I was telling the children in church recently about "salt fish." Fish are caught, cleaned and then packed in salt, to preserve the fish from spoiling. The salt inhibits bacteria in the meat by depleting the water, which the bacteria needs in order to live. There must be a substantial concentration of salt in order to preserve the fish.
I went on to say that we Christians, as we follow Christ faithfully, are the salt of the earth. As long as we are conformed to the image of Jesus and obedient to His word, we are a preserving influence in our society. We have watched sin spread as the numbers of Spirit filled, Christ following, Bible believing people have diminished in our society. So, unless there is a return to Bible Christianity in our society, we are going to see the darkness thicken and the plague of sin go unchecked. Our only hope is a personal walk of faith, which will come under the attack of the sin loving society that surrounds us.
SIN IN THE WORLD IS INEVITABLE,
SIN IN THE BELIEVER IS INDEFENSIBLE.
The Power of the Believer's Presence in This World
Matthew 5:13
(13) Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.
DLG note...
In fact, the anti-Christ is unable to take his position of world ruler as long as the blood washed, Spirit filled Church is still in this world. But when we are snatched away, then the Beast has an open season on the earth.
The Wrath, Wisdom and Wealth of Satan Cannot Destroy the True Church.
Matthew 16:18-19
(18) And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
(19) And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
The Church Restrains the Evil One Today.
2 Thessalonians 2:1-7
(1) Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,
(2) That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.
(3) Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
(4) Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
(5) Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?
(6) And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.
(7) For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
When the Salt is Removed by God, the Corruption Runs Rampant.
2 Thessalonians 2:8-12
(8) And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
(9) Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
(10) And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
(11) And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
(12) That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
Believers Who Lose Their Saltiness Will Lose Their Souls.
Hebrews 6:4-6
(4) For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
(5) And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
(6) If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.
Careless Christians Can be Polluted, Entangled and Conquered by Sin and Satan.
2 Peter 2:19-21
(19) While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.
(20) For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.
(21) For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.
The Power of the Believer's Presence in This World
Matthew 5:13
(13) Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.
DLG note...
In fact, the anti-Christ is unable to take his position of world ruler as long as the blood washed, Spirit filled Church is still in this world. But when we are snatched away, then the Beast has an open season on the earth.
The Wrath, Wisdom and Wealth of Satan Cannot Destroy the True Church.
Matthew 16:18-19
(18) And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
(19) And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
The Church Restrains the Evil One Today.
2 Thessalonians 2:1-7
(1) Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,
(2) That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.
(3) Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
(4) Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
(5) Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?
(6) And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.
(7) For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
When the Salt is Removed by God, the Corruption Runs Rampant.
2 Thessalonians 2:8-12
(8) And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
(9) Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
(10) And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
(11) And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
(12) That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
Believers Who Lose Their Saltiness Will Lose Their Souls.
Hebrews 6:4-6
(4) For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
(5) And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
(6) If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.
Careless Christians Can be Polluted, Entangled and Conquered by Sin and Satan.
2 Peter 2:19-21
(19) While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.
(20) For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.
(21) For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.
