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Matt 5:13-16
Two characteristics of Christians shiny and salty. We have often heard this sermon before. " If you want to be a christian then you have to be salty and you have to be seen. These are things you must do to be a christian." That makes sense right? Well.. not really... at least not to me. Jesus did not say you need to be the salt of the earth or the light of the world. What he said was you are those things whether you like it or not. As christians we are the city on a hill we are the the salt of the earth here to preserve it from rotting. now I take two different massages from this section in Matthew. 1 that we are right now the Salt of the earth but we can lose are saltiness and then we arnt really good for anything. 2 that we are the light of the world and that Light cannot, no matter how hard we try, be hidden people will see it. Now that I think about it this is probably one of the biggest reasons the world Hates us. We are the light they just cannot turn off when they want to sleep. Now let me say that obviously there are " Christians " who do not shine a light to the world and who have definitely lost thier saltiness. Jesus did not say that a name made you this way only that when you were a true followed that you would be this way. Jesus in the Sermont on the mount, which these verses are a part of , takes every thign they knew about thier world , and everything we know about ours, and truns it on its head completeley rearanging thier priorities. So how are we the Salt of the world? What makes us the city on a hill? The difference between the rest of the world and ourselves how we live by a different set of rules and standards than they do. I am not talking about the general morals just about every one has come to accept ( do not kill, do not steal) but instead the counter cultural standards of living where the least is first and the servant is greatest in the house hold. These differences are what sets us apart fomr the rest of the world and what causes it to take notice and in the end what draws them to us. One caveat with our counter cultural lifestyle that makes it different from others is that it combines todifferent ideas, one that there is only one way to heaven and we know that way, and Love. most times a revolution will contain one or the other not both, either complete acceptance of every thing or the complet opposite with complete disdain and rejection and hatred of any other way than thier own. And this I think Is where many Christians lose thier saltiness and lose thier way on the Christian walk. They focus either on one or the other accpeting new Ideas into thier beliefs in order to apease the culture or by forgeting love when rebuking the culture. and with out both we will never be able to bring people to Jesus for salvation. So take a look at your stance on the issues today and first look to see if it is supported by the bible, actual verses from the bible, not some one telling you about thier interpretation or feelings about the subject, and then next how do you stand firm in your position in Love. Most christians today believe that thier position is grounded in the bible (but from my reading I have been very surprised by some of the words of Jesus) most however find it hard to stand in those ideas with Love and instead stand there with selfrighteousness and judgement condeming the World to Hell. This is not our place we are not the judges of this world because we were of this world and had to be rescued from it ourselves. Instead we are the salt and the light, preserving and guiding the world to salvation through sound doctine and Love and all who do not recieve the message will be judged in the end not by us but by the perfect one who is sinless and was from the begginning.
Technorati Tags: salt, light, gospel, bible. christianity, Love, Jesus, God, Christianity
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13"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.14"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.
Two characteristics of Christians shiny and salty. We have often heard this sermon before. " If you want to be a christian then you have to be salty and you have to be seen. These are things you must do to be a christian." That makes sense right? Well.. not really... at least not to me. Jesus did not say you need to be the salt of the earth or the light of the world. What he said was you are those things whether you like it or not. As christians we are the city on a hill we are the the salt of the earth here to preserve it from rotting. now I take two different massages from this section in Matthew. 1 that we are right now the Salt of the earth but we can lose are saltiness and then we arnt really good for anything. 2 that we are the light of the world and that Light cannot, no matter how hard we try, be hidden people will see it. Now that I think about it this is probably one of the biggest reasons the world Hates us. We are the light they just cannot turn off when they want to sleep. Now let me say that obviously there are " Christians " who do not shine a light to the world and who have definitely lost thier saltiness. Jesus did not say that a name made you this way only that when you were a true followed that you would be this way. Jesus in the Sermont on the mount, which these verses are a part of , takes every thign they knew about thier world , and everything we know about ours, and truns it on its head completeley rearanging thier priorities. So how are we the Salt of the world? What makes us the city on a hill? The difference between the rest of the world and ourselves how we live by a different set of rules and standards than they do. I am not talking about the general morals just about every one has come to accept ( do not kill, do not steal) but instead the counter cultural standards of living where the least is first and the servant is greatest in the house hold. These differences are what sets us apart fomr the rest of the world and what causes it to take notice and in the end what draws them to us. One caveat with our counter cultural lifestyle that makes it different from others is that it combines todifferent ideas, one that there is only one way to heaven and we know that way, and Love. most times a revolution will contain one or the other not both, either complete acceptance of every thing or the complet opposite with complete disdain and rejection and hatred of any other way than thier own. And this I think Is where many Christians lose thier saltiness and lose thier way on the Christian walk. They focus either on one or the other accpeting new Ideas into thier beliefs in order to apease the culture or by forgeting love when rebuking the culture. and with out both we will never be able to bring people to Jesus for salvation. So take a look at your stance on the issues today and first look to see if it is supported by the bible, actual verses from the bible, not some one telling you about thier interpretation or feelings about the subject, and then next how do you stand firm in your position in Love. Most christians today believe that thier position is grounded in the bible (but from my reading I have been very surprised by some of the words of Jesus) most however find it hard to stand in those ideas with Love and instead stand there with selfrighteousness and judgement condeming the World to Hell. This is not our place we are not the judges of this world because we were of this world and had to be rescued from it ourselves. Instead we are the salt and the light, preserving and guiding the world to salvation through sound doctine and Love and all who do not recieve the message will be judged in the end not by us but by the perfect one who is sinless and was from the begginning.
Technorati Tags: salt, light, gospel, bible. christianity, Love, Jesus, God, Christianity
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