salty (Matt 5:13)

Matthew 5:13

you are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost it's taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet

Single grains of salt do nothing by themselves but as a community of Christians, the church should be like salt in society.

• purity - The church should hold up an example of purity. The Holy Spirit's work in our hearts does affect our behaviour, and that should be noticeable. But one of the main changes that should occur is in our attitude towards our own sin. Because we recognise our own sin is great, and our need is great, but we have been forgiven by a great saviour, we do not need to cover up our sin, we do not need to try and pretend that we are living a better life than we actually are. unfortunately, the church is often seen as pointing the finger at other people's problems while glossing over it's own. The example of Christians being progressively sanctified, not least through ongoing repentance, confession and reconciliation, stands out in an impure world.
• taste - The "life" outside of Jesus is not really life, it is just existence. You cannot really live outside of the kingdom of the author of life. Do people look at the church as people who have tasted and seen that the lord is good? As Jesus said in the previous verses, we can expect persecution and suffering, but Christianity should be characterised by a deep joy, the true happiness that Jesus describes in the beatitudes. "men have nothing in them but what is tasteless, till they have been seasoned with the salt of heavenly doctrine" Calvin
• thirst - The life of the christian community should create a thirst in those exposed to it for more. "I want what you've got" may sound like a cliche, but do people looking at the church think that they are missing something or do they think that they are better off without it?!
• preservative - The church should be a positive influence on society. Serving others, being generous, loving our enemies. If your church closed down, would the community miss it?