God’s word is the salt. Christians are the salt shaker

“Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.” (Matthew 5:13)

All offerings in the Old Testament were made with salt.

“And every oblation of thy meat offering shalt thou season with salt; neither shalt thou suffer the salt of the covenant of thy God to be lacking from thy meat offering: with all thine offerings thou shalt offer salt.” (Leviticus 2:13)

“Salt was the opposite to leaven, for it preserved from putrefaction and corruption, and signified the purity and persevering fidelity that were necessary in the worship of God. Every thing was seasoned with it, to signify the purity and perfection that should be extended through every part of the Divine service, and through the hearts and lives of God's worshippers. It was called the salt of the covenant of God, because as salt is incorruptible, so was the covenant made with Abram, Isaac, Jacob, and the patriarchs, relative to the redemption of the world by the incarnation and death of Jesus Christ.” (Adam Clarke).

The Bible mentions a salt covenant (Or a variation there of) several times. Although the term is never specifically defined, it is understood to represent cleansing and purifying, and was used to seal an agreement, and confirm a covenant or a promise.

Salt, although common today, carried great monetary value too. It was called “White Gold” and was used as currency. Roman soldiers were often paid with salt. This payment was called a “salarium” and is where we get the word “salary” from.

What Does Salt Do?

-Salt is a nutrient

-Salt is essential for life

-Salt is a preservative

-Salt enhances texture, flavor and color of food.

-Salt suppresses bitterness

The above shows the effects salt has on food, taste and our physical bodies. But when Jesus said “Ye are the salt of the earth”, he was making a spiritual reference, not a physical one.

We as children of God, as Christians are the salt shaker. God's word is the salt. We are to sprinkle (spread) the salt (word) all over so as to give life (nutrient), enrich lives (enhance) and save souls (preservative/essential for life). The word of God (salt) can remove sin, hate and the devil (bitterness) from everyone.

Salt can also make you thirsty. Hopefully we can create a perpetual thirst for the word in our self and in others.

Lose Its Savor

Can salt lose its “savor”?

Salt, or sodium chloride (NaCl), is stable and will retain its properties. Sodium Chloride is non-reactive in its crystalline form, so no, it cannot lose its flavor. But, salt can be mixed with water and in effect lose its saltiness through dilution.

There is another way salt can lose its saltiness.

“Historically, salt has been obtained from crude sources such as salt marshes, and minerals such as rock salt. This contains the stable sodium chloride plus other components. Sodium chloride is readily water-soluble, so if this crude salt were exposed to condensation or rain water, the sodium chloride could be dissolved and removed, and the salt could in effect lose its saltiness” H/T Ask A Scientist.

Salt can lose its saltiness by dilution or through impurities. The exact same thing holds true with the word of God.

God’s word is perfect, immutable and unchangeable. It is “stable and retains its properties”. But God’s word can be diluted with another gospel, which isn’t a gospel at all. We can inject impurities such as our own thoughts and opinions, wishes and desires and the vain janglings from man’s philosophy and religion.

Any deviation from the stable properties of God’s word will cause it to lose its “savor” and is “good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men”.

God’s word is the salt. We as Christians are the salt shaker.

“But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” (Matthew 4:4)

“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen” (Matthew 28:19-20)

Bill Hitchcock