"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 by men." (Matthew 5:13).

Once, when asked what was the number one problem in the church, missionary statesman and author, E. Stanley Jones, replied, "Irrelevance."

This is a sad irony because the church is called to minister that which is most relevant to human need- the life of Christ.

Jesus describes the church as "the light of the world," and "the salt of the earth". He commissions His followers to be His ambassadors and agents with a heavenly agenda in today's world.

There is as much danger of the church losing its relevance as there is for the salt mines of the Middle East to have their true salt content leech away due to exposure to the outside elements. What remains on the outer surface of the mine is a mineral mixture that looks like salt but is not sodium chloride and has none of the potent characteristics of salt. To be the salt of the earth we must be filled with the characteristics of Christ; we must be filled with the Spirit. The problem is we leak. This is why the original language of the Apostle Paul's exhortation is in the present active tense: "keep on being filled with the Holy Spirit." (Ephesians 5:18).

What did Jesus have in mind when he said, "You are the salt of the earth"? Salt was so indispensable to the people of his day that it was esteemed as a premium commodity for trading. People would often pay for products and services with salt. The Latin word for salt is 'salarium' from which we get the English 'salary'. The question whether we are 'worth our salt' may sound degrading if we think it refers to the salt of our perspiration, but the question is, 'Are we worth what we are being given compensation for?' The church is called to be salt, but if it loses its saline qualities or fails to penetrate and permeate our culture it is useless.

Seven qualities pertinent to salt that we might keep in mind are:

1. Flavor . Salt flavors a meal, making it acceptable and tasteful to the partaker. "Is tasteless food eaten without salt, or is there flavor in the white of an egg ?" The presence of the believer brings an opportunity for people to experience the Lord. "Taste and see that the Lord is good." (Psalm 34:8).
2. Preservative . Salt prevents the spread of corruption. Prior to refrigeration, meats would be salted to prevent decay and prolong their edibility. The presence of active believers potentially prevents the spread of evil and corruption in society.
3. Healing . Salt is needed to replenish the body salts (electrolytes) lost through perspiration. Salt would be applied sometimes to wounds. The church has a ministry of healing.
4. Relationship Building through Hospitality and Covenant . Salt cemented relationships with the offer of hospitality (care). There was a popular expression indicating that a person was welcome to share in all one had to offer: "Eat the salt of the palace". People bonded together in relationships of mutual commitment, love and care and passed the salt. An Arab expression is "There is salt between us."
5. Symbolizes new life, new ownership and separation from the past . Cursed and conquered cities were sown with salt. This act repudiated the past history and separated the ground for a new beginning and new purpose. Newborn babies were symbolically rubbed with salt. Elisha put salt in a new vessel to heal the cursed waters of Jericho (2Kings 2:19-22).
6. Causes thirst . The presence of Christ's life in the believer should cause people to thirst after God.
7. Expresses endurance . The offerings of the Israelite tabernacle in the wilderness and the temple in Jerusalem all had salt added. The salt spoke of the enduring eternal quality of what was being offered- representing the once and for all - enduring sacrifice of Christ.

Instead of having our saltiness erode away by the influence of our surrounding culture, and instead of withdrawing into a Christian sub-culture, we need to be counter-culture Christians, actively salting the earth with the relevant influence of new life. Is the world around you tasteless, corrupt, wounded, fractured, cursed, indifferent, and caught up in temporality? You are called to make a difference by permeating it as the 'salt' God has sent.

Out of the shaker,

David MacAdam, Pastor/Teacher
New Life Community Church