How are Christians to be Salt & Light?

Welcome to this course on Christian Witness

Luke 24:44–49 (ESV)

⁴⁴Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” ⁴⁵Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, ⁴⁶and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, ⁴⁷and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.

⁴⁸You are witnesses of these things.

⁴⁹And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”

Acts 1:8 (ESV)

⁸But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Course Introduction

Session 1 – We are the Salt of the Earth. We are the Light of the World.

Session 2 – Being Salt & Light with Family & Friends & Neighbours

Session 3 – Being Salt & Light at Work

Session 4 – Being Salt & Light in Society

Session 1

We are the Salt of the Earth. We are the Light of the World.

Jesus taught in the Sermon on the Mount -

Matthew 5:13–16 (ESV)

Being Salt

Being Light

Our being Witnesses of Christ and of GOD to the World

Acts 1:6–8 (ESV)

By Conduct

Ephesians 5:1–21 (ESV)

By Word

Ephesians 4:14–15 (ESV)

1 Peter 3:13–15 (NIV)

By Deed

Colossians 3:17 (ESV)

Ephesians 5:15–16 (ASV)

How to Invite People to Receive Christ

The Death & Resurrection of CHRIST for us

1 Corinthians 15:3–4 (ESV)

Confess with our Mouth, Believe in our Heart

Romans 10:8–13 (ESV)

Repent and Be Baptised & Receive the Holy Spirit

Acts 2:37–39 (ESV)

Romans 6:3–14 (ESV)

Session 2

Being Salt & Light with Family & Friends & Neighbours

Luke 24:44–49 (ESV)

Acts 1:8 (ESV)

Highlights for this Session

1. we are witnesses of CHRIST and His Gospel of Salvation – the meaning of Gospel extends to include the whole Bible as Scripture

2. our witness is DEPENDENT on the HOLY SPIRIT

• living in us
• His lordship and empowering in and through us

The Vital Importance of Word and Spirit

The Very Real Impact of our Culture

The 1^st Base of our Witness - FAMILY

Family includes

Husband & Wife

Parents to Children

Children to Parents

Sons & Daughters to Each Other

The Extended Family

In-Laws

Challenge & Promise

The Biggest Challenge

The Biggest Promise

Point of Victory!

Friends

Job 6:14 (ESV)

Job 42:10–11 (ESV)

Proverbs 18:24 (ESV)

Proverbs 27:9–10 (ESV)

Ecclesiastes 4:9–12 (ESV)

John 15:12–17 (ESV) – our Lord’s Own Words –

THIS is the KIND of LOVE that CHRIST showed to us when HE saved us!

Neighbours

We NEED to grasp and LIVE by the 2^nd part of the GREATEST COMMANDMENT -

Love your Neigbour as yourself

Luke 10:25–37 (ESV)

Every fellow human being, REGARDLESS of who he or she is, is To Be Valued and Helped for their Safety and Well-Being; even at great cost to myself!

Session 3

Being Salt & Light at Work

Our work place is a Major Area of how we are to be Salt & Light to the world

Applying the Truths of How we are Salt & Light to our Work Place

We NEED to apply the Scripture Truths of Session 1 to our Work Place

Being Salt

Being Light

By Life

By Word

By Deed

Scriptures on Work Place Relationships & Behaviour

+ Employee-Employer; Worker-Management

Ephesians 6:5–9 (ESV)

Colossians 3:22–4:1 (ESV)

CORE PRINCIPLE – CHRIST is our MASTER over all human masters

+ The Christian Outlook & Attitude to this World & Non-Believers

Colossians 4:5–6 (ESV

+ The Christian Outlook & Attitude to ALL – believers or non-believers

1 Peter 3:8–17 (ESV)

Session 4

Being Salt & Light in Society

Let us look again at what Jesus taught in the Sermon on the Mount -

Matthew 5:13–16 (ESV)

There can be No Doubt that Jesus means for us His Church to be Salt & Light to the Whole Earth to the Whole World

It is CRUCIAL that we

• PRAY for our nation and society
• be CHRIST’s Salt & Light to – our own Homes & Family, Friends, & Neighbours
• This EXTENDS to our place of Work which is a part of the society, the country we live in
• This INCLUDES the Whole Society, the Country, the Global Community of Nations
• We, the Church of Christ, is GOD’s Exiles In this World
• 1 Peter 1:1–2 (ESV)
• Jeremiah 29:4–7 (ESV)

See our Role in Society in the Light of CHRIST

Learn our Societal Perspective from 1 Timothy 2:1–7 (ESV)

Be Ready to Suffer for Righteousness or Christ’s Sake

See the Counsel of 1 Peter 4:12–19 (ESV) for our Personal Readiness -

Note what 2 Timothy 3:1–9 (ESV) had Forewarned Us of Today’s World -

Trust in the Sovereignty of our GOD over all this fallen world

We NEED to learn from Hebrews 12:25–29 (ESV) of GOD’s Sovereign Control & FINAL END

Some Errors of Recent Times

• Overly Political
• Overly Bureauratic
• Overly Popularity Centred
• Overly Encultured
• Overly Business & Market Driven

GOD’s WAY

Learn and LIVE by the Scriptures we have covered by the SPIRIT for CHRIST & the FATHER

Be Salt & Light at Home with Family, Friends, Neigbours

Be Salt & Light at Work and through it your Industry and Society

Be Salt & Light to the Country and Society