SALT OF THE EARTH

 

 

To be ‘the salt of the earth’ is a goal every member of the Church should strive for (3 Nephi 12:13) yet it is one we seldom think about. The ancients would have been better at it as salt was used in the Mosaic sacrificial ritual as a reminder that we should remember and preserve our covenants with God (see Numbers 18:19; 2 Chronicles 13:5). This admonition, however, minus the visual use of salt is issued to us today also (D&C 101:39-40).

To be ‘the salt of the earth’ was delivered through the Beatitudes in conjunction with being ‘the light of the world’, which is a clear indication of being a good example but what does being the salt of the earth really mean? And why is it used to help us remember our covenants?

One explanation is that “the saints, as the salt of the earth, are set forth to season their fellowmen, to keep society free from corruption, to help their fellow beings become wholesome, pure and acceptable before the Lord” (Bruce R. McConkie, The Mortal Messiah 2, p 128). In other words, the more obedient and righteous people there are on the earth, the more spiritual energy and light for all of us to live in and be drawn to goodness.

I remember this, as an example. Some years ago, Australia was in a serious draught. The Pacific Area President told the saints that if we all paid our tithing the draught would end and shortly thereafter it did. The righteous action of the saints benefited the whole country. Why tithing though? Because tithing is one of the commandments of the baptismal covenant which yields temporal blessings.

Salt is a preservative. When we preserve our commitment to our covenants, like salt, we do not lose our spiritual quality. There is nothing that puts us on the path of spiritual corruption quicker than  abandoning our baptismal covenant because the baptismal covenant is a covenant of obedience to the commandments and the gateway to temple covenants.

Alma's first baptism at the waters of Moron was a man called Helam. The words he used as he baptised Helam took the baptismal covenant to a new level. He said: Helam, I baptise thee, having authority from the Almighty God, as a testimony that ye have entered into a covenant to serve him until you are dead...." (Mosiah 18:13). Anciently covenants were not broken even at the point of death. The meaning of the ancient ‘Covenant of Salt’ was equivalent to an ‘indissoluble covenant’.

A covenant is not just a promise but a signed contract. If you break a signed contract, you have lost your integrity and you can no longer be trusted. You have lost your savour. You are no longer the salt of the earth but are ‘good for nothing, only to be cast out and trodden under the feet of men’ (D&C 101:40). Consider the legal implications of attempting to break a signed contract in our day and age. Such a contract is binding and cannot be broken.

“That upright people who keep the commandments are the salt of the earth, none question; but we might add that the Lord Jesus himself is the Salt of the Earth. The seasoning, sanctifying, edifying, preserving, uplifting influence of his gospel keeps all the obedient from corruption and decay and sorrow” (Bruce R. McConkie, The Mortal Messiah 2, p 128).

So we can say, being the salt of the earth makes us like Christ. We can also be that seasoning, edifying and uplifting influence in the world if we live His gospel. Next time you see salt on you kitchen table, remember that…..

 

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Light of the World by Eva Koleva Timothy) 

BLESSEDNESS

 

 

“And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people….and His fame went throughout all Syria…..and there followed Him great multitudes of people…..and they brought unto him all sick people…and he healed them all….and seeing the multitude He went up into a mountain, and his disciples came unto him” (Matthew 4:23-25).

“It was a day of miracles. Those vexed with unclean spirits were healed; multitudes thronged near seeking merely to touch Him; faith was in every heart; He responded to their pleas…..It was in such a setting of miracles and healings and worship – that Jesus spoke the Sermon on the Mount both in Galilee and in the land Bountiful” (Bruce R. McConkie, The Mortal Messiah Book 2, p 120-1)

Unto such he preached the glories of the kingdom while rejection yet awaited Him and the unjust death idled on the Hill of Calvary waiting silently. How full His heart must have been with gratitude and compassion for those who sought Him and wanted to hear the words of salvation. How grateful He must have been for the believers who were spiritually attuned, who received the Beatitudes as they fell from His lips.

President Harold B. Lee taught that the Beatitudes embody the “constitution for a perfect life” (Decisions for Successful Living [1973], 57,60). Bruce R. McConkie stated that “beatitude is a state of utmost bliss, and the Beatitudes are our Lord’s declarations for the blessedness and eventual eternal glory of those who obey the various principles recited in them” (The Mortal Messiah Book 2, p 118).

The word ‘Beatitude’ comes from the Latin ‘beautus’, meaning to be fortunate, to be happy, to be blessed. Imagine if it was spelt with an extra ‘t’ and it read BeATTITUDE…..imagine if we always fostered such an attitude of being fortunate and happy and blessed for having been taught the path to eternal life….Imagine honouring our beloved Saviour by living in such an attitude of gratitude for the path to eternal life He has given us.

What Beatitude is the most important? This one: Blessed are they who hunger and thirst after righteousness; for they shall be filled with the Holy Ghost (3 Nephi 12:6): “As starving men crave a crust of bread, as choking men thirst for water, so do the righteous yearn for the Holy Ghost….. the greatest of all the gifts of God, as pertaining to this life; and those who enjoy that gift here and now, will inherit eternal life hereafter, which is the greatest of all the gifts of God in eternity” (Bruce R McConkie, The Mortal Messiah Book 2, p 122).

