Saltiness vs. Worldliness

In Deuteronomy 7 as God is reminding Israel of their covenant relationship – that He has chosen them of His own divine will and made them His own – that He redeemed them, rescued them, and has blessed them – that He is a faithful and just God … He warns them to cleanse the land of the pagans who are an abomination to Him and have rejected Him and serve false gods.  One statement in particular stands out to me: “Your eye shall not pity them, neither shall you serve their gods, for that would be a snare to you.” (v16)

In having compassion on those mired in the depths of sin, we need to be wary of being ensnared directly in their sin or even, through the best of human intentions, being more concerned about their feelings than the state of their soul.  In directly evangelizing with the Word of the Gospel for the salvation of the soul, so long as that is preeminent, there can be much less likelihood of this trap.  However, when a social gospel takes precedence … when social justice and caring for the physical or emotional aspects of the individual gain priority over the salvation of the soul, we begin to lower our defenses.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus warns of maintaining this spiritual effectiveness.

13 “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. 14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. (Matt 5:13-16)

Sadly, in Revelation we see an example of a church that has lost its saltiness … whose light is fading into the darkness around it.

“And to the angel of the church in Sardis write: ‘The words of him who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. “ ‘I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead. 2 Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God. 3 Remember, then, what you received and heard. Keep it, and repent. If you will not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come against you. 4 Yet you have still a few names in Sardis, people who have not soiled their garments, and they will walk with me in white, for they are worthy. 5 The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels. 6 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’  (Rev 3:1–6)

We must live out the salvation placed within us and do so in the midst of a lost and broken world.  We must let the Light of Divine Love shine through us.  Indeed, we must love the whole person as God does.  But we must be ever diligent, in humble obedience to the Spirit, to never let our saltiness be overcome with worldliness.  May our reputation – we who bear the name of Christ – be that we are alive in Him … and may His knowledge of our souls bear witness to the same.

Take Possession and Clean House

55 But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then those of them whom you let remain shall be as barbs in your eyes and thorns in your sides, and they shall trouble you in the land where you dwell. 56 And I will do to you as I thought to do to them.” (Num 33:55–56)

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,” (Heb 12:1)

In considering these two Texts, I find myself both exhorted and encouraged.  The “inhabitants of the land” are analogous to “every weight, and sin“.  Just as the Israelites were not to be satisfied with possessing the land, we must not be satisfied merely to take possession of this great Salvation afforded us by the sacrifice of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  In humble obedience to the Holy Spirit, we must endure the cleansing and purification of our souls.  Whatever weight we won’t lay aside … Whatever sin we won’t confess and repent of … these will fester and spread like a cancer just as the “inhabitants of the land” perverted and polluted the Israelites from within.  The writer of Hebrews not only gave the examples of all the great “cloud of witnesses“, but he went on … “looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Heb 12:2)  Because He did, we too can endure our cross for the hope, the joy that is set before us … our eternal glorification and dwelling in perfect communion with our Creator and Father, the Almighty God.

Knowing and Choosing the Greater

In each of the Gospels we read of Jesus’ anointing by Mary Magdalene (Matt 26:6-13Mark 14:3-9Luke 7:37-39John 12:1-8) with nard (spikenard: a very costly perfume).  The rebuke of the onlookers revealed their confusion of the two great commandments.  They were so focused on the second, to love their neighbor as themselves, that the first and greatest commandment didn’t even come to mind: “love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.“(Mk 12:30)

As Jesus said, we always have the opportunity to do good works for our fellow-man, to love our neighbor as ourself, whenever we want.  However, the opportunity to be broken and poured out in loving abandon for Jesus our Lord … now that is an exquisite privilege not to be missed – and, indeed, it is the greatest love.

The Curse of the Fig Tree

In Mark 11:12-14, perhaps it was that Jesus cursed the fig tree for not bearing fruit for Him even though it was not in season.  The Holy Spirit immediately took me to Paul’s instruction to Timothy (4:1-5) “I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: 2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. 3 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, 4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. 5 As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.”  Indeed, this calling bears for me a great sense of urgency.  So help me, God!