2.02.10. the salt of the earth

X. THE SALT OF THE EARTH.

“Ye are the salt of the earth.”— Matthew 5:13. HIS is a short, pointed, condensed sentence. It gives us much matter in little room. The words were spoken by Jesus, and addressed to his own disciples. Come and let us sit at his feet, and hear him, as it were, speaking them over again If we come to him as scholars, he will be our teacher still. He will bestow the Spirit at our request, to open the parable and make all its meaning plain. Although the expressions are figurative, they are by no means difficult. The two chief words are, the earth and the salt We shall consider them separately, and then apply the lesson from both combined.

I. The earth and its need, — It is quite true that the term “ earth,” when employed in Scripture as a figure to express moral relations, is not always employed in the same sense. Had it stood alone here, it might have been difficult to determine which of several possible meanings should be attached to it; but its connection with the other word “ salt “ renders such an examination unnecessary. ** Salt “stands like a mirror before “earth,” to receive and exhibit its precise import. We are not left to guess which of its figurative meanings the word “earth” here bears. The meaning is fixed, and shown to be that which needs purification and preservation. Obviously the earth, considered as requiring salt, is human kind lying in the corruption of sin. It means all mankind; and all lying in wickedness. The Lord Jesus speaks of man, made in God’s image, as the head of creation, and speaks of him as tainted by sin. A fly alighted on creation while it was yet young, and its mass became morally a noisome carcass. No portion of the race has escaped the infection. It is, moreover, the law of moral as well as of material corruption, that the evil a umes an aggravated form wherever lar e masses are collected together. As men multiply, sin increases. The larger the heap of corruptible matter, the more rapidly it decays. Hence the kind and quantity of depravity in large cities. The use of the single term “earth” in this sense by Him who came to redeem it is calculated to awaken and alarm us. It is not a part of the world that has gone astray, but the whole. This last and chief of God’s works — this cornerstone of creation — has fallen from purity. It is corrupt to the core. There is no soundness in it. The only kind of beings on earth that are capable either of holiness or sin have fallen from holiness, and are lying helpless in sin. The earth, as represented by the moral and spiritual being at its head, is altogether an unclean thing. By birth and nature a part of this corrupt mass, we grow up without uneasiness or alarm, unless and until we be awakened by another voice than our own. The corrupt do not loathe their own corruption. Sinners do not of their own motion grow weary and ashamed of sin. They have no desire to escape from the miry pit; they resist and resent every offer of aid. Although all intelligent beings who are not in the pit, whether they be angels who never fell, or saints who have been lifted up, look on with inexpressible disgust and pity, those who lie unclean in that place of uncleanness are contented with their lot. Corruption is the element of the corrupt. So far from naturally desiring freedom, and welcoming a deliverer, they dread the approach of the hand that would save them. When the maniac’s heart was a nest of unclean spirits his lips cried out, “ What have we to do with thee, thou Jesus?”

Holiness, instead of being the inborn delight of the carnal mind, is the object of its strongest aversion. It is in a day of almighty power that the impure are made willing to be led into purity.

Here lies the most dreadful feature of our case: we are not only vile, but vileness is our nature, so that we cleave to it with the strength and steadiness of an instinct. If the case of a sinner in his sin could be justly compared to the case of a man who has fallen into the water, and is in danger of being drowned, all would be easy. To help the willing is a simple task, and is generally successful. But the actual condition of the problem is precisely the reverse.

Souls in sin love to be in it; the spiritually corrupt love corruption.

It behoves us to look this matter in the face, and be aware of the desperate state of the fallen, ourselves and our neighbours. It is not by a wish for heaven that the corrupt can escape from their corruption and become new creatures. From its first plan to its final consummation in glory, sovereign free mercy has done all the work of redemption. “ Create in me a clean heart, God, and renew a right spirit within me.” The first faint uneasiness under guilt, and the first faint desires to be free, are marks of the Spirit’s motion in my heart: let me not quench the Spirit, lest that blessed messenger depart and leave me; let me yield to the drawing which I now feel, and these everlasting arms will draw me more.

II. The salt and its properties. — Jesus, addressing his own disciples, said, “ Ye are the salt of the earth.” A portion of the corrupt mass cannot become the salt to preserve the rest of it. The salt is different from the earth. It is new* It is the work of God in the regeneration.

Those who have been forgiven and renewed are the salt; but why has their Redeemer given them that peculiar name?

What feature of their character, or form of their usefulness, does this figurative expression indicate? The word teaches us something about the new creature in respect both to what it is and to what it does; a lesson regarding both its nature and its use lies wrapped in the parable. In nature the new creature is not allied to the corruption that is in the world. It is an incorruptible thing.

