“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” (Matt. 5:13).
Many sermons have been preached on salt because it seasons, purifies and preserves. But I cannot recall a message that includes salt as an irritant. From reading God’s Word, those early Christians were downright salty. The book of Acts and several of the epistles tell us they irritated some!
If you don’t think salt irritates, just put some in a cut. Those early Christians didn’t try to avoid rubbing it in. They were arrested, threatened, beaten and questioned — yet their response was not timid but bold, from hearts that feared God.
“We cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard… for it is better that we please God and not men” (Acts 4:19-20). The rulers “took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus” (Acts 4:13). How about you and me? How many sinners can tell we have been with Jesus? What would we do — or how would we answer — if the leaders of our nation demanded that we never speak His name in public?
Yes, we might say, I would stand firm! But would we? Christians as a whole have done so little in the face of opposition. Real, blood-bought Christianity rubs the world the wrong way. Our nation is flooded with “cold steam religion” that neither irritates nor saves. The gospel is one of absolutes — and if the preacher’s message rubs the congregation the wrong way, maybe they need to turn around so it rubs them the right way! There is nothing wrong — and nothing better — than the pure, plain gospel. It’s the cream-puffed religion that causes most church members to become irritated by preaching like John the Baptist’s or Stephen’s.
Repent or perish? Luke tells us, “but except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish” (Luke 13:3, 5). Those who follow Jesus will proclaim the whole counsel of God — Heaven and Hell included. The cry today is for fellowship — “Bring in all kinds and let’s all get along.” But “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?” (Amos 3:3). “Come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord…” (II Cor. 6:17). Fellowship with every “ism” and “schism” may sound kind, but most of those ideas originated in Hell, not Heaven. Living godly is always a rebuke to the world. When you believe in a church separated from worldliness, modernism and compromise, you’ll often be called narrow-minded, uncooperative or “holier than thou.” But a true believer is just trying to be salty!
“Blind guides… whited sepulchres… full of dead men’s bones…” (Matt. 23:24, 27). We are to love the lost, yet remain separate from sin, and beware of false prophets — “wolves in sheep’s clothing” (Matt. 7:15). They peddle a bloodless plan of salvation. Paul described such people as “Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth” (II Tim. 3:7). Many are “good mixers,” preaching the “fatherhood of God” and “brotherhood of man.” Friends, it’s every believer’s duty to cry out when wolves attack the flock! We hear the cry: “Down with the slaughterhouse religion! Tear out the altars and throw out the prayer benches!” — and some are quick to run after anyone who calls themselves “religious.”
But we must be careful, because the Lord adds to the church those who are truly saved and follow Him in baptism (Acts 2:47). The problem with liberals and modernists is that they don’t see things the way old-fashioned, mourner-bench Christians do.
Today’s religions are trying to develop a salt-free faith — a compromise that will lead to a Christian’s demise. Religion may be big business, but any faith without love and devotion to Jesus is vain. Jesus said something about salt — if it loses its savour, it’s no longer useful for the table or for our spiritual lives. Not only should preachers be salty for Jesus, but so should His followers.
From Our Missionaries
Ebenezer, West Little Rock: Ruben Isturiz writes, “We have had a week full of blessings at Ebenezer. The Discovery Bible Groups (DBGs) continue to grow stronger. On Friday, I had the privilege of joining the López family group. Our goal is for each participant to take turns leading the group, and this week, Sister Georgina López did an exceptional job. Let’s continue to pray that God will draw people with a deep thirst for Him to the DBGs.
“Last Saturday, ESL classes were held in our home. Kory, as usual, taught the class, and afterwards we enjoyed making arepas and sharing a very pleasant time of fellowship. We have two new people interested in joining the classes. We continue to experiment with this pilot group and pray that someone will feel called to take on the leadership of this ministry.
“That same Saturday, at noon, we celebrated a beautiful little wedding ceremony in Chenal. Daniela, from Colombia, and Alfredo, from Costa Rica, exchanged their wedding vows in a very emotional moment for them and for everyone present.
