The Salt of Heaven On Earth

by Arthur J Licursi

Matthew 5:13 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 under foot of men.

Though Jesus here in Matt 5 was speaking to the Jews and not us (the members of the Body of Christ), we can learn from the accounts of “all God-breathed Scripture.” Jesus here is telling the Jews they are the intended salt of the earth, by which the world will be blessed. We know now that Israel lost its savor and has been set aside until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled (Rom 11:25). We can learn by this account, metaphorically, that “the body of Christ” is similarly salt on the earth, by the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus who indwells the individual members of his body (Rom 8:8-10, Col 1:26-27). It is the presence of the indwelling Spirit of Christ in His body on earth that hinders, withholds or restrains the evil in the world to the extent that it is hindered at this time (2Thes 2:7-8).

“The Salt Covenant” with Israel speaks also metaphorically of God’s work by Christ in us, on our behalf, and through us.

Lev 2:13 every oblation of thy meat offering shalt thou season with salt; neither shalt thou suffer the salt of the covenant of thy God to be lacking from thy meat offering: with all thine offerings thou shalt offer salt.

According to Paul in Rom 12:1-2, we of the body of Christ are to make an offering of ourselves, as “a living sacrifice.” We see from Lev 2:13 that the all offerings are to be salted offerings. “Salt” here speaks of Christ work in two ways.

1) Christ’s death on the cross was to preserve us from judgment.

2) His life indwelling us, working in us preserves us daily. It saves us subjectively, by renewing our soul (Rom 5:10, 2Cor 4:16). Christ in us is working (Philip 2:13 to renew our mind, emotions, and will, to yield to His moving in and through our living. By our obedience to His indwelling Spirit of life we are as salt in the world.

“Salt” is a “type” of Christ, just as is the bread and wine are symbols of Christ’s life given, 1) for our redemption, and 2) to be our new life.

In the OT only the Salted offerings were to be eaten by the Jews. God provides the Salt. King Artaxerxes gave unlimited Salt to Ezra “according to the hand of the Lord” Ezra 7:6

The Lord uses “all things” of the world we live in, even a heathen king, to bring us Christ as Salt for us, and as Salt in us. 2 Cor. 9:8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:

When we say that we are as salt, it means that we exercise Christ’s influence over the earth, created by God, to keep and preserve those who dwell on earth, that they might receive Christ’s life as their eternal life. The earth, which was created by God, has become fallen. In a sense, it has become rotten and corrupted. Salt kills the germs and eliminates this rottenness. Any medical doctor can tell you that salt kills germs, eliminates rottenness, and preserves things in their original condition. Man’s original condition was that he was made as a container so as to be a recipient of God’s life in the person of the indwelling Christ. Hence, the function of salt is to preserve what God has created for God’s eternal purpose. The entire earth is becoming more and more rotten. Therefore we, as we walk according to the Spirit of life we exercise our life to be a testimony of God and influence over this corrupted earth. To the corrupted earth, the people of the God of the heavens are the element that keeps the earth from being fully corrupted – holding hope available to as “many as receive him (Christ)” (John 1:12).

For the members of the body of Christ to become tasteless means that they have lost their salting function. They have become the same as the earthly people, with nothing to distinguish them from unbelievers. To become tasteless is to lose the distinction between us and the worldly people. It is to become the same as the worldly ones.

Being the same as the worldly people is the opposite of the salted nature revealed in Matthew 5:3-12. It means that we are no longer poor in spirit, mourning for the negative situation, meek, hungry and thirsty for righteousness, merciful, pure in seeking God, making peace, willing to be persecuted for the sake of righteousness, and willing to be reproached for Christ. It means that we live, walk, and behave like the worldly people. If such is our case, we have become tasteless, and the salt that is of “Christ in us” has lost its function. This is not because Christ is less salty but only because we have ceased to live by His indwelling life, as our life.

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