What did Jesus mean when he told his followers "You are the salt of the earth" ?

Question

Matthew 5:13

Answer 1

--SALT ENHANCES MANY dishes and when individuals have potent salt they indeed as christians are indeed a benefit to mankind.
--Salt that has lost its potency like false christianity is worthless and as the Romans used such salt to pave some roads!
--Paul emphasised the benefit of being so to speak "salted christians"--

(Colossians 4:5-6) “5 Go on walking in wisdom toward those on the outside, buying out the opportune time for yourselves. 6 Let YOUR utterance be always with graciousness, seasoned with salt, so as to know how YOU ought to give an answer to each one. . .”

Answer 2

By saying this, Jesus did not mean that his disciples literally were salt. Rather, salt is a preservative, and the message that Jesus’ followers carried to the people would preserve the lives of many. His disciples had a preserving influence on those who listened to the message, preventing spiritual and moral decay. There was no question about the fact that the good news declared by Jesus’ followers would preserve life.

Acts 5:20 “Be on YOUR way, and, having taken a stand in the temple, keep on speaking to the people all the sayings about this life.”

Acts 13:46-48 "And so, talking with boldness, Paul and Barnabas said: “It was necessary for the word of God to be spoken first to YOU. Since YOU are thrusting it away from YOU and do not judge yourselves worthy of everlasting life, look! we turn to the nations. In fact, Jehovah has laid commandment upon us in these words, ‘I have appointed you as a light of nations, for you to be a salvation to the extremity of the earth.’” When those of the nations heard this, they began to rejoice and to glorify the word of Jehovah, and all those who were rightly disposed for everlasting life became believers."

Answer 3

The Lord set his “Church” in the midst of the world. For it, in itself, is His instrument, to control and determine human history.

In Matthew 5:13 Jesus calls the "Salt” of the earth…

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.

But a church that is salt should be salty. He means that, like salt in food, it should be spread throughout the whole area, flavoring whatever it touches.

The church is to function not only when it meets on Sunday, but out where you people are during the week, in business offices, in the marketplace, in shops, in your home, wherever you are.

This is where the church does its work. That is where it is to tell the good news and to be salt, flavoring life with a different flavor, a different attitude toward circumstances.

Which does not go along with the willful, wicked, and wanton ways of the world but which chooses to walk in truth, righteousness, love and honesty.

That is how the church becomes salt, filled with good works.

Answer 4

Yes, we should smear ourselves on fried potatoes.

Ha ha, no, not really. But last week, my Bible teacher mentioned some interesting qualities of salt.

For instance, salt has healing properties. My teacher told us that if you have a sore throat, drinking salt water will help. (Yes, it would burn, but it helps.) Additionally, salt rubbed on an open wound may sting like crazy, but it sanitizes the wound and prevents infection.

Salt is also essential to a person's health- especially in those times. Salt, in proper quanities, help the body to retain water, and that was especially important in the desert climate of the Middle East.

Salt also acts as a preservant (sp?)- that is, it helps preserve meat. Before there were freezers, people covered meat in salt to keep it from rotting.

Salt was also used as flavoring. It has a very distinct taste. Many people like it; some don't.

Salt can also be used for destruction. Roman soldiers, after pillaging and burning a city, would sometimes sow salt on the ground so that nothing could grow there.

And most important of all, salt was extremely valuable. In Jesus' time, it was often used as currency; in fact, Roman soldiers were paid in salt.

Now, apply those qualities to your Christian life. Non-believers should be able to gain something positive from you. They should be able to tell that there's something different and valuable about you, because of your faith. Salt is different and unique, and so are Christians. We have something that others don't have (a hope in Jesus Christ), and non-Christians should be able to see that after hanging out with us.

For instance, my teacher's mother, a genuine and giving Christian, did some landscaping at a man's house. The man told her that he was considering revoking his contract with his regular landscaper and hiring her instead, simply because he liked her attitude.

On the other hand, if we aren't careful, we can destroy our standing as Christians and give Jesus a bad name- for instance, through gossip, slander, prejudice, and a lack of respect for others' beliefs.

Answer 5

Boromir Son of denethor is close to what I think. Among spiritualists, it is common knowledge that rock salt is like a grenade blast to evil spirits. If you put salt to a slug it will die, not much different of spiritual entities that sometimes leave ectoplasm which is like the trace of slugs.. From a conventional point of view, it may just mean that His followers should give flavor to a tasteless or undesirable world. Make the world better, Which means that He has no followers.

Answer 6

We are to be the salt ( good tasting/information) to a conversation. The joy of our salvation is to be salt ( a smile) among many sad faces or stressed out people. We are to be flavor full that others will want a taste of what we have. All this is accomplished through and in Love not condemning of others.

Answer 7

Salt use to be a very valuable substance. In fact, it was once used like money. It just means that we are valuable. We are what gives the earth value.

Answer 8

Salt is a preservative. Christians are helping through intercessory prayer and their loving example and mostly through the sharing of the Gospel message, to help preserve the world for a time, from its inevitable destruction. More importantly, when a person receives this Gospel message and accepts it, they too are being "preserved" and set apart from the inevitable destruction that awaits the unbeliever and the world as a whole.

There are other lessons to glean from this as well, but this is one.

Answer 9

To expand on Karen H's comment, He goes on to say, ".... 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 & trampled by men."

Salt only loses its saltiness when it is diluted or watered down. Christians lose their saltiness or effectiveness to witness when they water down or compromise God's Word using men's ideas.

Evolutionists & many atheists mock Christians who rightly refuse to compromise God's Word by turning history into allegory (e.g. in Genesis). But Christians become even more ineffective towards these people when they fall into the postmodern "tolerance" propaganda, and compromise God's Word using Theistic Evolution, etc. etc. Christians who compromise will eventually be trampled by these Evolutionists.

Answer 10

Salt was even more improtant in their time than it is now they usedit to preserve their foods a tiny abundant meneral but yo did n't qote the rest of the verse matt 5:13 if it has lost its taste stregenththe it will be cast out to be trodden upon I believe he is saying that if you lose your faith you can be cast out then he goes on to say you you can not hide a city on a hill