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•49因为必用火当盐腌各人（有古卷在此有“凡祭物必用盐腌”）。50盐本是好的，若失了味，可用什么叫它再咸呢？你们里头应当有盐，彼此和睦。”

盐是一种防腐剂，能保存食物。当神的话语在我们心中动工，引导我们悔改时，它对我们里面的心灵和外部的生活方式都有积极的影响。在前面的经文中，耶稣告诉我们要砍掉使我们犯罪的手、脚或眼睛。（罪的严重性，唯有悔改，领受赦免）。当我们在生命中不断的悔改，我们不仅“保存”了自己的生命，而且也对他人产生了积极的影响。那些得救的人（被盐腌的人，因神的律法悔改，并相信福音中赦免的人）也会救别人，或者成为别人的盐，对别人产生影响。

但如果我们不追求悔改的生活，会发生什么呢?我觉得这句话令人不寒而栗。普林斯顿宗教研究中心评估了宗教信仰对日常工作的影响。该中心将“信教的”人和“不信教的”人在偷盗公司物品、夸大简历上的资历、没生病却请病假、夸大税收减免等一系列行为上进行了比较，发现“信教的人和不信教的人在道德观念和行为上几乎没有什么不同”。即使有点区别，也是不显著的，或者是微不足道的。“如果信仰上帝对我们如何花钱、如何利用时间、如何在工作中表现都没有影响，那么信仰到底有多重要呢?”——威廉·亨德里克斯，《今日基督教》，1991年11月25日，第12页。

弥迦书6章8节，“世人哪，耶和华已指示你何为善， 他向你所要的是什么呢？ 只要你行公义，好怜悯， 存谦卑的心，与你的　神同行。” 悔改的生命和敬虔的生活使我们成为世上的盐。

祷告:圣灵啊，求你光照我的心!求你引导我过天天悔改的生活，使我弃恶行善。最重要的是，让基督的赦免的光永远掌管我的心思意念。祷告奉你的名。阿们。

Mark 9:49-50: Everyone will be salted with fire. ⁵⁰ “Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again? Have salt among yourselves, and be at peace with each other.” (NIV)

Salt is a preservative. As the word of God works in our hearts and leads us to repentance, it has a positive effect on our hearts and lives. In the previous verses, Jesus talked to us about cutting off the hand or foot or the eye that offended. As we continue in our life of repentance, we not only “preserve” our own lives, but we also have a positive effect on others. Those who are saved (salted) also save others, or become like salt to others.

But what happens when we fail to pursue a life of repentance? I found this quote chilling.  “The Princeton Religion Research Center has measured the impact of religion on day-to-day work. Comparing the ‘churched’ with the ‘unchurched’ on a wide range of behaviors like pilfering supplies, overstating qualifications on resumes, calling in sick when not sick and overstating tax deductions, the center finds ‘little difference in the ethical views and behavior of the churched and the unchurched.’ What differences there are ‘are not significant or are of marginal significance.’ If faith in God makes no difference in how we spend our money, how we use our time, how we behave on the job, then how important can it really be?” – William Hendricks, Christianity Today, 11-25-91, p. 12 (Bible.org).

A quote from Micah is even better.  “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” A life of repentance and godly living makes us the salt of the earth.

Prayer:  Holy Spirit, light divine, shine within this heart of mine! Lead me in a life of daily repentance, where I throw out the evil and do the good. And most of all, let the light of Christ’s forgiveness rule my heart and mind always. I ask this in your name.  Amen.