CHRISTIAN CHARACTER

Salt is the combination of two basic chemicals: sodium and chlorine. When they are combined they form salt. Christian character is composed of two important ingredients: faith and works. As chlorine gas is a deadly poison by itself, so faith without works is dead. Metal sodium alone is likewise destitute of the saving quality of salt. So is works without faith. As the chemical union of these two elements forms salt, so faith and works, when united, give life and efficiency to Christian character.

Christian character is genuinely qualitative.When Jesus said to "have salt in yourselves" He was inviting us to link up to the authentic Source of Taste! The Psalmist put it this way: "taste and see that the Lord is good" (Ps.34:8). Later, Peter adds: "now that you have tasted that the Lord is good....grow up in your salvation" (I Pet.2:2-3). The most compelling evidence then is demonstrated through what Paul calls "the fruit of the Spirit"(Gal.5:22), which includes "love, joy, peace patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control."

If the Church is to regain its influence in our present decadent society, perhaps we need to
take another serious look at what Scripture says about Christian character and start putting it into practice.