The first question: What does “being salt” mean?

Well, I wrote a bit on this some time ago, in a post entitled “On Salt” – so I’ll plagiarize myself first, and go from there.

Salt is many things, but let’s look at a few things that salt has always been, historically, and in the Bible.

In the Bible:

1. A symbol of a binding covenant (Lev. 2:13)

2. A healing and cleansing aid (2 Ki. 2:20-21)

3. A stimulant to the appetite (Job 6:6)

4. A preventive of decay (Luke 14:34-35)

5. A promoter of peace (Mark 9:50)

6. A stimulant to our testimony (Mt. 5:13)

7. An evidence of grace (Col. 4:6)

Salt we are called to be:

Matthew 5:13
e> Quote:

When we run these blogs, on this wonderful tool of technology called the internet – I propose that it is also our duty to be Digital Salt. In our lives, we are to be “the salt of the earth” – we are to show, plainly, to those around us, what we are, Whom we follow, and to “flavor” everything around us with the distinctiveness of Christ.

How can we apply this to our various ministries here – as Digital salt?

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Well, let’s go through the list above, and see how they can be applied to us – right now.

The Covenant:

As followers of Christ, we are under a Covenant.

While they were eating, Jesus took some bread, and after a blessing, He broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.” And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you; for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins. “But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.”

– Matt. 26:26-29

That is Christ’s covenant with us.

Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, as some, letters of commendation to you or from you? You are our letter, written in our hearts, known and read by all men; being manifested that you are a letter of Christ, cared for by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts. Such confidence we have through Christ toward God. Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God, who also made us adequate as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. But if the ministry of death, in letters engraved on stones, came with glory, so that the sons of Israel could not look intently at the face of Moses because of the glory of his face, fading as it was, how will the ministry of the Spirit fail to be even more with glory? For if the ministry of condemnation has glory, much more does the ministry of righteousness abound in glory. For indeed what had glory, in this case has no glory because of the glory that surpasses it. For if that which fades away was with glory, much more that which remains is in glory. Therefore having such a hope, we use great boldness in our speech, and are not like Moses, who used to put a veil over his face so that the sons of Israel would not look intently at the end of what was fading away. But their minds were hardened; for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remains unlifted, because it is removed in Christ. But to this day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their heart; but whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.

– 2 Cor. 3

That passage is perhaps one of the most poetically beautiful places in the entire Bible. It also illustrates for us what the covenant is: To be the living message of the New Covenant, written on our very hearts, and overflowing our hearts to the hearts of others. Man, that is SO awesome!

Just think about it. WE are the messengers of the New Covenant. WE are the symbols which have replaced the Commandments – the ministry of life – and that life must be LIVED. What must we do? We must bear that New Covenant, in every portion of our lives – including this portion.

Stimulant to the Appetite:

Can something tasteless be eaten without salt, Or is there any taste in the white of an egg?

– Job 6:6

Salt makes things taste better. It gives flavor to otherwise bland dishes – it changes tastes, it modifies them, and it irrevocably does it. Do we make bland things taste less bland? Can we, by our enthusiasm and love for the Scriptures, make them “come alive”, in a way that someone hasn’t quite seen before? Do we encourage the appetite of others for the Scripture, by our obvious and genuine love for it?

How sweet are Your words to my taste! {Yes, sweeter} than honey to my mouth!

– Psalm 119:103

Preservative:

Salt, as we all know, is an excellent preservative. Just a little bit of salt can stave off decay! Just a small bit of a relatively innocuous mineral can keep meat, or other foods, from the decay that occurs from death. No wonder Jesus uses salt as such an important example.

However, for salt to preserve, it must be.. salty. It has to have the properties of salt, if it is to do the job. So, if we are not being salt – how can we hope to be a preservative? Can we “preserve” anything, if we don’t have the properties that salt must have to do so?

