Matthew 5:13

 Matthew 5:13 says, 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.  Jesus said that the Jewish people were to be the salt of the earth, but that if they had lost their savor that they were good for nothing.  We as Christians today are to be the salt of the earth as well, to bring the purpose and saving power of God to the world.  Verse fourteen states, Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.  Then verse fifteen adds, Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.  Again, the Jewish people then and Christians today were and are to be the bring the light of God into the world, but too often they did and we do hide that light from the world.  When our actions are based on selfish desires instead of the will of God, we hide the light of Christ from the world.  Jesus said that no one would light a candle and hide it under a bushel, where it would do no good, and neither should we attempt to hide the light of the gospel under anything.  Verse sixteen declares, Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.  We, as followers of Christ, should let the light of His word shine into the world by both our words and the things that we say and do.  It is not enough to just claim to believe in Jesus as our Lord and Savior if our words and actions do not shine the gospel into the world.  Verse seventeen declares, Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.  I hear people say sometimes that they don't really study the Old Testament because after Jesus came it no longer applied, but Jesus said this was not true.  He said He did not come to destroy the law or the prophets, but to fulfill the law.  This tells us that we still need to know what the law and the prophets say.  Verse eighteen adds, For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.  Jesus said that not even the smallest character of the law would pass away until it was all fulfilled.  I believe that part of God's law is the return of Christ in victory, and until that occurs, the law will still be in effect.  Obeying God's law does not bring us salvation, but it does show our obedience to God.  Verse nineteen continues, Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.  Jesus said that breaking the least of the laws and teaching others to do so would cause a person to be called the least in the kingdom of God and obeying them and teaching others to do so would cause a person to be called great in the kingdom of God.  We must know God's law in order to live by it and teach it to others.  Verse twenty declares, For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.  The scribes and Pharisees were noted for their obedience to the law, but they did it for self glorification, which is not the reason that we should obey the law of God.  We should exceed their righteousness by following God's law for the benefit of others and the glory of God.  Verse twenty-one adds, Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of judgment.  Jesus said that the people of Israel had heard the commandment that they should not kill.  Verse twenty-two continues, But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.  Jesus said that the command to not kill went farther than the actual action and went to even the thoughts of unjustified anger toward ones brother.  Verse twenty-three states, Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;  Then verse twenty-four concludes, Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.  Jesus said if a person brought an offering to God and then remembered that his brother had anything against him or her, that he or she was to leave the offering and go and be reconciled with his or her brother before presenting the offering.  Jesus did not say to take your offering with you or to withhold it.  When we bring an offering to God today, we should not do so if we are angry at one of our fellow believers.  We should first go and try to make things right with the person that we are having a problem with.  God expects His people to be united in love through their faith in Christ and the guidance of the Holy Spirit.