What is the biggest problem plaguing our world today? I suggest to you that it is not the presence of decay and corruption, but the absence of salt. Our biggest problem is not the pervasiveness of darkness, but a lack of the light. To state it another way, the greatest threat to our world are people who claim to be Christians but who are not living into and out of their identity as ones who have been transformed by Christ.

The greatest threat to our world are people who claim to be Christians but who are not living into and out of their identity as ones who have been transformed by Christ.

In Matthew 5:13-16 Jesus gives us the kingdom solution to this problem. Here are His words:

“You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet. You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”

In this dense and rich passage, Jesus gives His listeners two identity affirmations to embrace, and two idolatrous warnings to avoid.

Identity Affirmation 1: YOU are the Salt of the Earth

The “you” here is emphatic, meaning to emphasize something vitally true.

I love this about Jesus. Remember who He is originally speaking to in His Sermon on the Mount. He is addressing a crowd comprised of ordinary people who have gathered because their lives have been touched by the Great Shepherd. These are common people, whom Scripture calls “crowds” or “multitudes.” He’s also speaking to His disciples—simple, ordinary men whom He called from the crowd to follow Him in a special way.

Yet to this group of ordinary people, Jesus affirms something extraordinary about their identity. He says, “You are the salt of the earth…” Notice He doesn’t say they will become salt, or they must achieve the status of being salt, or that when He’s done with them they will finally be salt. No—He says that they ARE salt.

Now, what does this rich metaphor mean? In the ancient world salt was used to purify, give flavor, or preserve. Often, salt was mixed with sacrifices to present a pure offering to the Lord. Salt was used to season food as we often use it today. It was also used to preserve food like meat, as the ancient world did not have fridges or freezers to store food to keep it from decaying.

So, we can draw the practical application of this first affirmation here. Our very presence flavors the environment in which we dwell. In other words, we are to bring out the best in others. You see, salt is only effective if it comes into contact with something else, like food! You would never sit down and have a nice big bowl of salt, would you? That would be gross. Yet seasoning food with salt takes discernment. I’m notoriously guilty of over-salting food (just ask my wife). That’s why recipes call for a specific amount of salt. Even a little can make a huge difference; but too much can ruin a meal. You can always add more salt, but it’s hard to remove it once it’s there. Just like salt is meant to bring out the best flavors in the food you are eating, our presence is meant to bring out the best, or bring out God, in others.

Salt also preserves. It protects the good of things. It keeps decay at bay and stops corruption in its tracks. Which leads us to our first warning.

Idolatrous Warning 1: Don’t Lose Your Saltiness!

How do you lose your saltiness?

Simply stated, we lose our saltiness when we fail to be distinct from the world. We forsake our saltiness when we forget who we are, play it safe by insulating ourselves, and idolize comfort and convenience. In other words, we lose our saltiness when we stay in the saltshaker!

Now, saltiness and holiness go hand in hand. We must be different from the world, and at the same time be engaged in the world. Yet, are we known more by what we are for or by what we are against? Do we avoid the places where there is decay and corruption, or do we wisely shake into it? As the salt of the earth, our holiness ought to lead to others’ wholeness.

As the salt of the earth, our holiness ought to lead to others’ wholeness.

Identity Affirmation 2: YOU are the Light of the World

Again, notice Jesus doesn’t say that they have light, or will be light, but that THEY ARE the light.

What is also striking about these affirmations is the scope. One might think Jesus would say that they are the light of Galilee, or even of Jerusalem. But of the world?

There’s something key here that is easy to miss in the progression and direction of these two vital affirmations. Notice how salt was of the earth, or land, likely conveying the common and familiar places where the people lived. Next, the light metaphor breaks out into the expansive sphere of the world, to that which is unknown and uncomfortable.

It is likely that the salt metaphor here conveys Jesus’ mission to the Jews, while the light metaphor conveys the expansion of His mission to the Gentiles, to the places where He Himself would not physically go but would go through the indwelling power of His Spirit in and through His people.

Light illuminates. Biblically speaking, light is often connected to truth, salvation, knowledge, revelation, life, and love. Light scatters darkness, helps us see, and makes things visible.

In John 8:12, Jesus refers to Himself as “the light of the world.” But here He is saying to this crowd of ordinary followers, “You are the light of the world.” So, which is it?

Both.

When we belong to Jesus, His light is our light because the gospel has united us with Him. As the light of the world, we are called to illuminate truth, show the way of salvation, and reveal the knowledge of God’s love.

When we belong to Jesus, His light is our light because the gospel has united us with Him. As the light of the world, we are called to illuminate truth, show the way of salvation, and reveal the knowledge of God’s love.

We are also light to expose and dispel the works of darkness. But not in such a way as to bring shame and condemnation upon others, but rather conviction. As the light of the world, we are to be a spotlight to the Father, to show sinners there is a Savior, and to reveal to rebels there is a Rescuer.

As the light of the world, we are to be a spotlight to the Father, to show sinners there is a Savior, and to reveal to rebels there is a Rescuer.

Idolatrous Warning 2: Don’t Hide Your Light!

Jesus gave us two ways we hide our light. First, He says that a city set on a hill cannot be hidden. There is a broad and outward visible nature to this picture, speaking collectively as the presence of God’s people within the world. Which begs the question—what does the world see when they look at the church? Like losing our saltiness, we hide our light when we idolize our own safety and security rather than living sacrificially.

Second, Jesus gives a more personal, intimate sphere of influence. He speaks of the presence of light in a home. If you follow Jesus, then you are a lamp that has been lit and you have been given a stand to shine to those around you. In other words, God has given every Christian a platform of influence to those closest to them.

Yet we can also hide our light by comparing our lampstand or level of brightness to that of others. We can even idolize the platforms and profiles of others to the point where we seek to simply imitate them instead of being faithful to our own calling. Jesus isn’t looking for the next Christian social media influencer to create a viral video—He’s looking for small, simple, and ordinary people to be faithfully devoted to an extraordinary God.

Jesus isn’t looking for the next Christian social media influencer to create a viral video—He’s looking for small, simple, and ordinary people to be faithfully devoted to an extraordinary God.

This is why Jesus concludes by talking about the witness of our work. Our light is essentially the good we tangibly do and say in a dark world. These good works involve our actions and words working together to spotlight our Father in heaven and to illuminate His glory, beauty, and goodness.

Our light is essentially the good we tangibly do and say in a dark world. These good works involve our actions and words working together to spotlight our Father in heaven and to illuminate His glory, beauty, and goodness.

So, we are left today with two affirmations, and two warnings, but only ONE choice. Will you and I take Jesus seriously? If we do, we will become part of the greatest solution to the world’s greatest problem. That solution is to be who Jesus says we are—the salt of the earth that preservers decay and the light of the world that penetrates darkness so that the presence of Christ is made visible, to the glory of our Father in heaven.

Never before has there been such a need for salt and light, and never before such an opportunity for us to live into the identity we have in Christ to be salt and light. May we willingly step into the decay and corruption of this world as a seasoning, purifying salt, and may we courageously engage the darkness of the world as lights illuminating the truth of salvation and the knowledge of God’s unending love. This is our call as ambassadors of Jesus’ kingdom.

Copyright © 2024 Justin Jeppesen. All rights reserved.