Introduction When we have truly applied what Jesus taught in the beattitudes to our life we will have the mind of Christ and be the salt of the earth and the light of the world. We must make a difference and influence the world by our righteous living. In this study, we will examine some characteristics of salt and light and make spiritual applications to our lives.

Salt Has the Power to Preserve Before refrigerators and freezers, salt was used to preserve meat and vegetables from decaying. What salt is to food, Christians are to be to the rest of the rotting world. We cannot be isolated from the rest of the world, and be a monk, or live in a commune, where we do not have contact in the world. We are to be in the world but not of the world.

Salty Saints Who Were Preserved We need to get out of the salt shaker and into the world to help stop the decay of sin. (Iowa will be the 3 rd state sanctifying same sex marriage). Sodom and Gomorrah was condemned because there wasn’t enough salty people. (10 righteous people could not be found among many who practiced homosexuality) (Genesis 18:32; 19:24; Jude 1:7) But Abraham and Lot were the salt of the earth and were preserved. (2 Peter 2:7-8)

Salt Penetrates and Heals By virtue of its natural properties, salt can penetrate and have a healing influence. Individual Christians in the early church were persecuted but they didn’t quit but instead were the salt of the earth and went everywhere preaching the word. (Acts 8:1) Multitudes of men and women became salt of the earth as they spread God’s word throughout the earth. (Matt. 28:19-20; Acts 1:8; 2:41; 4:4; 5:14; 6:7; 11:21; Col. 1:6, 23)

Salt Flavors Food and Conversation As salt helps food to taste better, we should season our speech with gracious words that speak the truth in love so that we will bring out the best in others. “Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person.” (Co. 4:6) May God grant us the wisdom to respond with the right words with the right heart at the right time. (Proverbs 25:11)

Light is Truth that Guides the Way Without light, we stumble in the darkness. Many are blinded by the devil and are stumbling in darkness because they put their trust in human wisdom. (2 Cor. 4:4; 1 Cor. 1:21) God’s word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path and gives understanding even to the simple. (Psalms 119:105; 130) Jesus is the light of the world. If we follow Him we will not walk in darkness. (John 8:12)

Light is Truth that Guides the Way Christians have been translated from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of God’s dear Son. (Col. 1:13) Matthew 5:14-16, "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.”

We must be Walking in the Light of Truth before we can guide others We walk in the light by keeping His commands (practicing righteousness) and when we sin, we confess them to the Father through Christ. (1 John 1:7-10; 2:3; 3:7) If we are walking in darkness (practicing sin), we are liars and do not have fellowship with God or the brethren. (1 John 1:5-6; 3:8) If the blind lead the blind both will fall into the ditch. (Matthew 15:14)

We Must Let our Light Shine so They Will Glorify God When we are with unbelievers at work, school, or in town we may feel like hiding our light which should expose darkness. (Eph. 5:11) Keep your light shining so that even if you have to endure persecution, they may realize their sin, and eventually glorify God for His patience with them. (1 Peter 2:12) Are you seeking for opportunities to point people to the light or are you avoiding it?

We Also Abide in the Light by Loving our Brother in Christ If we say that we are keeping the commands of God but do not love our brother, we do not realize that the darkness has blinded our eyes. (1 John 2:8-11) If we are teaching the truth on worship, work, and organization of the church but we don’t love one another, how will all men know that we are His disciples? (John 13:34)

We Also Abide in the Light by Loving our Brother in Christ If someone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God should love his brother also. (1 John 4:19-21) Jesus Christ laid down his life for us and we should be willing and able to help our brethren in their time of need. (1 Jn. 3:16-18)

Conclusion Are you being the “salt of the earth” and the “light of the world”? As salt and light, we should be helping to preserve, penetrate, and flavor the rotting society we live in by walking in the light of truth, sharing it with others, and loving our brethren. Righteous people exalt a nation and help to preserve it. (Proverbs 14:34)

Conclusion If there are not enough righteous people who are being the salt of the earth, we will be condemned as a nation. (Matthew 11:21-24) But we can be like Noah and his family who were spared because they were salt of the earth (1 Peter 3:20) while the rest of the world refused to repent and drowned. If we lose our saltiness or hide our light, we won’t be good for anything and eventually lose our souls. Be salt and light!