“I also want to share about Gladys, from Panama, who has been coming to Ebenezer thanks to Pablo Rumbos’ invitations. Last Sunday, she shared her testimony that she has been given Sundays off, which will allow her to attend Ebenezer with peace of mind. I ask for your prayers for her, as she has many wounds from the past that God needs to heal. After the service, we stayed talking for another hour, and she opened her heart, allowing the whole group to pray for her. God is doing extraordinary things at Ebenezer.
“Thank you for your prayers and continued support. To God be the glory!”
Faith Chapel, Flippin: Johnny Shew writes, “We had a great week at Faith Chapel! We had a great time of worship with a good number and four first-time visitors! Praise God! As we were preparing to begin the worship service, I looked in the back and saw some new folks, so I went back to greet them. However, on my way, I realized that I knew them. It was Gene and Paula Bell and their grandson William from over on the other side of the Buffalo past Hasty. John and I worked with Gene for over 30 years, and he truly is one of my favorite people in the world. John grew up with him in Jasper. They just wanted to come and worship with us and see what the Lord is doing here in Flippin. It turns out that Tana worked with him at one point, too, and Mike knew and worked with his father, Fred, at AGFC. Praise God for reunions like this! It was so good to see them!
“We got a lot of work done last week on the classroom addition. We have finished the electrical work, the ductwork and the HVAC hookup, so now we are ready for drywall. Praise God again. When the sheetrock goes up, it starts looking like a building instead of a skeleton, and it puts us closer to completion. It seems like it has taken us a long time to reach this point, but we know that God will have us in there when He wants us to be
“We thank each of you for your kind and generous support, but especially for your fervent prayers for us, Faith Chapel, this community and our mission here! They are availing much!”
Faith Journey, Benton: Bryan Clay writes, “What an awesome God we serve! This week, we’ve seen His hand at work in so many ways within our Faith Journey family. It’s always inspiring to watch our mission family step up and serve where they are needed, using their gifts to glorify the Lord.
“One of our young men has joined me in our nursing home ministry, and what a blessing he has been! He’s a talented musician, and his heart for worship is bringing a fresh, joyful atmosphere to our visits at the nursing homes and the adult day center. Together, we are creating a time of praise and worship for those precious residents. Please continue to pray for him as he grows in his walk with the Lord and continues to serve faithfully.
“We also ask for your prayers for one of our young ladies who had to undergo an emergency procedure this week. She will be having a follow-up appointment soon as doctors work to determine the cause and help her return to full health. Our church family came together in prayer for her, and we ask that you continue lifting her up — trusting that God’s healing hand is at work.
“This week, I also spent time out in the community — inviting, praying and simply following where God led me. Each encounter was an opportunity to plant seeds of faith and hope in the hearts of those I met. We may not always see the results right away, but we know that God is faithful to bring growth in His perfect timing.
God is working through Faith Journey, and we give Him all the glory!”
Misión Gracia Soberana (Sovereign Grace), NWA:Roberto Marcelletti writes, “Greetings, sisters and brothers in Christ. In October, we celebrate the month of pastoral gratitude, and the sisters have already held meetings to organize the celebrations. In our congregational devotional, we prayed to the Lord to guide us in the activities of the last quarter of the year. We asked for grace and favor so that we can share the gospel.
“On Saturday, we were able to share the gospel with the waitress who served us in the restaurant. She told us that she would like to attend church, but since she works on Sundays, we invited her to our Thursday connection group instead. I ask you for prayers for her, and for other people who have been evangelized. I ask you for prayer for the Hispanic community, who are very afraid of the latest news on the immigration issue. This makes it very difficult to contact new people because of their distrust of talking to strangers.”
Epic Life, Pea Ridge: Jake McCandless writes, “It was a quiet week, this week. If you have followed along much, you know I’m not a fan of those. Our Connection Groups met and continued our studies. I personally had a lot of time in the community during Homecoming week.
Pea Ridge is an exciting community, and despite its growth, the Homecoming game, even with a team playing terribly, was completely packed. It’s hard to find a seat. I believe we have a method and way of ministry that is truly transformational, and I get impatient seeing such a harvest field.”
