Salt and Light

Jesus said...You are the salt of the Earth...you are the light of the world...if the salt loses its flavor...it is good for nothing but to be thrown out...nor do they light lamp and put it under a basket...  Matthew 5.13-16

 Just a simple observation...

I believe these words apply to the people of God, both in a corporate sense, like national Israel or a church, and individually, being believers. 

In a corporate sense like the nation of Israel, there were unsaved people among them that would have assisted in their moral and spiritual failure.  But the nation as the people of God were to have an affect on the nations around her.  

She was to be salt and light, but if she became ineffective or failed in her purpose, then what good was she?  

This can apply to individuals too, but I would think in that case, only saved people.  Unsaved people could never be salt and light.  A believer can fail to be effective for the Lord, like the salt that becomes saturated with impurities and becomes useless.

A corporate entity like Israel was the people of God and to be salt and light, and it included unsaved people, who were surely instrumental in her failure, but her failure corporately led to a corporate judgment, being removed from the place of privilege and blessing and from being a witness for God.  An ineffective church can come under judgment as well--Revelation 2.5 warns of the church of Ephesus having her lampstand removed.

The simple negative point of the illustration is that if you become ineffective, you're of no good use and will suffer the consequences.