Matthew 5:13-16
13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. 14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
Jesus now moves on from describing the blessed state of the believer (the beatitudes) to the positive influence they should have on all people around them (as opposed to Pharisees and others who were leading people away from the Kingdom Matthew 23:13). Most within Israel at this time were not putting on a good witness since the majority of them were unbelievers relying on the Law to be saved (had very little flavor in this case) and were, therefore, not producing as they should have been (see the parable of the unfruitful fig tree in Luke 13:6-9). That was the primary reason Jesus said these words because Israel was not nearly as salty as they should have been because most were unbelievers (even though most Israelites were supposed and assumed to be believers). However, as we will mention below, this teaching still applies to the church today in various ways.
Although Christians differ from everyone else because of their polar opposite position in Christ, they must still set a good example and share this blessed state with others so that they too, may partake of all the spiritual blessings rewarded to those who believe. The “you” at the beginning of verse thirteen can only indicate the state of born-again individuals whom the Lord expects to witness to all men through their godly thinking, speech, and behavior. And yes, this still applies to the church today.
But as to why Jesus used two illustrations to make His point was probably just for the sake of emphasizing a critical truth through repetition (and to clarify the meaning of what He said to His listening audience). I believe both “salt” and “light” refer to our general conduct in thought, speech, and action around others and our direct service to them through our spiritual gifts in the ministries God has assigned to every believer.
Not everyone is called to evangelization as their primary service to Christ. But that doesn’t excuse them from not sharing the gospel when the opportunity presents itself (whatever the situation or circumstances). However, I believe Jesus had our general conduct and direct service to others (and, therefore, to Him) in mind. We must share the goodness of the kingdom with others, a process only possible through spiritual growth, progress, and production. However, if spiritual growth is lacking (for whatever reason), the believer will inevitably become less salty, and the light of their witness will dim. This truth applies as much today as it did during our Lord’s time when He spoke these words.
So what of those who lose their saltiness and brightness? Assuming the person is an apostate (a former believer gone unbeliever), they will have no proof or evidence through their conduct or behavior that they have faith in Christ. And if they lack godliness, spiritual production resulting in fruit will also be absent.
5 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, 7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. 8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins.
2 Peter 1:5-9 demonstrates that faith is the foundation of our salvation (and everything that comes after that) empowered by the grace of God. It is from this necessary quality that all other spiritual fruits of the Spirit flow because faith is what brought us into God’s family initially. None of us will ever be perfect in any of these areas and may be lacking/struggling in some of them to whatever degree. But to the one who lacks ALL of these qualities and shows no sign of possessing them, we would categorize as someone who has lost their “salty flavor” and the light of their witness. All believers will possess at least some of the spiritual qualities mentioned above, even the least spiritually mature who have and will ever live. But those who ultimately turn their back on God and revert to unbelief (for whatever reason(s)) will be cut off, just like the unfruitful branch in John fifteen mentioned below. Only those who continue to believe will be saved. Those who stop believing will demonstrate it in their life and will, therefore, not inherit the kingdom of God because of that same unbelief. The verses below could not be more straightforward.
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. 5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
1 Corinthians 5:9-11
We need to clarify something here before we study the next section in our present context. I want to point out (to teach an important application for the church today) that 1 Corinthians 5:9-11 has commonly been pushed beyond the proper limits of how believers should interact with the world (we will provide some examples below). I bring this up because some within the body of Christ have reasoned that since we are the salt of the earth, this must mean doing and participating in certain things that are (in my view) counterproductive to faith. I will explain below.
9 I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— 10 not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. 11 But now I am writing to you that you must not associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or slanderer, a drunkard or swindler. Do not even eat with such people.
First and foremost, we, the church, are not here to make the world a better place. Only God can and will do that when He returns at His second and final advent and reigns during His thousand-year rule of the earth (the Millennium). Our jobs as believers (this is what needs to be the focus and emphasis) are to grow spiritually, progress, and produce through the spiritual gifts in the ministries the Lord has assigned every one of us.
Secondly, this attitude of trying to fix a broken world demonstrates a lack of faith and trust in God to set things right. Our job entails spiritual service, while the rest is up to the Lord. When the world became corrupt in Noah’s day (Genesis 6), Noah and His family did not attempt to fix it as it was during their time. Instead, they walked in faith by trusting the Lord to work everything out. And that He did by preserving this man of God and his family through the ark while destroying the disobedient inhabitants of the earth. As we will see in one of our next points, we are not far from seeing a somewhat parallel repeat of that event (albeit there will be no flood).
The church cannot fix the world. Not only is this an impossible task that is a complete waste of time for that and the other reasons mentioned, but it distracts the body of Christ from witnessing and approaching the lost as the Bible commands us to through spiritual means. That right there is a recipe for disaster for the believer’s faith.