 I pledged my life into Thy hands

When by Thy words you taught me how;

You fed me truths I needed to know

And feed me still even now.

 

As I promised to obey,

You promised we’d never part;

I remember, I remember

And carry it all

In the shadow of my heart.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Compassion and Grace by Greg Collins)

WHO COME UNTO ME

 

In my last post I wrote about unity with Christ through baptism. The Saviour sought to impress this upon the people of ancient Americas and upon us today who have the privilege of holding the Book of Mormon in our hands. I am once again grateful for the clarification of scriptures that this book offers us. The account of the Sermon on the Mount in the Book of Mormon testifies of this.

In the Book of Mormon, the Saviour began His sermon making it clear that the teachings that were to follow only applied to those who are willing to be baptized and receive the Holy Ghost for remission of their sins (3 Nephi 12:1,2). In other words, the Sermon on the Mount was ever only directed to the members of His Church, those who are willing to accept Christ and keep his commandments. (See also Daniel H. Ludlow, A Companion to the Book of Mormon, p 263-4)

This significant point is reiterated through the Beatitudes. The very first one promises that the poor in spirit will be blessed but with a significant addition in the Book of Mormon that does not exist in the New Testament. That addition reads: who come unto me. The following Beatitudes all begin with the word ‘and’ connecting them to the previous Beatitude and all the way to this first one which is the reference to the introductory verses to the Sermon which deal with baptism and receiving the Holy Ghost (3 Nephi 12:1,2)….in other words, who come unto me.

Following the Beatitudes come two other confirmations that the Sermon is for baptized members. The first is the admonition to be the salt of the earth (3 Nephi 12:13). In the Mosaic sacrificial ritual, salt was a reminder that we should remember and preserve our covenants with God (Old Testament Institute Manual, p 165)

The second is to be a light to the world (Matthew 5:14). As members of the House of Israel and of the household of faith under the Abrahamic covenant, we are to take the gospel to the world and to bring the light of Christ’s gospel to the world of darkness.

It can be argued that the blessings promised throughout the Beatitudes are biased since they are only for baptized members of Christ’s church but I believe the suggestion is that these blessings are   more readily assured for those who are willing to accept Christ and that invitation is extended to all.  They are promises and assurance of what Christ can do for us.

The thought that only those who come unto Him are more blessed might seem like elitism but in my opinion, He has the right to bless those who believe in Him and accept Him and He has the right to ask anything of us, most especially to believe and accept. He has suffered for the just and the unjust, for the grateful and the ungrateful. He is the only way to salvation, the way that was decreed in the realms of heaven long ago. Let us be that light on a hill that we might bring others under the umbrella of His blessings. That is our responsibility, that is our privilege.

If I had the might to plant Thee in each heart

Of all that breathes,

In pursuit of such a quest I would walk the earth

With apparent ease.

As I can do so little this desire to meet,

I lay my loyal love at Thy holy feet.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Send Forth Labourers by Greg Collins)

BLESSED ARE THE MEEK

 

“The Sermon on the Mount, including the Beatitudes, was delivered to true believers; to the Twelve Apostles of the Lamb (it was their ordination sermon), to the saints of the Most High God; to members of the Church of Jesus Christ; to people who had been baptize and who were in process of seeking the riches of eternity. To them – after holding out the blessed and sanctified wonders of gospel obedience, as these are stated in the Beatitudes – Jesus now says: “Ye are the salt of the earth….Ye are the light of the world.” That is to say: ‘Ye are the choicest and best people on earth; and ye must now be an example to all men, that others seeing your good works, shall come unto me and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” (Bruce R. McConkie, The Mortal Messiah Book 2, p. 127)

 

Out of all the Beatitudes, I am most taken by this one: Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. Even though the Saviour proclaimed himself to be “meek and lowly of heart” (Matt 11:29), He did not inherit the earth whilst here because as things are now constituted, the meek shall not inherit the earth until that fateful day when all things shall be done away with and the earth will receive its celestial glory. 

 

So many of us are clinging to earthly possessions and aspire to acquire more. The Saviour had neither gold nor silver nor houses nor lands nor kingdoms when He was here. The riches of this world were but a fleeting moment in time for Him and He had no interest in them. So lowly was the Saviour that he directed Peter when the tax collector came to catch a fish in whose mouth was lodged a coin, to pay a levied tax for both of them (Matthew 17:24-27). So much power yet ‘foxes had holes, and birds of the air had nests; but the Son of man had nowhere to lay His head’ (Luke 9:58). The self-restraint in using His power only for the good of others is beyond commendation. Such is the God we worship and follow, such is the God we love…..are we ready to let go off the world and be the salt of the earth and the light of the world???

