Salted with Fire

"And if thine eye offend thee,

pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter

 into the kingdom of God with one eye,

than having two eyes to be cast into hell.

Where their worm dieth not,

and the fire is not quenched.

For every one shall be salted with fire,

and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt.

Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his saltness,

wherewith will ye season it?

Have salt in yourselves,

and have peace one with another."

Mark 9:47-50 KJV

In Old Testament times, God's people were required to make sacrifices to God for many reasons and in many forms.  One of the sacrifices was the grain offering and it was to be seasoned with salt, signifying the eternal nature of the covenant between God and His people.  (Leviticus 2:11-13)  

As a follower of Christ, I am a part of the new covenant.  No longer am I required to offer the same kind of sacrifices to which my ancestors were bound.  Instead, Jesus freed me from that requirement when He became the final, perfect sacrifice as He gave His life on the cross.  As the holy Lamb of God, His sacrifice atoned for all my sins.  Now I am free to enter into a relationship with God by faith in Jesus Christ my Lord.  And thus, I have entered into a new covenant. (Jeremiah 31:31-34)

Under this new promise, I am to give myself as a sacrifice.  The Apostle Paul instructs me to, "offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship." (Romans 12:1)  I am also called to be the salt of the earth, (Matthew 5:13) extending the love, grace and mercy of God given to me through Jesus to people who are lost.

In order to preserve my saltiness, and keep from compromising the teachings God has impressed upon me, I must hang onto the Truth.  Even though the world is filled with false teachings, Paul taught that, "Nevertheless, God's solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: 'The Lord knows those who are his,' and, 'Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness.'" (2 Timothy 2:19)

If I want to keep my living sacrifice seasoned with salt, I will need to get rid of anything that tempts and distracts me from running the race marked out for me. (Hebrews 12:1-4)

Relationships

I've heard it said that the most important things in life aren't things.  Many people talk about how going through a sickness or a difficult time taught them that their family and friends are what's really important.  While I agree with this sentiment to a certain extent, Jesus teaches something radically different in the Gospels.  

When He was busy ministering to people, healing and teaching, Jesus' disciples approached Him with the news that His family was there to visit.  Naturally, they assumed their Teacher would drop everything and ask them to come to the front of the line, bypassing all the others who had been waiting to see Him.  To everyone's amazement, He instead said, "Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?"  (Matthew 12:48)  He then went on to explain that everyone who does the will of His Father were considered to be His family.

While this is a great lesson in how important it is to view fellow believers as kin, there is a deeper lesson to be learned.  Jesus considered His relationship with His Father and His obedience to Him as His main concern.  As much as He treasured His family, He loved God more.  If they were getting in the way of His mission, then He would place them in the proper perspective; off to the side.  

Relationships are important to me.  I have friends who have been with me for a long time, and others who I've recently met.  Each one plays a role and fulfills a need I have as a human.  Every day I must re-evaluate these relationships using kingdom eyes.  Who is supporting me in a way that helps me to fulfill the calling God has placed on my life?  Who hinders my relationship with God by demanding my time and attention?  Who encourages me to grow in my relationship with God, even if it means making a sacrifice to see me less?  Who tears me down with her words or actions, either in my presence or behind my back?

To help me keep on track, it is necessary for me to constantly consider whether my relationships distract from Jesus or propel me toward Him.

Activities

Writer and editor John Boykin reminds me that, "Time is life--nothing more, nothing less.  The way you spend your hours and your days is the way you spend your life."  Every human is given the same amount of this precious resource of time.  The way I spend it reveals what is most important to me.

There are many hobbies and pastimes that may be allowable but not all things are considered to be valuable in God's kingdom or helpful in living a life devoted to God.  There is nothing wrong with social media, for instance.  But when it sucks up an hour of my time with mindless browsing and chatting, was that the best use of the time that God has given to me?

Exercise is also a healthy habit to take on: it improves my cardiovascular health, guards against osteoporosis and protects against many disease such as Diabetes.  Everyone should get some kind of regular, rigorous exercise.  When I start to spend too much time studying techniques, learning new theories and trying out different methods, however, it becomes a problem.  If my mind is continuously dwelling on working out and I'm unwilling to scale back or give it up for a season, it has become an idol, and God wants nothing to be placed in a position of importance higher than Him. (Deuteronomy 5)

To help me keep on track, it is necessary for me to constantly consider whether the way I use my time is honoring to God.

Beliefs

There are many beliefs floating around out there that seem good, but are contrary to God's teaching.  For instance, I have heard more than one person say that they hope they're good enough to make it into heaven.  It is common to think that our entry to an eternity with God is based on our works, but God is clear that none of us are good enough and fail to meet His standards.  (Romans 3:23)  My only hope is in Jesus.  (John 3:16-17)

Another widely-held belief is in 'karma,' or that my current actions can influence my future. This understanding is based on the idea that I can manipulate God into getting what I want by doing what I deem to be good, or that my life is a formula of cause and effect.  If I do, "A" then I will get "B."

Instead, God teaches that when I focus on Him and His kingdom, loving God and people, then all things will work together for the good.  It may not seem good at the time, but it will certainly bring about positive results in the long run. (Romans 8:28  Matthew 6:33)  He is the source of all the good in my life.  (James 1:17)

These folk-beliefs that have been passed down from other religions or folklore can work against my faith in Christ.  Just because something sounds good or makes sense to me doesn't make it the truth.  It is important that I remain vigilant of what I add to my consciousness.

Spending as much time as possible studying God's Word and putting it into action as well as keeping God at the forefront of my thoughts is what will help me combat the inclination to pick up foreign ideas. (Deuteronomy  8:6)  

To help me keep on track, it is necessary for me to constantly consider the beliefs I hold to be true and keep only those that are from God and His Word.

Giving my life as a living sacrifice to God means it will be better for me to get rid of things that seem good to me than to hamper my relationship with my Lord.  For this reason, I need to always be monitoring my relationships, activities and beliefs, keeping only those which glorify God and help me to honor Him in all I do.  Then, as I go through this life filled with trials and hardships that serve to test and refine my faith, I will continue to offer up a sacrifice that is seasoned with salt.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can honor God with my thoughts, words and deeds.

How do my friendships get in the way of my relationship with God?

When do I let my schedule control me instead of giving that honor to God?