By Mike Demory

OFTEN Christians forget just how responsible we are in molding and shaping the image as others see us. When considering the need to obey the gospel and commit our lives to God’s will many times we fail to count the cost of what all that entails (Lk. 14:28). Scripture speaks of the Christian life being represented as both salt and light. Our influence upon everyone we meet, even those who may not know us but do observe our actions, is something that each of us will give account on judgment day (2 Cor. 5:10).

Jesus said in his infamous Sermon on the Mount that the influence of God’s children is to be both preserving and illuminating (Matt. 5:13-16). Let us dig into this rich text to see what godly influence each of us must possess.

Twofold in Purpose

PRESERVING: “Ye are the salt of the earth.” What does salt do but preserve from decay. Our Lord’s reference to “the earth” shows the universality of the preserving nature that our spiritual salt must have. Scriptures tell of the corrupting force found the world over (Rom. 1:18-21; Gal. 5:19-21). However salt will only preserve when it completely envelops that which would become corrupt without it.

ILLUMINATING: “Ye are the light of the world.” Again we are commanded to be a light of “the world.” We cannot allow our influence to stop within the four walls of the church building. Our light must radiate wherever we may be.

Twofold in Nature

SAVOUR: Salt must have savor/quality/character. Without it there can be no preserving power. The salt of the Christian must possess quality and character. How else will we be able to preserve the world?

LIGHT: The second nature of our influence is that of being light. Our children sing the song, “This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine.” But as we grow older our light begins to wane and before long our light burns out. What is the first thing we head for when night begins to fall? The light switch! Light helps fill the void that darkness leaves in its wake. So too, the faithful Christian will fill the void left in the world because of ignorance of God’s word.

Twofold in Hindrance

LOSS OF SAVOR: “if the salt lose its savor, wherewith shall the earth be salted?” Keeping in mind that Jesus is referring to the Christians influence upon others he sets forth a warning. We must keep in mind at all times the things we might say or do that would cause others to fall from grace or refuse to accept it in the first place. As long as men and women exist as representatives of Christ, then there should be a moral example for the world to follow. However, that does not always mean that the world will (Gen. 6). But if we have had an influence at one time, then begin to slip into the ways of the world, our influence is ruined. It will be hard to gain that back.

LOSS OF LIGHT: “neither do men light a lamp and put it under the bushel…” would it do for God’s children to hide their light? Logic dictates that no one would light a candle to illuminate the inside of your home, and then cover it. So too, logic says that we should never cover our spiritual light. Often we are tempted to overlook the ungodly behavior of some so that we won’t be considered the bad guy.

Twofold in Action

INFLUENCE: “Ye are the salt of the earth.” True spiritual salt is that which Jesus says concerns our influence. Our influence must completely engulf the earth, beginning in the home and then reaching out to our neighborhoods, to our communities and to the far recesses of the earth. Our influence must be Christ-like. We must show those in the church as well as those without that we are grounded and rooted (Eph. 3:17). That we will not be tossed about (Eph. 4:14). The gospel is not only to be preached it is to be lived! Jesus prayed for a people who would be united in thought, doctrine, worship and mission (Jn. 17:20-21). If we are going to preserve or draw some kind of moral line in the sand, then we must know and believe the truth ourselves.

LIFESTYLE: “Let your light shine before men…” Jesus is not suggesting that we seek the praise of men. He is saying that our lifestyle will be such that it will infiltrate our conduct and conversation. Those who know only enough of God’s will to fill a thimble often hurt the cause of Christ. Accepting the mantra of the world that God does not care whether we smoke, drink, dance or any number of other things. The world is quick to point out hypocrisy, something that will ruin our influence. The Christians lifestyle is to be patterned so that the world will see our combined good works and glorify God (1 Pet. 2:12).

 When we forget that our neighbors notice how often we fail to attend services. When they observe us enjoying an ungodly joke or jest, or hear us disagree with the elders of the church on some doctrinal issue, our salt loses its savor and our light has gone out. Godly influence is something that every Christian must consider everyday of our lives. Let us heed what Paul said in 1 Corinthians 13:5; “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves…….”