This study was first taught on February 10, 2010

Topic: You Are … (2)

No audio available for this study.

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Background
When we met two weeks ago on the subject of Jesus’ teaching on the mount, we noted that He stated specifically that we (Christians) are “the salt of the earth”. We observed that the Lord was comparing us to natural salt in the way it is useful for giving taste to, and preserving food, among other uses. So, Christians, in a spiritual sense, are the ‘salt’ that ensure that life on earth is worth living.

We saw that what could have been a blissful life on earth was marred because of Adam’s sin of disobedience; so, Christ’s gift of redemption on the cross was for man and the earth. Therefore, to perpetrate and preserve this divine redemption and deliverance, the believer in the Lord Jesus Christ is thus the ‘salt’ that is sprinkled on the earth.

The Lord Jesus, however, noted that just as natural salt loses its ability to give flavour to, and preserve food, the spiritual salt (the Christian) can also lose his saltiness, which unfortunately is beyond redemption once lost (Hebrew 6:4-6). Once this happens, the Christian is good for nothing, and is discarded, as a result of which all manner of accursed things happen to him. We saw the example of Samson who lost everything, and if not for God’s mercy as a result of Samson’s cry of repentance, he would have been lost forever. One of the Christian’s greatest challenges therefore, is retaining his ‘saltiness’ in the face of the lure of the world.

Things that can make a Christian to lose his saltiness include not heeding the word of God, or the prodding of the Holy Spirit. A particular cause for the loss of saltiness is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit which is essentially ascribing to another, what the Holy Spirit is doing, and vice versa.

For us, Christians, to continue to retain our ‘saltiness’, therefore, we must: (a) keep the Holy Spirit constantly in and with us by not grieving him, as well as yield to His leading; (b) totally repudiate a life of iniquity; and (c) desire and live out, the word of God is our everyday lives.

Scripture Text(s)
Matthew 5:14-16

Not only is the Christian the salt of the earth, he is also the light of the world. The world we live in is unfortunately dark, perverse, and evil, by reason of the sin of Adam, on one hand; and the operation of Satan and his demons, on the other hand. Darkness signifies the ignorance of the world to God’s wonderful plan for mankind, and thus the need to declare it to a people who are dying and without hope. In our study tonight, we shall be looking at how the Christian as light to the world functions, and why our experience in our daily lives may be different.
John 1:4-5, 9; 12:35-36; 8:12; Acts 13:47; 26:16-18; 1 Peter 2:9; Matthew 4:16; 1 John 4:17b; Ephesians 5:1-9; 1 Thessalonians 5:2-8; James 1:17; Luke 11:33-36; Isaiah 8:20; Romans 12:2; Isaiah 60:1-3; Job 33:14-28; 2 Corinthians 3:18.

Conclusion
The Christian is the light of the world, only because the life of the Lord Jesus Christ is in him. He is therefore going to shine forth that light as long as he allows or permits the light of God to be displayed through him. The light that God requires a Christian to display is God’s life, projecting especially, His goodness and love towards fallen mankind; and the permission the Christian grants is his yielding to the Holy Spirit.

We have been called and chosen to be light in this dark and evil world. We must shine forth the life of Christ while here on earth, as we imitate Him in our daily life through our obedience to the word of God, and as we do all that the Holy Spirit tells us to. We must also tell the inhabitants of the earth of the goodness and love of God in wanting to save them from His severe judgment. As men see and experience the life of God through interaction with us on a daily basis, they cannot but praise God, and seek to enter into a relationship with Him.

Unfortunately, for the most part, the experience the people of the world have with Christians is far from what God expects! Many who say they are Christians are void of light that shines in a dark and perverse world. Indeed, gross darkness is encompassing the world both morally and spiritually, because many of those who say they are Christians are imitating the people of the world rather than their Lord and Master, Jesus Christ. At the heart of their inability to shine forth the life of God is their refusal to obey the Holy Spirit and the corruption in their heart. Thus, as the life of God comes in contact with their lives, it unfortunately encounters an unhealthy, stubborn, and corrupt heart, which cannot shine forth the life, love, and light of God. This situation, fortunately can be remedied when we turn to God in genuine repentance and permit the Holy Spirit to have His way.

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