Lesson 16: Live in Fellowship (3)
Read John 3:16-21 - https://www.bible.com/bible/59/jhn.3

Our next accomplishment is being "salt" and "light" to the world (Matthew 5:13-16). Salt is a preservative and a flavor enhancer. Light is for seeing or finding. An interesting addition in these verses is that we are not to try to keep our salt or light to ourselves; we are not to be hidden light. This is not easy in an era where those who do not fall into the "politically correct" stance are ridiculed and usually falsely charged with some manufactured evil. To be salt means we must preserve God's way in our culture. To be light means we must expose the lies which would enslave or harm those around us.

Salt and light are essentially passive. We, however, cannot remain inactive. This accomplishment for the church is never passive – we are to be teachers of "all that I have commanded you" (Matthew 28:18-20). Teaching must never be passive; it must always be active. Now we can teach in silent ways, but such silent teaching must be active silent teaching. In other words, it must be a conscious and intentional action on our part. If we teach passively, we rarely remain completely conscious of what we are teaching and this cannot be. We cannot teach to socialize – we must teach to educate. This means we are not teaching to change someone's outward actions; we are teaching to change the heart. Of course we, the church, cannot change a heart; this can only be done by God Himself. But Jesus will use His body, the Church, as the visible means by which this world, our neighbors, can see Jesus.


What we have looked at so far as the purpose of the church has all been outward, or toward those who are in the world. The second purpose of the church that we look at in this lesson looks inward, or toward those who are a part of the body. This purpose is accountability.

Each believer will one day stand before Jesus who will judge the works each individual has accomplished during this lifetime. It is not anything that was accomplished prior to that individual’s salvation which will be counted; it is only after salvation that an individual can hope to do anything for the glory of God. Every single action of the individual after salvation will be counted and will be considered. Everything wrong or done for ourselves, or in our own strength, will be destroyed. Only what was done for God's glory, and in His strength, will survive and will survive in the form of jewels which will add to our enjoyment of Heaven. According to Scripture it is possible for an individual to accumulate worthy works for all of their saved lives only to lose everything in the end through sin (1 Corinthians 9:27). It is our individual responsibility to persevere to the end (Matthew 10:22). Of course, we cannot do this without the help of our Savior.

*How are you salt and light where you live today?