Lurecrest Stories

Reading God’s precious Word through “Gospel Glasses”!

Matt 5:13 “You are the salt of the earth.”
Matt 5: 14 “You are the light of the world”

When God rescued me in the mid ‘70’s by the blazing truth of the Gospel it became immediately clear to me that I had to re-interpret the scriptures according to the truth of the gospel and not from a “subjective” nature. My “pre-gospel” life was totally “performance based”, “subjectively oriented”, “man-centered”, and immersed in “spiritual attainment" instead of in Jesus Christ. I was totally “self-centered” rather than “Christ-centered”.

Let’s put on the "gospel glasses" and look at Jesus’ statement on us being salt and sight in Mt. 5:13,14.

Jesus declared us “salt” and “light”. This is a fact. Just how salty or bright we are is yet another thing. Jesus talks about that as well! The fact that we belong to Him makes us salt and light!

Now, with “gospel glasses” on here is the truth from Christ’s teaching: If you and I do not know that we are in fact His, that we are in fact salt and light, then we’ll interpret this incorrectly and go about establishing just how to become salt and light!!

When we were brought to Christ and believed in Him, we became salt and light to those around us. To become more salty and a brighter light we simply need to know more of our Savior. The better we know Him the more we love Him. The more we love Him the more obvious it is that we are not of this world. Our hearts are captured by Christ and not by the world. Our lifestyle is opposite of those whose hearts are in love with this world.

Don’t worry about how to become salt and light. The more we allow the Holy Spirit to focus us on the great and mighty work of Christ FOR us, the more intense we are about His work IN us and THROUGH us. This work IN us and THROUGH us intensifies the salt and light aspect. If I’m a Carolina basketball fan everyone will know it by my words, my dress, my actions, and my heart. My devotion to the Blue would never allow me to wear red, orange, black, or any other colors. Oh, that my heart was so devoted to my Lord Jesus that I’d never be seen wearing other colors of this world!

We became light and salt by God’s sweet purpose and grace in Jesus Christ and our relation to Him; others know it by our life of “salt-devotion” and our “light of loving response” in the things we do and say. Jesus, please continue to teach us who we are and whose we are,

We offer these words in your wonderful Name…Amen!
(our next few devos will be on this topic of Salt & Light)