MATTHEW 5:13-16, C. H. Cayce “Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt has lost his savor, wherewith shall it be salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”
Some of this language is often applied to the unregenerate sinner by the man who is of the world in his preaching, but such application of it is a perversion of God’s word. This is found in the Saviour’s sermon on the mount, the most full, perfect and complete sermon, doubtless, on record. Verses 1 and 2 of this chapter (Matt. 5) read, “And seeing the multitudes, He went up into a mountain: and when He was set, His disciples came unto Him: and He opened His mouth, and taught them, saying”— and among other things which He said to them was the language of the text, “Ye are the salt of the earth,” etc. It was not said to the multitude; He left the multitude, departed from them, and went up into a mountain. His disciples came unto Him, where He was in the mountain, and the multitude was not there. Then He opened His mouth and taught them, the disciples, who were present with Him, saying unto them, “Ye are the salt of the earth,” etc.
There is some sense in which the Lord’s church or kingdom is the salt of the earth. It is for their sake that this wicked world is preserved and spared and perpetuated. Salt has a preserving or saving quality. It does not make or produce meat, but it preserves or keeps the meat already made. “Ye are the salt of the earth;” for your sake the earth is preserved. “But if the salt have lost his savour” — if you live in such a way as to lose your influence, and to bring reproach on the cause, then “it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.” If one lives in this way, so as to lose his influence, bringing reproach on the cause, he should be cast out, he should be excluded from the church, and allowed to be trodden under foot of men. He is no benefit to the church when living in that way. He has lost his savor, and is good for nothing.
“Ye are the light of the world.” There is a light in the true gospel service and worship of God. During the law dispensation there was a light in law worship and law service; but the law dispensation is ended, and the light of that service is gone out, and those who engage in that kind of service now manifest no light in that service. Gospel worship and gospel service has now begun; and you who worship God this way, under the gospel, are the light of the world. The light is now in gospel service and worship, and not in the law.
“A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.” The church of Christ was established in the top of the mountains, and it cannot be hid. The light of that city will shine throughout all ages while time lasts. The powers of men and devils may all be exerted to hide, cover up, or destroy this city, but it cannot be hid. “It shall stand forever,” says Daniel. It is above all other kingdoms. The light of other kingdoms is darkness when compared to the light of this kingdom. All other kingdoms are low, in the valleys, and are completely hid when compared with this kingdom, the city of our God. His church, this city, is high above all others. Let us who are members of this kingdom, who have a home in this beautiful city, not go down into the valleys in the darkness of the worldly kingdoms, but let us put forth all our best efforts in the service of God, doing His will and His commandments in this city which is high above the world, and where the light of gospel service and worship is to be found.
“Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel,” etc. In the affairs of nature, men do not light a candle and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick. “The spirit of man is the candle of the Lord,” says the prophet. If our spirit or soul has been lighted up with a flame of eternal life, we have the light and should not put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick. The candlestick is in the church, and not in the world, you know. How careful we should be as to where we put that light. It would look very foolish in nature, you know, for one to put a lighted candle under a bushel, or under a box. So in grace, we should put the lighted candle on the candlestick, in the church, where it will give light, and not put it under a bushel, or in some place where the gospel worship and service is not found. When our light is put under a bushel, or in the place God has not appointed for His gospel worship and service, it does not give light to those who are in the house or church.
“Let your light so shine before men.” Let your light shine before men like a lighted candle on a candlestick. Do not let your light shine like a lighted candle under a bushel, but on a candlestick. “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” By letting our light shine, on the candlestick, in the church, where the Saviour has commanded, we glorify our Father which is in heaven. We thereby give glory to God. We cannot thus glorify God by putting our light elsewhere. We should keep our lamps trimmed, and burning, and always on the candlestick, and thereby glorify our Father which is in heaven. “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works.” We should let our light shine in such a way that others may see our good works. We should be so devoted to the service of God, andso attentive to His service, as to let that be first. “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness,” says the Saviour. We should be so attentive to the service in the church that others may see that we love the service of God more and better than we do the world and all that the world contains. Let us give our energies to His service. There is nothing in the world so pleasant or sweet as the service of God. “I beseech you, therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.” The service the Lord requires of us as His children is not unreasonable. We owe all to Him. Let us prove that we love Him, and let us honor Him by doing what little He requires. “Come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and I will receive you.” Let us, as His children, whose spirits have been lighted up with a flame of eternal life by a direct touch of God’s Holy Spirit with our spirit, be separate from the world. The world does not love us. They may try to deceive us, and try to make us believe they love us, but they do not. If they can so tempt us as to draw us away from the true service of God, they will have accomplished all that they desire. They may think well of us as neighbors and as earthly friends, but they do not love us as pertains to our service, and they are only too glad when they can succeed in drawing us away from it. Let us keep ourselves unspotted from the world. Let us not follow after their inventions. The Primitive Baptist, March 19,
1907.