“You are the salt of the earth. But if the…

“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its taste, it cannot be made salty again. Salt is useless if it loses its salty taste. It will be thrown out where people will just walk on it.” (Matthew 5:13)

What is salt? Salt is a crystalline compound that occurs as a mineral and is used primarily in food preparation. It both seasons food and preserves food. Jesus used “salt” as a metaphor for the way His disciples should relate to the world. As a seasoning for the world, the disciples of Jesus would transform the world into something good that would please the Lord. As a preservative for the world, the disciples of Jesus would preserve what is still good in the world from further corruption.

If, however, salt loses its taste, which could actually happen to the salt of Palestine, then it cannot fulfill its seasoning and preservative functions. With respect to the disciples of Jesus, this would mean that they have lost their spiritual distinctiveness and vigor and are no longer capable of transforming the world into something that God finds pleasing. It would also mean that they are no longer capable of preserving whatever is still good in the world from further corruption.

Salt that has lost its distinctive properties is, as a consequence, useless in food preparation. When the salt of Palestine lost its saltiness, it was thrown out into the streets where it was trodden under foot. With respect to the disciples of Jesus, this would mean that they are useless as a transformative and preservative force in the world. As such, their ultimate destination is to be thrown out of the church of Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of God. Instead of being lifted up and being made to shine like stars forever and ever as will the true disciples of Jesus (Daniel 12:3), such false disciples will be cast down and treated with utter contempt in hell.

As Christians, we are supposed to be the salt of the earth; we are supposed to be a transformative and preservative force in the world. Today, go forth as the true salt of the world. Within the sphere God has placed you, large or small, transform what needs transforming and preserve what needs preserving.