In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. – Matthew 5:16

 

In Matthew chapter 5 beginning from verse 13-16,  Jesus unfolds the purpose of the church in the world,  which is to glorify God by restraining decay and bringing light into a dark world, which would eventually lead to conversion of sinners to Christ..  We know from scripture that sin came into the world when Adam fell. Before the fall, Adam and Eve and all of God’s creation basked in the light of God in a perfect world without death or decay. When man fell, sin entered the world, bringing death, darkness and decay.

 

“You are the salt of the earth………..  “You are the light of the world……- Matthew 5:13a, 14a (emphasis mine)

 

As believers in Christ Jesus, we are NOT called to be salt and light, if we are truly saved, we ARE salt and light in the world as Jesus says in verses 13-14 of Matthew 5.  At the time of our conversion, God made us salt and light to a dark and decaying world. Everything we need to shine God’s light into the darkness of the world and to restrain decay was given to us by God when we got saved. 

Jesus said believers are the salt of the earth and the light of the world! Yes, He means the whole world. The world is so big and true Christians are a  minority in the world, so how exactly are we few Christians going to be able to carry out this mandate of being the salt and light of the whole world?  Consider this, when one seasons food with salt, you do not need an equal amount of salt as the food, all you need isa  very little amount for the food to taste better. It is the same with preservation. You do not use a pound of salt to preserve a pound of meat.  Also, no matter how dark a place is, a little candle light is enough to dispel the darkness. Through the empowerment of the Holy Spirit, a few band of believers is more than enough salt to season and restrain evil in the whole world and enough  light to dispel the darkness.

While we can not completely stop the decay, we can restrain it. How? By the way we  live our lives. What is salt used for? Salt is used to season food to make it tasty, as an antiseptic for wounds, sometimes to eliciit thirst and to keep food from decaying. Our lives as believers are to be lived in such a way that we flavor the world with godly character which will create a thirst and a hunger for God in the world. Our character should influence the world to the point where evil and corruption is greatly reduced. We cannot eliminate decay, but we can slow it down. As we “sprinkle” our godly character into the world, decay is stayed and people begin to thirst for God. 

When salt is used as a seasoning to flavor food, it disappears into the food. You cannot see but you taste it in the food, you know it is there because the food tastes better. Just as salt works internally to flavor food, so we must quietly and silently influence and flavor the world with our godly character. Although salt cannot be seen when mixed in food, its influence is unmistakable.

 

While salt works inside, light shines on the outside……….Being salt and light then does not mean living to please the world neither does it mean trying to make people like us by being nice.  When we fulfill our purpose by being salt and light, the world will hate. Why? Jesus tells us in John 3:19-20.

 

Godly character leads to godly living, what we are on the inside will shine out for the world to see, when the world sees our good works, they will glorify God. While we are influencing the world by working like salt on the inside, we are also letting our light shine so that it gives light to the whole world. While salt works inside, light shines on the outside. In fact, Jesus tells us to put our lamp on a lamp stand, not hide under a bushel so it can give light to the world. The outward manifestation of the gospel can be seen not only in our living, but in our preaching and proclamation of the gospel. While we are quietly influencing the world and preserving it from further decay,  we are also preaching and proclaiming the gospel. They both go hand in hand. 

Being salt and light then does not mean living to please the world, it does not mean trying to be and act like the world so we don’t “stand out” neither does it mean trying to make people like us by being nice.  If the world is decaying and in darkness, being salt and light is the exact opposite. We are to be different and separate from the world.

As we carry out our salvation mandate of being salt and light, we should not expect the world to applaud or affirm us, instead we should expect opposition from it.  Why? Jesus tells us in John 3:19-20   And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.

To shine our light into a dark world, is to bring the knowledge of God into it. When we do that, we expose the sin and decay in the hearts of men and they will not like that because men love the darkness. However, we should not let this dissuade us.  God in His infinite wisdom has decided that it is through His people that the gospel will be brought to the lost, so let us pray for boldness and live out our calling of being salt and light. The only way the world can reach the place of giving God glory is when they see our godly character, not us trying to be like them. We are to be different in a godly way. When the world sees our lives and character, they should not see a character or lifestyle that is exactly like theirs, but one that is different in a godly way & would cause them to give glory to God.

May the Lord strengthen us and give us the grace and strength to be what He has already called us to be – salt and light to the world.  God bless.