Mark 9:49-50 - Salty Christians

49 “For everyone will be salted with fire.”
Q: What does this strange verse mean?
A: Salt was added to sacrifices as a symbol of God’s enduring promise. As a preservative, salt represented enduring faithfulness. As a spice, salt brought flavor to life. Salt was sought after and was attractive. One particular sacrifice fits the imagery found in Mark 9:49 perfectly – it’s found in Leviticus 2. Here you have the description of the grain offering (2:13). “You shall season all your grain offerings with salt. You shall not let the salt of the covenant with your God be missing from your grain offering; with all your offerings you shall offer salt.”

There were actually five offerings. Four of them were animal sacrifices – the burnt offering, peace offering, sin offering, and guilt offering. All four of these offerings represented the need for the atonement of sin.

The grain offering was not an animal offering or a sin offering. It was an offering of devotion and dedication that symbolized total devotion to the Lord.

The Old Testament saints gathered up their best grain, and they made a sacrifice of that grain on the altar. It was then covered with salt, which spoke of the faithfulness and the permanence of this offering to God. God would keep His promise, and by sprinkling salt on the grain offering, God was stating that He was faithful. His faithfulness to the Old Testament saints was symbolized in the salt.

As a New Testament saint, you are to be faithful to God. “For everyone will be salted with fire” (9:49) means your life is an offering to God. Every day you are making a total sacrifice of your life to God. You are a living sacrifice to Christ. So “for everyone will be salted with fire” means that you are offering your life every day, in every task, to the Lord. Jesus is calling you to commit your life to Christ as a sacrifice.

Romans 12:1 states it this way: “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.” That’s what we see in the grain offering. This is denying yourself, taking up your cross and following Christ. This is giving yourself totally to Christ in the language of an enduring sacrifice. “Fire” is sacrifice, and “salt” is faithfulness. You’re not going to crawl off the altar at the first whim. You’re salting your life making it a permanent sacrifice of faithfulness to God – in good times and in times of suffering.

50 "Salt is good, but if the salt has lost its saltiness, how will you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves and be at peace with one another."
Q: Why was salt such a big deal in Jesus day?
A: In a world with no refrigeration and no ice, salt was required to preserve food. Plus, salt was a tasty way to flavor food. God intends for you to be “salt” to others by being involved in influencing others to desire Christ.
Q: Why is it a problem for salt to lose its saltiness?
A: Salt does not lose its saltiness unless it is mixed with another chemical like gypsum (this was a common problem). The mixture makes salt worthless. This is a picture of your dedication to Christ. You are not to desire to live for Christ (salt) and the world (gypsum). You are to serve Christ and live a life of “saltiness” in a way that would cause the unsaved to desire Christ.
Q: What does the phrase “have salt in yourself” mean?
A: Jesus is calling you to live a life of “saltiness” that is not mixed with gypsum or anything else. He wants your “salt” to be undiluted, unmixed, and uncorrupted. Christ commands you to live an unmixed life.
Q: Why did Jesus add the phrase “and be at peace with one another.”
A: Remember, Jesus’ disciples were fighting about who was the greatest. He was saying, “Stop fighting. Stop elevating yourselves. Stop competing.” These verses are pointing a finger at you to (1) stop being the cause of temptation, (2) to love each other extremely, (3) to deal with sin severely, (4) to sacrifice your life wholly, and (5) to obey the Word of God fanatically.

APPLICATION
Romans 12:9-21 gives a series of adverbs that describe how we can “be at peace with one another” (cf. Mark 9:50b).