Thirdly, believers are not “of” the world but “in” it. There is a big difference between the two because we are members and ambassadors of the kingdom and not that of the Devil’s world system. The spiritual differences between the two groups could not be more pronounced! We Christians are pilgrims and sojourners in hostile territory not our own. Since we are but visitors, why would we try to overturn Satan’s world system through secular means? That turns the believers duty upside down on its head! Our duties and the weapons needed to carry them out are spiritual.
We are not here to change the order of things of Christ’s arch-enemy because only the Lord can “cleanse His threshing floor.” What we can do is (through the Lord’s strength so that He gets all the glory) counteract all the evil attacks of the Devil by putting on the armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-18), which entails spiritual growth (offense and defense) and ministry (deploying our spiritual gifts in service to Christ). For more information on the armor of God, I recommend the reader to see that section in the study entitled “Overcoming Sin.” We can only properly counteract the side effects of evil through spiritual means through the grace and power of the only One who can do anything about it.
19 If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.
14 I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world.
Finally in our non-comprehensive list of reasons is that the Tribulation is close and will present a spiritual test to the faith of Christ’s bride unlike any other(s) that have beset this world since the very beginning (when man was first placed upon it). Those who utilize politics as their solution to the world’s problems risk compromising their faith entirely (even outside of the tribulation, regardless of what point in history we speak of). We already know a whole third of all believers alive during that time will fall away from the faith in an event known as the great apostasy (2 Thessalonians 2:3, Matthew 24:10, Revelation 12:4). We need to remember that the antichrist and his minions will be in control of much (and eventually all) of the world during this time. Political involvement already poses enough threats to spiritual health now; how much more will it be during the tribulation when it must be either full compliance with the one-world government or continued allegiance to Jesus Christ through faith?
2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
36 Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.”
If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
Now, believers still have to engage in this world and utilize various things within it to help them advance in their spiritual walk and ministries (we will discuss this further below). The “monk” mentality of isolation from both the world and the church is unbiblical because it makes spiritual growth, progress, and production almost entirely impossible. And it is a selfish and self-centered approach that makes life all about the individual who participates in such behavior. We must still navigate this world in a godly way, just as we need to be in contact with other believers (whether in person, online, or what have you) to properly please the Lord and be the “salt” and “light” of the earth. Taking the “lone wolf” path is bound to spell spiritual disaster!
24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: 25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
A man who isolates himself seeks his own desire; He rages against all judgment.
However, the main point of 1 Corinthians 5:10 is that we are to react to the evil around us in a godly way without compromising our biblical beliefs and behaviors. To be more precise, all Paul intended to communicate in verse ten is that we cannot entirely avoid immoral people and situations/circumstances. He wasn’t suggesting anything other than that (and this is where too many have taken this passage too far out of context). He was simply clarifying what he meant. So it would be improper to take this verse and throw it at others by legalistically encouraging (the road to spiritual peril is often paved by good intentions Proverbs 19:2) them to get themselves wrapped up in things that most likely don’t pertain to their spiritual calling. And some of what is preached as “service in the name of Christ” are things we should have little to do with, period.
However, it is true that there are things in the world that will pertain to the service of various believers. And we are all called to be witnesses to those around us wherever we are (work, recreation, the grocery store, etc.) When it comes to how believers engage this world, there will be variables that will involve things that would not constitute a threat to their spiritual welfare.
For example, studying politics (not the same as participating in them by trying to improve the world) to help familiarize oneself with a particular country to evangelize it is not bad. We can use the world (without participating in its wickedness and doing things that endanger our faith) in various ways to help utilize our spiritual gifts in the ministries we have all received from Christ. The Lord calls some believers to study different languages, laws, cultures, countries, and politics (all to varying degrees) to help them better understand and minister to those they serve. Many believers (especially pastors and missionaries) will need to learn at least some secular aspects of a particular society (such as the region’s history, culture, laws, politics, etc.) to help them navigate the “terrain” in which they must serve. And we would not be incorrect to say that almost everyone has at least some knowledge of these things in whatever place dealing with however many nations. But how much each of our brothers and sisters engages in these non-comprehensive examples (undoubtedly far more) will vary based on the individual and their particular gifting/calling from the Lord. Some may familiarize themselves with these things very little, while others a lot more. The believer’s sum of eternal rewards rests on how well they respond to the Spirit’s leading by doing what He wants them to do.
25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.
And regarding ministering to others, we should remember the example of Christ who ate with tax collectors and sinners (Matthew 9:10-13, Mark 2:15-17, Luke 5:29-31). The church must serve the world to become like Christ without simultaneously becoming like the world in so doing.
15 While Jesus was having dinner at Levi’s house, many tax collectors and sinners were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. 16 When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the sinners and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 17 On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.
This passage above involves two believers. However, the principle still applies. We never compromise with those we minister to (the world as our point of emphasis here). We are in this world, so we must (in various ways) utilize it in whatever manner(s) we can to fulfill our spiritual duties to Christ (whatever all the particulars and details look like for each and every individual).