My Favorite Verses - Vol V (Feb 17 to Jun 17)

Mark 9:49-50 … All of us salted with Fire
(04/12/2017)
“For everyone will be salted with Fire and every sacrifice will be cleansed with
Salt. Salt is good, and yet when salt loses its taste, how can one restore its saltiness?
Have Salt in your selves by being at peace with one another.” ~ Jesus (Mark 9:49-50)
First & foremost, it is crucial to realize that “fire” was seen by Jesus (and
many others of his day) as a purifying agent, not as a punishing one -- a fact that
was intimated by John the Baptist when he noted that Jesus‟ spiritual teaching (i.e.
his “baptism”) was going to come not via water
but “in the Holy Spirit and fire” (see Matthew
3:11 & Luke 3:16) … And it is good that this is
indeed the case, for otherwise Jesus would come
across as far less than Loving (and actually as
quite the hypocrite) when he said “I have come to
bring fire to the earth, and how I wish it were
already kindled!” in Luke 12:49 …
Second, please note that “salt” was a highly
valuable agent of purification & preservation
in Jesus‟ day. Salt was used to cleanse burnt
offerings (Leviticus 2:13 et al) and salt was
used to preserve food (the metaphorical
sustenance of the Soul) …
Third, note that the final phrase of this verse admonishes us all to “have salt
in yourselves (i.e. be internally purified by thoughts of gratitude and humility) and be
at peace with one another (i.e. be externally purified via selfless acts of Love).”
Please remember that Jesus came to bring a message of repentance – the Greek
word metanoia (Strong‟s #3340);a word that meant not self-criticism or selfjudgment,
but rather a radical change in behavior; a change that first requires that
we undergo a painful cleansing process. It hurts immensely to let go of fear &
desire. It hurts immensely to let go of the arrogance & the intolerance that makes
us feel special; it hurts immensely to set aside our certainty in our own personal
salvation and adopt a stance of purposeful humility instead (see Matthew 18:3-4).
Indeed it “hurts like Hell” to do so – even though to do so is the only way to be
truly Blessed and enter Jesus‟
Kingdom of Heaven (see John 13:15-
17 & John 15:1-6). Indeed, we can
only know true Peace ourselves
once we choose to make powerful
Peace with others (see John 5:28-29).
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