Left to itself it does riot become noisome; it continues pure. There are indeed mixtures of the old man in a Christian while he remains in the body; but the new life from the Lord which has been quickened within him is like its origin and its Author. Although it be lodged among earthly things, itself is not earthly. Although it is sadly true that even a Christian falls frequently into sin, yet the new man created within him “ cannot sin, because he is born of God.” As to the use of Christ’s disciples in the world, the Lord clearly and impressively made known his mind when he called them ’’the salt of the earth.” This designation should be as easily BJxd correctly understood as the speech of a commander who cries aloud to his soldiers, ’’Ye are the defenders of your country,” as he leads them forward to repel an invading foe. If we confine our view to what the Lord has done for his people, we shall run away with half a truth, and convert it into a full error. He does something for them — something greater than eye hath seen, or ear heard, or heart conceived; but he does something with them too. Nay more: he works for them first, in order that he may work by them then. He buys them off from Satan’s bondage with the price of his own blood, in order that he may have a band of sons and daughters who shall yield themselves willing instruments unto him, for his work of righteousness in the world. He redeems them from their sin, that he may employ them in his own service. As to the fact that true disciples are of use to their Lord, the whole Bible is full and clear; and as to the manner in which he turns their talents to account, a world of meaning is contained in the one word “ salt.” When he has forgiven and renewed some, he places them m contact with the remaining mass, as an instrument to preserve and purify it. The errand on which he came is to save the lost; he is straitened till his work be done; his disciples, partaking of his spirit, should be straitened too. Paul greatly longed after certain inhabitants of Philippi whom he knew; but he longed after them “ in the bowels of Jesus Christ.” It was as a member of Christ’s body that he felt that throb of compassion for human kind. It was the Saviour’s own compassion circulating through the soul of the saved man that stimulated him to zeal for his brethren. The word of Christ is, as it were, a two-edged sword; it is a promise and a command in one. He gives what he demands, and demands what he gives. The same master both gives the talents and requires an account of their outlay. He sends none on a warfare at their own charges; but when he has been at charges with any one, and fully furnished him, he does not exempt him from the warfare. “ Ye are the salt of the earth.” Look to the upper side of that word, and its meaning is— Christ has redeemed and purified his own; look to the under side, and its meaning is — Christians should be in the world witnesses of Christ and winners of souls. Elsewhere this double truth is divided, and both its sides separately displayed, — “ Ye are bought with a price; therefore, glorify God,”

Now for the lessons.

1. There is much of the “ earth’* still, — The portion that has been broken off and purified is comparatively small; the bulk of the world lies in a state of corruption. The majority of mankind worship the work of their own hands. The nations, without knowing the reason, have rejected the living God, because impurity does not like to come near the consuming fire. It is not an innocent and childlike form of worship into which the nations have fallen. It is evil in its nature and its efiects. It dishonours God and destroys men. But even in countries where divine truth is known, and divine worship set up, great numbers remain almost as deeply corrupt as the heathen. Certain districts of our great cities, and certain classes of our teeming population, live without God in the world. Even within the communion of Christian churches, and within the circle of Christian families, much of the “ earth” remains unchanged. Oh! if there were missionaries ready for the work, the mission field is wide attd near. A mighty work must be done ere the earth be penetrated and pervaded by the salt of divine truth, held in the life and conversation of consistent Christians.

2. There ia little of the salt — There are not many nations in the world called by the name of Christ; and even of these, comparatively few have actually been transformed into his likeness. Alas! Christians are still a little flock. But we must beware lest we stumble here on the other side. It would indeed be an error indolently to assume that all are Christians who assume the name; but it would be also an error on the other side peevishly to make the number of Christians less than it is. It is as much our duty to own what God has wrought in the world by his grace as to lament the corruption that still so widely prevails. If it be true on the one side that there is little salt, it is true on the other side that there is a little. There has been a little all along, and the Spirit poured out is at present creating more. While we grieve that the number of true Christians is so small, we ought also to be thankful that it is so great. Many have been added to the Lord in our own day, and he would be offended if we should refuse to own the fact. True Christians are so many that we should greatly rejoice in God’s goodness; and yet true Christians are so few that we should not sit down satisfied with the state of the world. The Lord hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad. What has been done should effectually rebuke our repining; but what remains to be done should prevent us from making this our rest. The true attitude of Christians at the present time, on either side, is to thank God for giving us much salt, and give him no rest till we get more. Indeed, the design of our Father in giving us drops is to stimulate our desire for showers. When we are permitted to see sinners coming to Christ by tens, he expects that the sight will send us to his throne with ceaseless supplications that he would arise in the power of his love and draw them to himseK in thousands.

