In Journey Through the New Testament, I’ll be going through scripture I think should be thought about. I’ll post the scripture, then I will explain it some. I’m not out to explain every detail. I’m just out to talk on it some. Scripture is fun because it explains we’re more than we understand now here on Earth. Scripture gets extra fun when someone talks along side it too. Most every great movie involves reality bending fantasy, God’s power can do anything. So we should be in awe of God more than we’ve ever been at awe in movies we’ve seen or books we’ve read. I rarely even care about getting lost in fantasy movies anymore though now that I have God. I just do the best I can to please God. So that’s why I’m writing this series of articles. I want to please God because he loves us, and hopefully you’ll want to do the same if you’re not already living for others. *v1 This is part 1 in case you were wondering
Matthew 5:13 “You are like salt for the whole human race. But if salt loses its saltiness, there is no way to make it salty again. It has become worthless, so it is thrown out and people trample on it. 14 “You are like light for the whole world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. 15 No one lights a lamp and puts it under a bowl; instead it is put on the lamp stand, where it gives light for everyone in the house. 16 In the same way your light must shine before people, so that they will see the good things you do and praise your Father in heaven.
Salt in the old days was used to preserve meat. We have refrigerators now, but you can still find some salted meat which holds its own outside the fridge like pepperoni. We’re called to be like salt to the human race. This means we’re to keep them holding their selves together. If we hate back to hate, we help people destroy themselves because this gives them more reason to hate more. But if we love back in the face of hate, maybe that person will realize they’re in the wrong and help keep themselves from destroying themelves.
If salt loses its saltiness…
Well this might be talking about losing your ability to help others by falling from the faith. It is perfectly fine if you lose your ability to help others and still keep the faith. There are a lot of needy people who love and need love themselves. The problem is when you start causing problems yourself. A Christian shouldn’t be a mischief maker, we shouldn’t do anything that would cause others psychological duress like shameful pranks. We certainly should not be spreading hate or fear. We want a world where everyone loves each other and is happy for each other’s well being. This is who a Christian should be.
You are like light for the whole world.
We have seen the light(Jesus), and we shine to everyone else. We seek to become more like Jesus and such people can look to us and see the light. We can tell them about Jesus when they seek why we are the way we are. We can tell them about Jesus any time we get a chance to be positive and not being perceived in ill will. To tell about Jesus when people think badly of you might be okay, but then again you might be driving them away.
A city built on a hill cannot be hid.
Just as light shines and everyone knows what you’re doing: A city built on a hill cannot be hid. Our lives are meant to be seen by others. We should not do things in darkness that we don’t want other people to see us doing. While I’m upset as much as anyone for the US governments intrusion in privacy in the name of security, maybe in them keeping track of our good deeds, they might see we really live the way we preach. Live then as an example. You never know who might be watching in today’s day and age. Talk about Jesus on Facebook, Twitter, and Internet in general, and you never know who might come to Jesus favorably.
No one lights a lamp and puts it under a bowl; instead it is put on the lamp stand, where it gives light for everyone in the house.
In the process of living by being good and loving, you’ll probably end up helping others. In helping others, they’ll see you shine the light of Jesus on them, and they’ll be favorable to Jesus’ love. It is perfectly fine to go out and do good things for others and gain a reputation for doing good. There is nothing wrong with this. In fact if people know it is because of Jesus that you do these things, they’ll praise God for your existence. There is a problem when you give money to charity and brag about it, but there is no rule against doing good publically.
Matthew 5:17 “Do not think that I have come to do away with the Law of Moses and the teachings of the prophets. I have not come to do away with them, but to make their teachings come true. 18 Remember that as long as heaven and earth last, not the least point nor the smallest detail of the Law will be done away with – not until the end of all things.
God bless you.
-Jim Sager
Navigate forward to Journey 3
*v1 Heh, in the process of writing this, the guy on the Klove radio talks about fantasy movies where I got the idea that movies make people think of reality bending things. I gotta give props to Klove for giving me the opening line in my introduction.