Peacekeeper:

Salt, by it’s pervasive influence, adds taste, and pleasure to the meal. Should we not be the same? Most things taste better with salt added. Not all – but enough for the purposes of this analogy. Shouldn’t we, by our lives, influence others, by promoting the “peace that passes all understanding”?

“Salt is good; but if the salt becomes unsalty, with what will you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.”

– Luke 14:34

Stimulant:

Salt is _aggressive_. It infiltrates, dissolves, and permeates into anything it touches. It changes the very makeup of whatever it touches.

Are we like that? Are we bold? Are we stimulating others to “choose this day whom you will serve”? If not – why? The early church was incredibly pervasive – they were called “these men who have upset the world”. Why aren’t we doing the same? What are we upsetting?

Therefore, those who had been scattered went about preaching the word.

– Acts 8:4

Evidence of Grace:

When people look at us – what do they see? The Grace, that is shared, and showered freely, by our Father? What do they see? An insular, unwelcoming community of “club members” – or a group of sincere, caring members of the very Body of the Christ we serve? Our speech should be “seasoned with salt” – is it?

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Now, I’ve gone through a short restatement of a previous essay – now, I’ll attempt to apply it to this subject.

When we, as believers, write – are we not to do it to the glory of God? When we, as believers, profess to be serving our Lord – are we not to be living letters, written by the Spirit of God? We’re doing a good job of organizing the saltshaker, so that it can be more effective. However, the lion’s share of the job will be in using that saltshaker, and spreading salt throughout the sphere of influence we have – and will cultivate in the future. When we say “we are salt” – are we? Are we really?

Do we leave the saltshaker, in this digital world that we create for ourselve,s day by day – and seek to “flavor” the life of someone not already in the saltshaker? Do we salt instead of just “being salt“? We’re taking some good steps toward becoming a community – within the saltshaker. As apologist,s however, our job is to salt the world around us, and to influence those who are NOT in the saltshaker. We are evangelists, in a way – but, we are also “defenders”, and “promoters.” We don’t just “respond to critics”. We actively advance the cause of Christ – to people who aren’t already in the saltshaker. We go where people need to see the message – and we advance in such a way that we “salt” their lives, and their discussions, with this strange new flavor.

I’m not saying we _shouldn’t_ respond to critics. We should. We’re apologists. We defend the Lord, the Word, and the faith. However, we should do in such a way that we not only edify the Body – but those who are not of the body. We should leave the saltshaker, if anyone should. We shouldn’t be venus flytraps, waiting for someone to stop by, and step into our parlor. We need to go knock on other people’s doors – and go visit. Then, we invite them back to our “parlor”, reciprocally. This, in my mind, shouldn’t be a “well, if anyone comes by, they’ll see”. I say _no_. We should be out there looking – for people asking the questions, for people doubting, for people who hold certain beliefs we know to be wrong – and who need those beliefs put to the question – gracefully.

We should be actively seeking an audience. Not waiting for an audience to come to us. In the digital world (just like the real world, I’ll venture my opinion), the saltshaker shouldn’t be the “destination”. It should be the “departure point”. These are our virtual homes – our virtual parlor. As such, they should be open for anyone that comes knocking. However, when we claim to be salt – that salt can’t stay in the shaker. It has to do what it was put into the saltshaker to do: be spread. A saltshaker is just a temporary storage container. These digital churches, and digital ministries are just temporary storage containers for the digital salt that needs to be shaken onto the greater digital world.

Are you a venus flytrap? Don’t be. Go visit the other “venus flytraps” – because you WANT to be caught. That’s the whole idea. We WANT to be caught in their “traps”. What we have to offer is more than sufficient to overcome any snares we may be subjected to. “Greater is He that is in me, than he who is in the world”. If you believe that – if you want to practice it – go do it. “Come into my parlor, said the spider to the fly…”

My response? “Sure. Take your best shot. Then, get ready – I have something for you, too…”

Salt: It’s not just for saltshakers anymore.