On the May 2, 2009 Battle Lines broadcast, we discussed Jesus’ call for His disciples to be salt and light. We asserted that the primary reason for the decay in our culture is that Christians are not being faithful as salt and light. In the first century, salt was used primarily as a preservative for foods. It slowed decay. Christians can and should have a positive influence on a culture. Christians are a preservative from God’s judgment because, while Christians are here, the Spirit is here and God is still at work. Even just 10 righteous people in Sodom and Gomorrah would have preserved the cities from destruction. The two sources of light – a city and a lamp – have something in common: both are seen, both give off light. Christians shine the light of the truth of Christ in a dark and erring world. Two common points emerge from these two images: 1) Ineffectiveness: Salt can lose its saltiness and light can be hidden. Let’s not be ineffective. 2) Benefit: Both salt and light benefit others – salt preserves, light reveals. Let’s be a benefit to our culture. We discussed two ways that we can be salt and light in our culture.

First, we must share the truth and love of Jesus. The gospel is the light that we emit and the source of our saltiness. Second, we must be engaged in the social and political realms. So, on the broadcast, we asked the question: Should Christians engage in cultural conflicts and in political issues? Should Christians attend tea parties, picket abortion clinics, petition for ballot proposals to ban homosexual marriage, speak out against Islamic extremism, or participate in political rallies, public protests, and marches? Or should we back off from politics and moral issues, and just focus on sharing the gospel? We believe that our primary focus should be on sharing the gospel. The gospel transforms human hearts. But we believe that we should also be engaged in social and political issues. Ephesians 5:11-14 challenges us: “Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, rebuke and expose them. It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret. But when the light shines on them, it becomes clear how evil these things are. And where your light shines, it will expose their evil deeds.”