A Sure Pathway To Living An Overcoming Christian Life.
The Expected Christian Life and Description
Part 3 – YOU ARE THE SALT OF THE EARTH
Bible Passage: John 1:4-9; Gen 1:3; Gen 1:16; Matt 5:13-16; Matt 13:33; Lk 13:21; Mk 9:49-50
INTRODUCTION: Summaries of Parts 1 & 2
The Salt of The Earth – Matthew 5:13 – KJV & NIV
There are useful locations, places and purpose for the salt, so long it has the power that makes it salt and salty. Once it loses that potency, it is no longer salt, no longer value and therefore thrown out.
1.First Lesson As The Salt of The Earth – Why Salt?
That we are light of world and salt of the earth is based to produce what the Lord stated in the Beatitudes
It us being salt and light that make us and result in Matthew 5:3-12
The purpose of this series is to call us back to who we are to be as believers who are salt and light indeed.
It is only the believer that is light, salt and leaven that can live the life listed out here. They are beyond the abilities of man, only the really godly can become and live in these Beatitudes.
These are the attitudes, mindset, focus and the description of the believers who are disciples of the Lord Jesus.
In Matt 5:13-14; Matt 5:3-10, Christ emphasizes the character traits of true believers—those who are part of the kingdom of heaven. These attributes ultimately provoke anger and resentment from the world.
2.Second Lesson As The Salt of The Earth – What does it mean to be the salt of the earth?
To Be The Salt of The Earth Means That: Believers Are and Should Be Valuable To The World. – Chron 13:5. In the entire chapter is an interest story and proof of what it means to be the salt of the earth.
A battle between Israel and Judah 2 where 500,000 men lost their lives because of Covenant of Salt. Therefore, when Christ called the disciples salt of the earth, these aspects would have naturally come to their minds. Salt was extremely valuable and so were they. Matt 5:13
3.To Be The Salt of The Earth Means That; Believers Preserve Society From Satanic, Sinful and Moral Decays: – these are depth of iniquity decays – One of the primary uses of salt in the ancient world was as a preservative. This implies that the world is on a sinful progressive path to destruction. Left to itself, societies and cultures will naturally decay. Rom 1:18-32; Rom 1:28-32:
-Christianity erodes because people don’t want to acknowledge the true God.
-The family erodes as people lack love.
-Businesses and government erode as people lack ethics.
-Society becomes full of evil, murder, and strife.
This is the satanic decay happening in the world. This began right after the fall in Gen 3 through Gen 6:5-7; Gen 11; Ezra 16:49-50; Gen 19:5 and Gen 19:24 till date.
How do believers preserve and can keep preserving the society from moral decay practically?
a. Believers preserve society by keeping back God’s destructive wrath, as they salt the wicked world with their salt and saltiness. – Gen 18, 2 Thess 2:5-8; 1 Thess 5:9:
b. Believers preserve society by praying for it. Ezek 22:30-31, Amos 7:1-5, God said he sought for a man to stand in the gap but because he found none, he destroyed the land.
c. Believers preserve society by being a righteous influence on it. James 1:15.
4.To Be The Salt of The Earth Means That; Believers are Salt By Bringing Flavour To Society and Creating Thirst For Christ.
a. The ancient world used salt for seasoning, as we do. When eating something well-seasoned or spicy, it typically increases one’s thirst. Christians should serve a similar role in the world. Jh 4:13-14.
b. Let Them Ask Why? Your life as salt of the earth should provoke people to want to know why.
When the world sees how believers can go through trials with joy and without complaining; when believers are content instead of constantly dissatisfied; when believers bless instead of cursing their enemy; when believers suffer willingly for righteousness sake.
c. The questions for you and here, are: Are you being salty? Does your presence make a difference in your environment? Are you deterring people from sin and provoking them towards righteousness? Are you making people thirsty for Christ?
CONCLUSION:
Am I really the salt of the earth? I am contributing to the satanic decay of the world while I call myself a Christian?