1. SINCERELY (9a) – “Let love be genuine.” Paul is talking about sincere love (agape love) because of its prominence in the commands of Christ and in the life of the church. If there was one characteristic that was to mark the followers of Jesus and to make them unique in the world, it was love (cf. John 15:12; John 13:35).
2. PURELY (9b) – “Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good.” The believer’s posture towards good and evil cannot be passive. Evil is not to be tolerated; it is to be hated. “Good” is not just to be hoped for; it is to be clung to. Paul has in mind the kind of evil that destroys Christian relationships. Gossip, slander, bitterness, hurtful words, anger, lying, selfishness, racism, pride, sexual sin. All of these things are destructive to the purity of the church and the bond of love.
3. AFFECTIONATELY (10) – “Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.” This is the kind of “affection” that one would have for family. In seasons of persecution this was very practical since following Christ divided families. We are to treat one another with family like “affection.” Paul also says, “we should outdo one another in showing honor” (cf. Philippians 2:3)
4. PASSIONATELY (11) – “Do not be slothful in zeal” - Believers are not to be lazy in their commitment to one another; “be fervent in spirit” - The word “fervent” has the idea of bubbling, boiling, of constant activity; “Serve the Lord” - While we are pouring into people who are part of the body, we are always aware of the fact that ultimately our service is an offering of worship to the Lord.
5. STEADFASTLY (12) – “Rejoice in hope” – Here we see the theme of perseverance. Believers are to endure by rejoicing in the hope that awaits them (cf. Romans 5:3-4); “Be patient in tribulation” - Believers are called to face difficulties by not giving up, not becoming anxious, and by standing firm. During seasons of persecution, the church was to help one another remain steadfast; “Be constant in prayer” – the community of faith is to be marked by a continual devotion to prayer, especially when the people of God are facing opposition.
6. GENEROUSLY (13) – “Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.” The body of Christ is also to be marked by generosity as it helps people in need. A Christian mindset is reflected in seeing your money and your possessions as the means of God’s grace to others. This is where being a “living sacrifice” becomes very practical. Do you give regularly and sacrificially? Are you quick to meet the needs of people with your possessions or time? Do you open your home to people? Sacrificial giving and Christian hospitality make unique and clear statements to the world about who we are and what we love.
7. GRACIOUSLY (14) – “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them.” This is one of a number of revolutionary and counter-cultural dynamics when it comes to Christianity. Instead of seeking revenge, instead of being angry or striking back, a Christian mindset embraces blessing. As Jesus prayed for His persecutors (Luke 23:34), believers are to be gracious in the midst of unfair treatment.
8. EMPHATICALLY (15) – “Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.” Our lives are to be connected to one another in a way that we are neither alone nor isolated, no matter what the circumstance. The body of Christ is marked by a radical other-centeredness.
9. HARMONIOUSLY (16A) – “Live in harmony with one another.” Jews and Gentiles had generations of animosity toward one another, and Paul is urging them to love one another despite their differences. Differences, when played together, can create something beautiful and attractive. Diversity of background and gifts should advance the cause of unity not disunity.
10. HUMBLY (16B) – “Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight.” The church is to be marked by people who do not think arrogantly about themselves. Instead, the church is to be characterized by people who love one another regardless of their status in life and who care for people, even if those relationships do not help us climb some social, political, or relational ladder.
11. KINDLY (17) – “Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all.” Followers of Jesus need to resist the natural human tendency to seek revenge. The lack of retaliation would be recognized by even non-believers as honorable and commendable. Responding to evil with kindness, control, and non-retaliation is a stunning statement to the world. The Christian community is to be marked by kindness in the face of evil.
12. PEACEABLY (18) – “If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.” “Living sacrifices”, as much as possible, live at peace with people. Christianity is supposed to breed love, harmony, and selflessness between people. In the midst of a culture filled with animosity, conflicts and self-centeredness, the followers of Jesus are called to be the kind of people who create and make peace.
13. TRUSTINGLY (19) – “Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.’” Instead of seeking revenge, a follower of Jesus is called to trust in God’s ability to deliver justice. There is future accountability where justice will be served. God will hold everyone accountable.
14. MERCIFULLY (20) – To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” Instead of seeking vengeance or retaliation, living as a believer means treating enemies mercifully. Mercy must be more than just something that takes place internally. Enemies are to be cared for as if they are friends, since this is the way that God, through Christ, has treated us.
15. INTENTIONALLY (21) – “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” Followers of Jesus are not to allow the evil that is done to them to overwhelm them in such a way that they respond in a similar fashion. Instead, they are called to conquer evil by doing good to people who do not deserve it.