Being Salt And Light In The World

EVANGELISM ARTICLE | John Maddocks | Toronto, Ontario

“You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavour, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. 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 5:13-16)

Context is always crucial in our understanding of most everything in life. In dealing with disputes, in understanding cultural nuances, in raising our children, in living with a spouse according to understanding. Context plays such a huge part in dealing with these, and a myriad of other situations that demand our attention, every day. Context is most certainly, and vitally, needed in our proper understanding of scripture. The context of our text is found in the previous 13 verses. Jesus sees a multitude of people. Taking advantage of this opportunity He ascends a mountain, takes a seat with His disciples, and begins to speak.

The context reveals that the words Jesus spoke in vs. 13-16 were to this large audience. Jesus begins with beatitudes (vs. 3-12). These are blessings that will be hallmarks of those who will be a part of His coming kingdom. In order to properly understand their calling to be salt and light in the world, they needed to remember what Jesus had just said. His kingdom disciples were called to be poor in spirit, to mourn, to be meek, and to hunger and thirst after righteousness. Also, they were to be merciful and pure in heart, and they were to be peacemakers. To be a part of His kingdom would also include persecution. They would be reviled (criticized in an abusive or angrily insulting manner) and many evil things would be spoken against them that were not true. If Jesus had stopped there they might have been confused at His teaching, but, of course, He doesn’t stop. He continues: “for great is your reward in heaven,” and he reminds this Jewish audience that suffering for God’s sake was certainly nothing new. Their history was full of accounts of prophets who were similarly mistreated.

Now, come forward in time several millennia, to this present point in history. We today, as followers of Christ, understand that the words that Jesus spoke to this great audience were in preparation for their being a part of the coming kingdom. Well, we are now a part of that kingdom. That kingdom came! These words that were shared with an audience in a very different place and time were intended to be heard and understood, and to be true of us today. We are called to be the salt and the light of this world in which we live. We should desire to be an influence for health and healing in this world that is so grossly disfigured and fractured by sin, and the depravity that resulted from it. There’s no need to wonder how this is to be accomplished, Jesus has revealed this to us. We’ve got to put the beatitudes into practice.

To be salt and light we have to be poor in spirit, or humble (cf. Philippians 2:5-8). The world needs to see us living like Jesus. This life isn’t about me, it’s about serving Christ and my fellow human beings. Jesus is God, but he humbled Himself and came and dwelt among us. He left us the ultimate example of one who is truly poor in spirit. What does the world see when they observe me and my actions?

To be salt and light we have to be those who mourn. Everyone mourns, we all experience loss. But I don’t believe this is the mourning that Jesus is talking about. Blessed are those that mourn over the sins they have committed. In Acts 2:37, having heard Peter’s defence that Jesus was indeed the Christ, many were cut to their hearts and cried out, what shall we do? Though there would certainly be fear in their hearts as they’ve come to understand that they were complicit in the murder of God’s son, I think we have a real example here of the mourning that Jesus is referring to in the beatitude. They are devout Jews, who, all their lives have been looking for and praying for the Messiah to come. He came and they killed Him! Peter’s words in verse 38 are a comfort to them. They are called to repent (what God has always called sinners to do) and to be baptized so that their sins – including this grievous one of murder – could be wiped away. Wow! What a merciful and gracious God we serve. You want to be salt and light in the world? Be humble and let the world see that when you make a mistake you admit it, repent of it and make it right. Let them see your desire to live a good and honourable life. What does the world see when they observe how you respond to your sins?

To be salt and light we are to be meek, and this carries with it the idea of being patient, gentle, submissive, and quiet. The world often believes that might makes right, that the loudest voice is the one that will be heard. The world wants instant gratification and doesn’t want to bow down to anybody. But Jesus said that it’s the meek who are blessed. Jesus could have called for 10,000 angels to put an end to his suffering on the cross. He certainly had the strength at His command to force obedience. By right of who He truly was, he could have made kingly demands, which He surely deserved as “God with us”. By human reasoning, Jesus should have done so many things differently than He did. “But made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross” (Philippians 2:7-8). What does the world see when they observe my character? (Cf. Hebrews 12:1-3).

To be salt and light we are to hunger and thirst for righteousness. What are you watching on TV? What are you reading? What places are you visiting from day to day? What is the nature of the conversations you have with others? What is it that you hunger and thirst for? Brethren, what example are we setting in the various relationships that we have in life, by our appetites? Paul in Philippians 4:8, wrote, “Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.” Be honest, and understand that the world observes these things.

To be salt and light we are to be merciful. Consider a couple of verses. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). “Who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4). The context in this passage is our need to be praying for all, including those who rule over us. God is a merciful God. Jonah didn’t want to go to Nineveh because he knew this was true. God was merciful; Jonah was not. God’s desire has always been the best for all. That all would repent and come to Him. What about you? How do you feel about those who’ve done wicked things? How much mercy, or compassion, do you show those with whom you disagree? Have you ever felt a sense of delight when an evil person dies? To Israel God said through the prophet Ezekiel, “‘As I live,’ says the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn, turn from your evil ways! For why should you die, O house of Israel?’” Again, these words were for Israel, but God felt the same way about Nineveh, didn’t He? What do people observe in how you react to the evils of mankind? How about in the way you treat and speak of those in authority?

To be salt and light we are called to be pure in heart. Again, my mind goes to Philippians 4:8. What are we letting in? The internet, which can be used for and is a source of so much good, is an easy access to the worst sorts of sin and depravity. What are we letting in? “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.” What would Jesus let in? He is our great example. We are encouraged in scripture, again and again, to guard our hearts and minds. Am I doing that? Are you?

To be salt and light we are called to be peacemakers. In the early verses of Ephesians 4 Paul petitioned the brethren “to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace” (v3). Brethren, we are to strive for unity. We are to go to great lengths and make every effort to be at peace among ourselves. Paul, in his letter to the Romans reminded the brethren that they needed to be mindful of each other’s opinions and that they were not to force their opinions on others. Similarly, here to the Ephesians, Paul says to be lowly and gentle with one another. They were to be longsuffering and to bear with one another in love. This is the heart of a peacemaker. Is this your heart?

Finally, Jesus taught that persecution, in one form or another, will come. Paul wrote that, “and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.” It is the lot of Christ’s followers that they will be reviled, and evil lies will be be said of them. Jesus said to his disciples that the world hated him and the world would hate them. How do we respond? Do we patiently bear it, as our Lord did, or do we lash out against it? The world is watching. They must wonder why in the world Christians endure such hostility against them, but how can they not be impressed as we patiently bear the same reproaches that our Lord endured?

Ours is not an easy calling. Being salt and light in a world that doesn’t like our taste and that enjoys the darkness makes it all that much harder. How are you doing? Never be too proud to seek help if you’re struggling. God has given us a spiritual family, in part, for that very purpose: to stir one another up to love and good works (Hebrews 10:24). Let us encourage one another to be salt and light in a world that so desperately needs both these things! And brethren, keep on praying and asking for God to give you wisdom and strength to be what you should be in this world.

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July 2023 | GROW magazine