3. There is little saltness. — We have already pointed out that there is not much salt in the great mass of a corrupt world; and it is our duty now to point out, further, that there is little savour even in the salt itself. Christians are few in the world; and grace is feeble in Christians. The Lord himself, in his lessons on this subject, clearly indicated that even the salt may, in some measure, lose its pungency and power. It is a sad and obvious fact, which may be read on the surface of society, that even true disciples are more or less conformed to the world in which they live. Indeed, it seems, in some cases, to be the specific aim of the “ salt “to be as like “ earth “ as it can. The preserver labours to become indistinguishable from the corruption which it is sent to cure; and, alas! it often labours in this direction with abundant success. Christians, with much trouble and care, disguise their Christianity. The saltness is perseveringly bleached out of the salt, lest the neighbouring corruption should smart under its pungency. This is not the discontented complaint of one who can see no good among his fellows. It is not a wholesale and indiscriminate sentence of condemnation spoken by croaking lips and guided by a jaundiced eye. It is the truth; and it is plainly spoken, because truth is necessary and salutary.

I speak it from the certain knowledge that the case requires it, and with a fervent hope that to speak it plainly will do good. I give forth the warning, not from a despairing but from a hopeful heart. In dealing with the vineyard, I would fain follow the steps o. f our Father the husbandman: if the tree were hopelessly barren, I would let it alone; but when a tree is bringing forth some fruit, I would like to prune it that it may bring forth more fruit. There is some savour in the salt; but why should there not be more? Great is the bounty of the Giver, and great is the world’s need.

What is the rule which secretly, habitually, effectively shapes your conduct? Is it the way of the world, or the will of your Saviour? This is a great question, and it is not necessarily very difficult. We do not drag you through minute details. We ask your attention only to the chief motive power. The flowing stream which drives all the complex machinery of your life — is it the frothy fashion of the world, or the strong deep love of Christ in giving himself for you? The wheel which the fashion of the world drives is, like those of Ezekiel’s vision, so high that it is dreadful; but, unlike them, it is not full of eyes round about — it is blind all over. An uncounted number of busy little wheels are dependent on its power. Great are the noise and dust; great the sweat and toil. Do you grind in that treadmill? If you do, you may be weary, but you will not get rest.

“ On the other side of Jordan, In the sweet fields of Eden, Where the Tree of Life is blooming, There is rest for the weary “ — the weary who walk with Christ and work for his cause; but though the god of this world gives his wopshippers hard work, he has no rest remaining for them when the work is done. But the fashion of the world is not only made in secret the real motive power in life; it is in many cases openly confessed as the rule. Others did the same; it was common in the place; what would the world say if we should take another course? — these and other similar current phrases, like floating straws, show the direction and the force of the current. The plea is worthless. It will not stand in the judgment of the great day; it will not even stand the scrutiny of common sense. For the food, the drink, the dress, the education, the company, the conduct of yoursdves and your children, fling away at once and for ever the fashion of a giddy world, and take as your guiding rule the will of the Lord that bought you. As long as you meanly tread in the track of a corrupt world, you do the world no good. Your salt has lost its savour. To be near you does not trouble an unconverted man. Your way is so like his own that your presence is no reproof. The profane may count you a good fellow; but Christ counts you an unfaithful witness. On the other hand, if you were enabled to walk in the Spirit and with Christ, your presence would be a reproof to wickedness, your footprints a guide to the wanderer, your faith a support to younger disciples. Salt of the earth, do not let go your savour. Christians, let the mind which was in Christ be also found in you.

4. The salt is too seldom laid upon the decaying to preserve and restore it — Even where there is salt with the savour in it, the benefit is in a great measure lost for want of the needful contact. It is not enough that there is salt here and corruption yonder — salt, it may be, in the square, and corruption in the lane; unless they meet, the one cannot enjoy the blessedness of receiving, nor the other the greater blessedness of imparting, good. The preserving salt must interpenetrate the body which needs preservation, and lie in contact with all its parts. Thus the Saviour did, and thus should the saved do. He was the friend of publicans and sinners; the friend of publicans and sinners should I also be. This is the true secret of a home mission. The best Christians are those who are most like Christ. The Holy One came from a holy heaven and dwelt in a sinful world; while there he cast himself in the way of the worst, and wept over them when they would not permit him to come near. Go, ye who are bought by his blood, and bear his name — go, and do likewise. By close communing with the Lord Jesus, keep the savour in your salt; and by close contact with those who are dead in sins, let the earth in its corruptest parts get the benefit of a pungent reproof. Be alternately much with the great Giver, God in Christ; and the needy receiver, a godless world. These are the two things worth living for — getting from the Saviour, and giving to the lost. “ Freely ye have received, freely giva”

It is when Christians have a “ savour of Christ” upon their spirit and conduct that they become “ a savour of life” to those who are dead in sin.