Jesus said “You are the salt of the earth ….. you are the light of the world.”

Salt preserves, flavours, fertilizes – produces an effect wherever it is used; and light illuminates anything shrouded in darkness. So the Christian is to be salt and light in the world.

But the message of these two images is that Jesus is saying “the world needs Christians!” You are to produce an effect among the world … You are to bring God’s light to a dark world! But you’d never believe that if you watched television or followed social media or listened to the news. But Jesus says that the world needs Christians. You may not feel it nor see it. The world may say the opposite but Jesus says “the world needs you!”

Last century, Martin Lloyd-Jones wrote “You can turn to the greatest philosophers and thinkers and again and again you will find that they never take you beyond analysis. They’re very good at laying out the problem and showing the various factors which operate. But when you ask them what is ultimately responsible for this and what they propose to do, they leave you unanswered. Clearly they have nothing to say. There is obviously no light in this world apart from the light that is provided by Christian people and the Christian faith…. When our lord spoke 2000 years ago, he not only spoke the simple startling truth regarding his own age but he spoke the truth with regard to every subsequent age.”[1]

The world needs Christians. Just at a time when the world is producing opinions like hag-fish produce mucous-/slime[2]. Just at a time when the world demands Christians to be quiet. At just this very time, the Christian should stand up and act and make a difference in our world. Like salt and light.

Yours in Christ,

Eric

 

St Phils Editorial