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.

THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT --Matthew 5:13

In the Beatitudes, Jesus prepares His followers to live out their faith. The poor in spirit demonstrate a contrite heart; those who mourn demonstrate a repentant heart; the meek demonstrate a humble heart, those who hunger for righteousness demonstrate a hungry hear; the merciful, a compassionate heart; the pure, a pure heart, the peacemaker, a peace-filled heart; and the persecuted, a tested heart. Once He has control of our hearts, He is ready to thrust us out into the world as His Salt.

The Bible mentions salt over 30 times. When Jesus states, "you are the salt of the earth," He was moving from the abstract to the functional; from theory to practice. Salt is used to season food. It acts as a preservative and flavors food. Paul states in Colossians 4:6, "let your conversation be with grace, seasoned with salt." Food is bland without salt and our testimony falls flat without Christ. The psalmist put it this way: " O taste and see that the the Lord is good" (Ps.34:8)

So how can we make others thirsty for God? It is true that we can lead a horse to water but can't make him drink. However, put a block of salt near the water and after a few licks he will drink. If salt remains in a salt shaker it has little value. But turn it upside down and put it on meat or vegetables and it's flavor is enhanced. Are you making other thirsty for God or has your testimony lost its flavor? "If the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything." Body cells must have salt in order to live. Blood, sweat and tears have salt. The Christian is salt because he has Christ and without Christ there is no life.

Imagine yourself as a salt shaker! There are all kinds of salt shakers: big ones, small ones; some used only in kitchens, ornate ones used at banquets or special occasions. It doesn't really matter the size, shape, color, or value! What really matters is whether there is salt in the shaker and whether it is poured out of the shaker to flavor the food. I believe God's message to us is simple: Let God fill you with His Spirit and then allow Him to pour out your life into this bland, flavorless world. It's not about you or me on the outside as much as it is all about Him on the inside pouring forth His love and grace through you. I must confess, I often feel contented, sitting smuggly along with other "salt shakers of like precious faith!" But that's not what God wants! He has put us here to be "His salt-of-the-earth" servants. "Lord! shake us out of our comfort zone as true salt-of-the-earth followers of Yours! Amen!"

IT'S ALL IN THE TASTE

The characteristic qualities of Christianity are analogous to salt. As salt gives food its pungency so the believer's testimony gives Christianity its flavor. Salt is the combination of two basic chemicals: sodium and chloride. As chloride 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 unions of these two elements form salt, so faith and works, when united, give life and efficacy to Christian character.

Abraham Lincoln stated: "Character is like a tree and reputation like its shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing." The Greek word, from which our word "character" originated, signified a sharp pointed instrument or graving tool. Character is the means by which each of us makes his impression on others. The instrument itself is not the finished product, only a tool. Our actions and reactions temper the blade and make the edge more powerful or impotent. Each must forge his own character, each must be responsible for keeping it in condition and each must account to God for its results.

Character is what a person really is on the inside. Like the backbone in the body, character is the spinal column of the will. It is like the sharp scalpel in the surgeon's hand. The effectiveness of his job hinges on the sharpness of his instrument. Character is formed through our parentage, environment and peer influence. The development of good or bad characteristics hinges on the intrinsic qualities of these influences and our response to them. Our parentage may be good but if our environment or peer influence is bad and the later is given greater reception, evil traits may result. Likewise, a person may have poor parental influence and exhibit good character traits.

Studies of Bible characters supply us with ample evidence to support this premise. As a young teen, for example, Daniel was snatched from his home influence and placed in a godless environment hundreds of miles away. Yet the influence of a permissive Babylonian environment did not tarnish his strong determination to reject evil. Daniel resolved not to defile himself (Dan.1:8). He would rather risk the destruction from lions than destruction of his character.

Joseph is another example. Sold into Egypt by his hate filled brothers did not change the standard of this young teen. Honesty and integrity were the hallmarks of his character. The seductive charm of a sensuous woman could have easily led him to compromise. But integrity meant more to him than the demotion from Potipher's house to prison.

What makes the difference? It is the quality of character that is formed out of a biblical perspective. Character that conforms to utilitarianism (everyone is doing it so it must be OK for me) is man centered. Christian character that is God-centered is genuinely qualitative. When Jesus said "have salt in yourselves" He was inviting us to link up to the genuine source of taste. Psalm 34:8 puts it this way: "taste and see that the Lord is good,"and Peter adds, "now that you have taster that the Lord is good, grow up in your salvation" (I Pet.2:2-3). Daniel and Joseph endured under pressure because their characters were linked to God's

We are called to retain the distinctive flavor of authentic Christianity. As salt renders palatable otherwise tasteless food, so Christian character sweetens life's disappointments by offering a satisfying meaning to life. When Paul stated, "let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt" (Col.4:6) he was referring to a quality of life that surpassed human standards. In other words, salt of the earth Christians are to be beneficial, not superficial; authentic, and not synthetic.

It's all in the taste!