SALT

The term salt is used 8 times in the New Testament as pertaining to the Greek word “Halas.” My mind was sparked this morning while reading Luke 14:34-35. I prayed over the text and still felt a lack of understanding in the text, giving me drive to dig deeper.
A bit of historical context is needed here. I continue to pray for Gods sanctifying work to be done in me as I struggle to walk uprightly. I long to be purified in my flesh and continue to run the race but sin and darkness are not quick to give up the fight. Praise God for His Omnipotence. He is mighty to save and sovereign over all His creation. Even the powers of darkness are subject to Him, yet we battle the flesh within us. We are no longer slaves to sin but slaves to righteousness and now sins stain affects us in such a way as to cause us to confess and repent. All that to say as I was reading this morning the context of this scripture and the cross references to it caused me to take a deeper look into myself, I pray to the glory of God.

The context of Luke 14:34-35 comes on the heels of the cost of discipleship. Jesus in the previous text states that anyone who wants to come after Him must count the cost. He says in Luke 14:27, “Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.” Also in verse 33 He says, “So therefore, anyone of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.” This sets the tone for the subsequent text. In this, Jesus speaks of salt losing its taste and if it loses its taste, how can it be restored. Many things come to mind in handling this initial statement. Is Jesus referring to His disciples or to His hearers or both? In asking this question it becomes imperative to look at other examples of the word.

Matthew 5:13, the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus is speaking to His listeners and after giving the beatitudes says, “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.” The commentaries here state that the primary value to salt was not as a flavoring but as a preservative. Disciples are to hinder the world’s corruption. (Reformation Study Bible Notes) This begins to take on a sobering note to it. I see in the Christian community many who walk in this world and make themselves indistinguishable from unbelievers. This is a very concerning dichotomy. We cannot serve two masters Jesus and anything else. I believe this to be the subtle attack of the evil one. Understanding that God gives ordination so that we may be sifted and shown to be faithful. So if salt loses its flavor…speaks to those who claim to follow Jesus but have not counted the cost. In the subsequent trials and tribulation they fall away from Him and return to darkness. Not having passed through the sufferings and unwilling to themselves take up they’re cross, they fall away. Thus salt has not preserved they’re faithfulness.

Mark 9:49-50 comes directly after Jesus exhortation to “pluck out your eye if causes you to sin.” Etc… The text states, in verse 49, “For everyone will be salted with fire. 50. Salt is good, but if the salt has lost its saltiness, how will you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.” What does it mean that “everyone will be salted with fire”? It is to suffer persecution. Verse 49, taken in its context reaches back to the fires of gehenna( V. 48) and forward to the self discipline of V. 50. Wuests word studies in the Greek New Testament
We must be preserved and we must rely upon the Spirits working and our obedience for that perseverance.

I don’t expect this exposition brought any new information to the table but it was fascinating and worth posting as the Spirit has revealed to me my dependency upon Him for the power by which I may walk in obedience