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Matthew 5:13-16

13          “You are the salt of the earth, but if the salt has lost its flavor, with what will it be salted? It is then good for nothing, but to be cast out and trodden under the feet of men.

14          You are the light of the world. A city located on a hill can’t be hidden,

15          Neither do you light a lamp and put it under a measuring basket, but on a stand; and it shines to all who are in the house.

16          Even so, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

Salt’s Purity and Impurity

Salt was valuable in the ancient world. It was used for preserving food, enhancing flavor, and even used as a form of currency. Calling Christians “the salt of the earth,” Jesus describes their role in preserving the moral and spiritual parts of society. Salt symbolizes the type of influence Christians are to have in preventing the moral crumbling of society. It’s also a call to live our lives as holy as possible.

Salt can lose its savor, losing effectiveness or purposes. Salt, back in the first century, could be contaminated with impurities. It’s a reminder for us to be mindful of what we’re compromising too. Our compromises can pull us away from God’s plan for us and make us less fervent about doing what God calls us to do. When this happens, it begs the question: “How, if possible, could we be restored?” Salt, once it becomes impure, can’t return to its original state. It can be a struggle to return to where we were once, we fall away, and it’s a reminder to stay vigilant and faith to stay on the path of Christ.

Just as unsavory salt is useless, a believer that fails to live out their faith loses their purpose. Remember what James said, “faith without works is dead.” It’s a bold reminder that we should not be complacent on our spiritual journey. Our lives need to reflect the teachings of Jesus. The unsavory salt was thrown out and used to cover up the walkways. This is a call for us to be aware of the consequences of failing to be a true disciple of Christ. We could lose respect and our influence – in essence, being trampled on by others.

REFLECTION CHECKPOINT: The concept of salt being made impure through outside contamination is a proper warning for us. What has been or is something that you’ve been contaminated by that you are trying to remove from your life.

Our Saltiness – Defined by Christ

Losing your “savor” implies a warning against becoming ineffective or indistinguishable from the world. I want to focus on this during our holiday season. Matthew’s focus lead me to believe that we can also be so separated from each other that we also lose our savor as well. The text describes how, “the more we become the world, the less we become of Christ.” I also believe that “the more we miss the point of Scripture’s teachings, the less we become a true representation of Christ’s ministry to the world.” What do I mean by that? There are many Christians that can get hyperfocused on the laws, commands, and rituals that you lose the impact of Christ’s ministry. They tend to focus on the purity aspects of Scripture instead of the teachings of Jesus themselves. While not inherently wrong, it also removes the ability to meet people where they are. There are many purity laws and rituals that forbade Christians from interacting with impure people pre-ritual. The parable of the Good Samaritan highlights this. These same Christians will constantly point out areas of other’s lives or the world that aren’t living up to the Mosaic standards. They will quote scripture and condemn others for not living up to that standard.

Now, I am fully aware that I am walking a thin life and am probably ruffling feathers with everything I just wrote but hear me out. Christians fall apart when the world tends to corrupt them. They will slowly fade out the habits that made them become a Christian (reading their Bible, worship, prayer, attending church/small groups, etc.) and replace them with habits of the world. I also believe that Christians can also do this at the other side of the spectrum. They can replace community, replace family, replace friends, replace their careers, and more with only focusing on Bible studying, prayer, and worship. Again, not inherently a bad thing, for that’s what monks do and, I’m sure Christians do. However, from a purely neutral perspective, I believe everything is about balance with the things of our life. Being the salt of the earth is about using our influence to reflect a Christ-like lifestyle to the world. To stay fighting away from the temptations of the world and sticking to the path that Christ sent for us. A path full of selfless love and sacrifice. A path caring for our community members and marginalized communities. A path giving a voice to the voiceless and ensuring all of God’s creation is taken care of. One that allows a balance of God first, and community second. One that allows for serious dedication, and fun. One that Jesus came to fulfill. One that we are called to replicate.

REFLECTION CHECKPOINT: How do you create a balance of following God’s path while being active in your community?

The Light of the World

Christians are called to be a source of spiritual light in a world full of darkness. Light represents truth, purity, and divine revelation. The call to be light means to live in a way that reveals God’s truth and love to others, influencing the world positively and guiding others to Christ. When you turn on a light – you don’t hide it, right? That would be counterproductive to the light itself. Our light should be shown to all. We should show our faith and the truth of the Light (the Gospel for all to see it.) The light should benefit all the come near it. The message of Christ is there for all people. Simply put, to the be “the light of the world” means to be open and authentic, showing our faith in Christ in a visible way to others. The light is often shown through our good deeds – our acts of kindness, charity, and righteousness. Jesus redefines these acts as coming from God’s will, not following the Law. These acts bring glory to God. It calls us to the gentle reminder that everything we do should point back to God.

REFLECTION CHECKPOINT: How do you be visible in your faith in your everyday life?

Embrace the Light

The call to let our light shine is the call to be integrous. This is a place where our private and public lives align with teachings of Christ. Simply put, how we act in front of others and behind closed doors should be the same – aligned with the teachings of Christ. Each day should be progressing towards this ideal. Let’s be honest upfront, none of us are perfect. None of get it right day in and day out. There is always something we can do to progress us to being a true representation of Christ. However, this call to show what that looks like is the light at work. This is the light that shows how we are growing. It shows how we are maturing. It shows how we are progressing into the person that God created us to do. The light is the source of our faith to continue onward. We shine on others the way Christ shines on us. What a better message to close out, this blog, this series, and this year.

REFLECTION CHECKPOINT: How are you able to show that you are not perfect, but progressing?

Next series: The Consequences of Sin || Plagues Galore || Part 1

And There You Have it Folks

The last blog of 2025. I really hope you’ve enjoyed not only this series, but the entire catalog of blogs for this year. From the multi-month journey through the book of Revelation to covering texts about our identity in Christ and passages that have been often weaponized against our brothers and sisters. This series covered a lot of heavy materials and a lot of historical material that helps us understand the Bible in a stronger context. This year was my year to slow things down, and these journeys definitely did that. We slowed down, and grew, all at the same time. And 2026 will be here in a few short days.

I’ll have my 2025 Review/2026 Preview coming out on December 31^st and then we’ll kick off the next Bible study series on January 6^th. The next Manna for the Mind comes back on January 7^th. I’ll explain everything else that I’ll be working on (devotional videos, potential podcast, store, and more.) in the blog on December 31^st. Thank you again for everything you’ve given me this year. On to the next! Until then, stay blessed!