What Does It Mean To Be Salt?

"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 underfoot of men." Matthew Chapter 5:13 K.J.V.

In the Bible, Jesus calls His disciples salt and says that salt is used to season. ( Mark 9:50)

But what does it really mean to be salt?

In order to understand what we are to become we first must look at what salt is.

Salt is one of the minerals that are vital to life. It is very potent and is only needed in small doses. Too much salt can cause life to fade away as it is a very strong mineral and the human body as it exists now cannot absorb it without suffering consequences.Salt can be found all over the world for it exists in the ocean and in rocks as well.

Basically salt is sodium chloride, a chemical compound made up of sodium and chloride. Sodium is an alkali metal which means it is classed as a soft metal and is silver in color. Chlorine is a halogen which means it is classified as a non-metal. It may surprise you but at room temperature it is actually a gas. When sodium and chlorine come together they form the compound sodium chloride which is salt.

What Is Salt Used For?

You probably are aware that before refrigerators existed, salt was used to preserve food. It is still used today. Salt is also used as a seasoning in food. It makes food taste good and everything savory would be bland without it. When it is snowing, or the roads are icy, salt is used to get rid of the ice. It is no secret that salt helps to heal wounds. It stings and makes you see double but it helps to heal. But did you know that salt is used to make paper? That it is a key ingredient in your laundry detergent and in your soap? Were you aware that salt is used in dyes so that the color will set on the fabric? Salt is used to produce chemicals, it is used to make glass, and is an ingredient in the drilling liquid oil and gas companies use. Salt is used to toughen up the soil (it can also be used as a fertilizer for citrus trees) and helps to make road foundations tough. It is used to clean and is even an ingredient in fire extinguishers! There is a lot that salt is used for.

The fact is, we need salt to live and not just because of what it contributes to the world around us. The body needs salt in order to function. We all know that too much salt can cause hypertension and many other illnesses but the body does need salt in order to function.

How Are Christians Salt?

It is simple really. Salt is a very strong, important ingredient. Christians are salt because they carry the flavor of the Lord within them (the Holy Spirit). When Jesus said that salt is of no use if it loses its flavor, He was right because if salt is added to food and has no flavor then it will simply be in the food but add nothing to it. The entire plate will be bland along with the salt. Salt's purpose is to add something that other foods cannot add. In a way, other foods are alike in that they all benefit from salt. The same is with people. Christians add the flavor that is the Lord. He walks with them and so there is a difference when they are around. Just as people can tell when there is no salt in the pot, people can tell when a person does not have the flavor of the Lord (which is the favor of the Lord). What is a Christian if the Holy Spirit does not abide in him?

Not everyone likes salt because, as I said, salt has a strong taste. The fact is, it is its strong taste - the firm conviction through the Holy Spirit - that causes it to stand out and be different from the rest. And what about the fact that too much salt can cause someone to lose his life? How is that a positive thing for those who are called salt by Jesus? Well this verse clarifies it for me: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit." John 12:24 K.J.V. Salt cleanses and heals wounds as does the Word of God which is supposed to dwell in the heart of a Christian.

Father glorify thy name.

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Hyphenbird has also written a hub about salt called : Are You Salty? SALT -A Covenant Between God and Man.