Are we salt and light?

Matthew 5:13-16:

You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? ... You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hid... Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

Have you been alive while Jesus Christ was walking in this earth, and have you been monitoring his journeys though the world as it existed, you probably would have been shocked by some of the places he visited and certainly by some of the people he visited with. What did it mean for a Jew to visit Samaria? What did it mean to touch a leper or dine with prostitutes and tax collectors? More importantly, what message was Christ sending to us?

Christians are confronted with meeting the uncomfortable, and why it is important we see this was Christ's intention all along. We are meant to leave our comfort zones, meet the world with all its sickness and depravity, and bring the healing message of the Good News to those who so desperately need it. Also if you look at the Christ's response to the Pharisees who questioned the company and friendship he kept: "But when he heard it, he said, they that are whole have no need of a physician, but they that are sick. But go ye and learn what [this] meaneth, I desire mercy, and not sacrifice, for I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.“ (Mat. 9:12-13).

Christians are not from other world. We are not to spend our time thinking of how to escape from the world. Nor are we to be preoccupied with churchly matters. The Church is not the kingdom of God. The Kingdom of God is about this world, and about our life and witness in the world. It is about politics, about economics and about culture. It is about our environment, about the destruction of nuclear weapons. It is about peace. How are we to fulfill our responsibility in the society in which we live? Jesus said: You are the salt of the earth; you are the light of the world. the biggest problem Christians have with pursuing sinners, is that they know this pursuit often requires going where sin actually resides i.e.” the world ”. We should recognize this and offer a biblical approach for understanding the God's relationship to the world. The "world" is also referred to in scripture as something wonderful, created by God and in his image. The "world" also describes the people he desires to save.  We should understand that God does indeed, love this world, then he also loves human craftsmanship and creativity as well as the complexities of human relationships. God also loves the world he came to save and he commands us to do the same. Ultimately, we should be looking to notice the smallest beam of God's image shining through every aspect of our culture. Sometimes that beam may be something that absolutely glorifies God. More often, it will be evidence of the truth that all creation groans for salvation. And so our love and devotion to God fully engages us in a love for the world. We love the world as a miraculous place God created, as a display case of human work and creativity, and as the scene of God's love story toward rebellious humans.

This perspective will help many Christians, who were raised to stay entirely separate from anything remotely resembling the world outside their church. we should understand that we are missing valuable opportunities to understand the world apart from God, and how we might reach them. Like Christ, we need to see and feel the world around us in order to sense the profound potential for redeeming that world.  this is to be found, even in the most off-putting cultural expressions, the  God's image trying to shine through, no matter how bent and distorted its presentation is. I believe this is why Jesus was able to get by the demoniac's repulsiveness and restore him to his right mind. It is why Jesus saw a person in the woman at the well, or the woman caught in adultery. It is why he touched the leper. It was why he was so effective with diverse people from a whole range of cultures. It is why he is able to love you and me."

Christ's example in his earthly journeys is one of a cross-cultural missionary, surrounded by alien races, religions and occupations; he took his message to a culturally diverse world and reminded people of their common roots in the Creator. The thought of undertaking this type of ministry today can be intimidating. To some, it may sound like a license to join the world and have a good time. Let me warn that this is a mission imperative: go with a purpose. He reminds us of Paul's message to the church at Corinth; a church whose purpose was lost because many believers did nothing to distinguish themselves from relating activity of that city. We should be keen to the fact that cross-cultural missions are dangerous. "I tremble when encouraging Christians to go into the world as a presence for Jesus, because I know that we are weak and prone to wander, and we face an enemy or opponent who is clever, strategic and intends to do harm to our mortal souls. But I also know Jesus calls us into the rough and tumble of the world and promises he is more powerful than the Evil One seeking to destroy us."

If we expect to effectively do cross-cultural ministry, we need to be aware of those aspects of our Christian walk that will aid us in maintaining Godly perspectives and holiness fear and chances to stumble and fall. I should again warn that this is no easy task, But there are guards we can rely on to protect us. Prayer, the Holy Spirit, God's Word, past experience and accountability are described as important tools we are to use when venturing into worldly territory.

This sounds as a wonderful way of presenting a sound biblical plan of action for taking the Good News, But when armed with the essential tools and the proper plan, the Christian man and woman will experience God more fully. We will see what God is doing in his world around us, and we will better exercise the faith he has called us to share wherever we might be. Finally, we can "respond." What does God's Word say about the questions posed, and how can we best supply the answers in the worldly context. Hear and feel the condition of our world. In doing so, you will venture further from comfortable, safe areas, where some may say you are "too relative." Because you are bringing a Christian witness and the never-changing Word of God into a sinful world, you will also be called "too Christian" by others. It wouldn't be the first time - the same thing happened to Jesus.

Everything people strive for in this world has the potential to be taken away. Job, cars, relationships and money all can vanish. Why do we look for happiness and acceptance in things that can disappear? We all have stories when the money hasn't been there, when we've lost our job, when our friend wasn't there for us when we needed. Why would we base our lives on these things that make no guarantees of always being there for us, when we have a God who does make that promise?