The Salt of the Earth
You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless,
how can it be made salty again?
Matthew 5:13
Sadly, the absence of spiritual fruit is one of the most defining characteristics of modern evangelicalism. While worldliness and doctrinal compromise are major contributors to this barrenness, the greatest corruptor is the massive number of unregenerate professing Christians who make up the church today. It is no wonder the church has so little spiritual authority and influence on the culture. Jesus warned of this when He said, “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven” (Matt. 5:13-16).
Instead of being “the salt of the earth” that slows down the decay and corruption of society and preserves that which is true and holy, “the salt has become tasteless,” unable to oppose corruption, unable to influence society as a moral antiseptic, unable to provide a taste of godliness in a world that knows so little of it. Unfortunately, such a church is “no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men” (v. 13)—and that is precisely what we see happening to the church today. Furthermore, instead of the church being “the light of the world” that illumines the darkness with the dazzling light of the gospel and the radiant beams of righteousness—the very purpose of our redemption—it now contributes to the darkness with its prosperity-cult charlatans, entertainment-driven ministries, and culturally-driven social justice gospel distortions that are purposefully humanitarian rather than redemptive.
The pseudo-Christianity in our culture continues to be fertile soil for the seeds of depravity to germinate and grow into a harvest of unimaginable and unrestrained moral degeneracy in our country. Satanic lies and diabolical political movements are now so rampant in the United States of America that it has become obvious to any rational observer that our nation is descending into an abyss of lawless anarchy from which there may be no recovery. And much of the blame can be placed on false teachers and undiscerning pastors who refuse to confront sin and its effects with the only truth that can save, like the wicked leaders of ancient Judah that God rebuked through His servant Jeremiah saying, “They have healed the brokenness of My people superficially, saying, ‘Peace, peace, but there is no peace. Were they ashamed because of the abomination they have done? They were not even ashamed at all; they did not even know how to blush. Therefore they shall fall among those who fall; at the time that I punish them, they shall be cast down,’ says the Lord” (Jer. 6:14–15). May we never be numbered among the ranks of those who compromise, but rather be like Paul who declared, “I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified” (1 Cor. 2:2).
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