 

 

 - CATHRYNE ALLEN

(Artist Unknown)

THE HEIGHTS OF DISCIPLESHIP

Beside the city of Capernaum there is a mount where Jesus delivered the lengthiest discourse recorded in the entire Bible and which covers chapters 5-7 of Matthew. As great multitudes of people followed Him from Galilee, Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judaea and even beyond Jordan, Jesus ascended the mount leaving the ease of valley travel and leaving behind those who followed Him for cures only, ensuring that only the most loyal of his disciples would follow. And so it came to be that, contrary to popular belief, Jesus did not deliver his most famous sermon to multitudes but only to his disciples (Matthew 5:1) who were no doubt already baptised and had taken upon themselves His name .Taking the disciples to the heights of the mount symbolised higher expectations and committment of the truly converted.  Those who made the upward journey were willing and prepared to live the higher law leading to exaltation.

The Beatitudes which constitute the Sermon on the Mount have been referred to by Bible commentators as 'the preparation necessary for entrance into the kingdom of heaven' (The Life and Teachings of Jesus and His Apostles, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Student Manual, p 60). They embody the constitution for a perfect life and become steps of perfection that enable us to obey the two great commandments, to love God and to love our fellowman. Obedience to the first four Beatitudes lead us to the love of God: the poor in spirit who recognise their dependence on God for all they have and all they are, are led to thirst and hunger after righteousness and to mourn for their sins which leads them to repentence and acceptance of the need to enter the waters of baptism, being the gateway to His kingdom. The Beatitudes which include the pure in heart, the peacemakers, the merciful and those which are persecuted are those which are learning to love their fellowman. (The Life and Teachings of Jesus and His Apostles, Student Manual, p. 60-61)

Whilst on the Mount, the Saviour assured his disciples that He did not come to 'destroy the law or the prophets but only to fulfill' (Mat 5:17). Immediately following this statement He elaborated by adding antitheses to six laws, each beginning with the statement "Ye have heard it said". It was clear by these antitheses which reflected various codes of conduct found in the Law of Moses, that the Lord intended His listeners to live these laws at a higher level (The Sermon on the Mount: "A More Excellent Way" by Bruce Satterfield,).  It is by no coincidence that the Saviour delivered the admonition to live at a higher level on a mountain. The Mosaic law given to Israel was delivered to Moses on Mount Sinai where the Lord told Moses he wanted Israel to serve Him. It was to this mountain that the Lord invited all Israel to come and commune with Him and to become 'a kingdom of priests and a holy nation' (Exodus 19:5-6). Israel, however, refused to be sanctified and to receive the higher priesthood which would lead them to exaltation. Ancient societies believed their gods lived in mountains. When temples were built to house deity, they were considered to be 'mountains'. If possible they were built on mountains or high places and if not, the structure of the building was designed to represent a mountain (The Sermon on the Mount: "A More Excellent Way" by Bruce Satterfield,)

The Saviour delivered the higher law on the heights of a mountain symbolising the higher way of living through covenants we make in the temple, the covenants which lead to exaltation and the heights of godhood. The proof of this intent can be found in the fact that He delivered this significant sermon to the Nephites in the Bountiful Temple (3 Nephi 11:1). Immediately following the sermon He issued an invitation and a challenge to the Nephites 'to be the salt of the earth' (3 Nephi 12:13). Why salt? Because salt symbolises indestructibility. Salt was used anciently in a variety of sacrifices of the Mosaic Law (Lev 2:13). "The Lord also referred to a series of obligations as a 'covenant of salt' to demonstrate the eternal nature of the covenant that had just been made between Him and Israel (Num 18:19, 2 Chron 13:5). With this understanding in mind, the invitation to become the salt of the earth was a challenge to enter into the higher law of the gospel with an everlasting covenant. This is stated clearly in modern revelation: 'When men are called unto mine everlasting gospel, and covenant with an everlasting covenant, they are accounted as the salt of the earth and the savor of men' (D&C 101:39)  (The Sermon on the Mount: "A More Excellent Way" by Bruce Satterfield,). As a preservative, salt was also used in the Mosaic sacrificial ritual as a reminder that we should remember and preserve our covenants with God (Numbers 18:19; 2 Chronicles 13:5).


True disciples of Christ belong on the mountain and not in the valley. They are meant for better and higher things than this world can offer. The heights of discipleship can lead them to eternal life and exaltation that only the Master can give. He is the light, the truth and the way. For us who have been baptised and taken upon ourselves His name, the road is simple and straight and there are no obstacles there, save the ones we place ourselves. And even then He has prepared the way . He will fill in the holes, patch up the cracks, smooth out the way, over and over and over again. We are meant to live on the mountain, far above the cares of this world. To reach higher, to look upward, to be a light to the world. We are the salt of the earth bound by the temple covenants to be His. He calls us to the mountain just like Israel of old, the mountain where He can bless us with the highest of blessings matching the heights of our discipleship. Leaving the world behind, we are admonished to think, feel and act like truly converted disciples of Christ. Only then can we become crowned with blessings of eternal life which He so anxiously awaits to give us.