What does it mean to be Salt and Light? (Matthew 5:13-16)
In Matthew 5:13-16, Jesus said the following: “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. 14 “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”
What did Jesus mean that Christians must be salt and light in this world?
Salt has multiple purposes such as: preserving and extending the shelf life of food; inhibiting bacterial growth; flavor enhancing or bringing out taste in food.
By comparing Christians to salt, Jesus was teaching that believers are called to be “preservatives” in this world. The world is morally and spiritually decaying because of its sinful state. The world is at enmity with God because the world’s moral and spiritual values are in opposition with God (James 4:4; John 15:18-19). The state of the world is not getting better; it is becoming worse.
However, Christians must slow down the advancement of societal and cultural decay by performing good deeds and spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Christians are called to intercede, stand in the gap and uphold God’s moral and spiritual values. Believers must uphold Scripture and Biblical values in a world that often rebels against God. To be “the salt of the earth” means we help preserve the moral and spiritual fabric of society, slowing the decay and destructive impact of sin in the world.
Jesus also uses the analogy of comparing Christians to light. There are multiple purposes of light, such as: enabling visibility; promoting safety and security; boosting mood and atmosphere; and causing growth to plants.
Christians are “the light of the world” because God has given believers the mandate to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is the Gospel that points us to Jesus Christ who saves us from sin and gives us eternal life. When Christians live as light, it means that believers have the ability to enlighten those people who have been morally and spiritually deceived. As long as people love the world and its value systems, such people are living in darkness. Christians are not to conform to the standards and values of this world (Romans 12:2). Instead in word and deed believers must live in such a way that God is glorified.
In Matthew 5:16 Jesus said: ”In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”
So by sharing the word of God and living in a Christ-like manner, our Christian conduct will point people to desiring a relationship with God.
Conclusion
Since the original sin in the Garden of Eden, the world has been physically, morally and spiritually decaying. The world embraced sin and therefore is in rebellion against God. The world’s value systems have been created by satan (2 Corinthians 4:4) and therefore the world opposes the word of God and the Kingdom of God.
The role of every Christian believer is to be salt and light through good deeds and proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Furthermore it is the role of every Christian believer to reflect the nature and character of Jesus Christ in our daily living so that God may be known and glorified in the world.
