Clear Purpose

Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing . . .”—Hebrews 10:29 (NKJV)

The author of Hebrews knew how to make a powerful point. Just read the passage above and you will catch how serious of an offense it is to view the blood Christ shed on the cross as a common thing. It’s so egregious that it’s like trampling on the Son of God, Himself! 

Nobody wants to be guilty of doing that, which was the writer’s point in putting things this way. There’s something universally understood about trampling on something. To take your foot and grind something down into the ground . . . it just doesn’t get any lower than that.

And yet, Jesus, Himself, uses this same expression to describe those who’ve been called to act as salt in this world, but lose their saltiness: “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men” (Matthew 5:13 NKJV).

Take a moment to think this through: When God’s people cease to be salty He essentially compares it to the ultimate low. There’s a sense of an utter loss of value and worth. In other words, it’s a big deal to God when we aren’t fulfilling our intended purpose for Him.   

So what is that purpose, exactly? 

Salt was one of the most valuable commodities in the ancient world, because it provided a multitude of benefits. But primarily, salt was a preservative that counteracted the effects of decay. Meat was often coated in salt in order to keep it from spoiling. 

That’s a parallel of how we’re to be in this world, as well. As salt, we are to keep the effects of moral decay at bay. That means we’re different from the world around us. We don’t bend, compromise, or blend in when it comes to the world’s values. By being different, we stay salty, fulfill our purpose, and avoid the description Jesus makes of being trampled underfoot.

Knowing this, we need to prayerfully ask God to empower us to remain distinct from the world around us. We need Him to keep us as we ought to be, and He will as we seek and trust Him.

DIG: What does it mean to be salt in this world?

DISCOVER: What contributes to a Christian losing their saltiness? 

DISPLAY: How are you prone to losing your saltiness? Consider the things in your life that have caused you to lose your saltiness and pray about how you can remove these things from your life.

 

About the Author

Pastor Dan Hickling

Pastor Dan Hickling serves our online community, also known as the Calvary Chapel Online Campus. He and his wife Becky have been married for 22 years and have two children, Lauren and Danny. Both Dan and Becky have been part of the CCFL church family for 22 years and have served in full time ministry for 20 of those years.