You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. (Matthew 5:13)
The “Sermon on the Mount” is about the kingdom of heaven — the will of God being done on earth as it is in heaven. In this verse, Jesus tells all His disciples that we are the “salt of the earth.”
Salt was very important back in Biblical times (still is today). It was used as a seasoning, a preservative, and is a vital requirement of the human body. It was in integral part of the animal sacrifices of the Old Testament (Leviticus 2:13) and was the symbol of unbreakable covenant. Here, Jesus is focusing on salt as a flavoring.
If we are the salt of the earth, then what is the flavor? The kingdom of heaven. Jesus announced that His kingdom was now “at hand,” that is, now present in the world (Matthew 4:17). He went about “preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people” (Matthew 4:23). He not only preached the kingdom, he demonstrated its power to bring healing, wholeness and freedom. He brought the flavor of the kingdom — the flavor of heaven.
Jesus calls us the salt of the earth. Our job is to bring the flavor of heaven to the world, to manifest the kingdom of heaven on earth in all we do and say. We bring the teaching, the works, and the life of Jesus Christ to the world through the preaching of the gospel. It is only through faith and obedience to Him that we retain our saltiness and bring forth the savor of heaven.
The Kingdom of Heaven on Earth
Keys to the Kingdom of God
in the Gospel of Matthew
by Jeff Doles
Preview with Amazon’s “Look Inside.”
Available in paperback and Kindle (Amazon), epub (Google and iTunes) and PDF.
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