wrong direction is the demise of the traditional family. People can say whatever they want about the past, but the family has never been under more fire than it is today. What used to be commonplace and ingrained in our culture is now a vanishing commodity. Christian parents honoring God with their lives and passing that same devotion to their children is what is at stake. Substitution of every imaginable worldly activity (many of which are beneficial) in place of spiritual growth has become the theme of families today. I cannot overstate the blessing and the thankfulness that I have for having been raised by godly parents. There is no substitution for seeing our children love the Lord.

Thirdly, we are to bring God’s preservation power into the culture. As believers are strengthened in their walk with Christ and as the family stands together in the truth of the gospel, the culture will begin to change. If we are serious about seeing the landscape of the culture change, we must get serious about our devotion to Christ and the public declaration of salvation that is found in Christ alone.

Being the salt of the earth means acting as a preserving agent to the world. Personal devotion to Christ, instructing our children, and openly proclaiming the reconciliation that comes from personally knowing Jesus are all ways in which we can live out this saltiness. But remember Jesus’ words, “If the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men.” Make a commitment today to be the salt of the earth!