However, has the Church been able to achieve anything of significance in the history of man and society? We just need to take a peep into history to agree that this is a fact. I quote Dr. Won Sul Lee, President of the Ham Nam University of South Korea. In his book, Beyond Theology, he says,
“ To a large extent, social progress has been made not by revolutionaries, who with man-made ideologies try to remould society in their own image, but by the true believers who, with their detachment from the mundane world endeavour to realise God’s will on earth.”

Let us go back in history to England in the 18th and 19th centuries. The following events are well documented in J. Wesley Bready’s book England before and after John Wesley. 18th century England was characterised by torture of animals for sport, drunkenness, traffic of black slaves, violence, gambling, immorality, superstition and corruption. But these things changed in the following century with slavery and the slave trade being abolished and the conditions in mines and factories being improved. Also education became available to the poor. The change came because people now had a new social conscience. Several causes may be attributed but all historians agree that the evangelical revival of the 19th century brought about this new social sensitivity. Bready records that this revival did more to transform the moral character of the general populace than any other movement in British history. John Wesley thus was both a preacher of the Gospel and a prophet of social righteousness. One man was able to restore to a nation, its soul.

Across the world, throughout history, we can see the change Christians have brought about in society. The Basel missionaries revolutionised the economy of Ghana by introducing coffee and cocoa. James McKean transformed life in Northern Thailand by eliminating small pox, malaria and leprosy. Missionaries abolished forced labour in Congo, they fought fiercely for human rights in combating opium trade, foot-binding and female infanticide in China. They waged war against temple prostitution, sati and female infanticide in India. Why did these people feel the need to take a stand against the common practises of their day? It was the love and the Gospel of Jesus Christ that made these ordinary men and women, heroes. “For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ for it is the power of God….for everyone who believes.” Rom 1:16.

But what does this mean to us today? Basically, the Gospel has not changed. It still has the power to inspire normal human beings to make a difference. And persecution and suppression only produces growth in leaps and bounds. Right from the time of the apostles 2000 years ago, the Gospel of Jesus Christ has brought change in the life of individuals and they in turn have been catalysts in transforming their society. Man has not been able to stifle the Church because the life giver has been God. The Gospel is the same and will always remain the same.

Yet, the wickedness and immorality still around us proves that something has gone wrong. And if the message is right then there is a flaw in the messenger – you and I. We are called to be the salt and light in this world (Matt 5:13 - 16). Each one of us, not just the preachers and clerics, are called to be messengers of the Gospel. “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvellous light.” I Peter 2:9. We have a calling to proclaim His name and this is the purpose of our life. Therefore we have not been placed here by chance and we are not here to make money or a name for ourselves. But how do we become the salt and the light? It is only with the power of the Lord Jesus that we can change ourselves and influence our society.

Getting down to the basics, the next question is what is the function of the salt and how does Jesus compare us to the salt of the earth? Firstly, salt is distinct. Likewise we are called to be different from those around us. This distinctness is only possible when we have opened our lives completely to God. The change happens within our hearts. “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold all things have become new.” II Corinthians 5:17. This is a spiritual rebirth, and we need to experience this before we are able to live for God. This is a personal decision that each one of us ought to make, to ask God to forgive us and make us new and distinct in Him.

Secondly, salt is of no use if it remains isolated. We are not called to be super spiritual Holy Joe’s, but to permeate our places of work and society just as salt permeates food and makes a difference. This ability to permeate is only possible through the empowering of the Holy Spirit. We need to decide with the guidance of the Holy Spirit and maybe take a stand against dishonesty or help a needy person. We cannot remain aloof from society and we need to ask Him to make us sensitive to the needs all around.

Thirdly, salt has to show its saltiness. That is, its impact on society. We add salt as a preservative, and if that function does not take place then the salt is not doing its work. The pathetic state of the world around us is proof of the fact that we, the salt, have not been doing our prescribed work. We have been inactive. We blame governments and the management but are personally unwilling to take a stand. What do people in our own country, India, think of us? The movies portray Christians as given to drunkenness and licentious living. Matt 5:13 says that if salt has lost its saltiness, it is only fit to be cast out and trodden under the foot of men. John Stott in his book Issues Facing Christians Today, says,
“It is sheer hypocrisy to raise our eyebrows, shrug our shoulders and wring our hands. The Lord Jesus told us to be the world’s salt and light. If therefore rottenness and darkness abound around us, it is our fault and we must accept the blame.”

Finally, the uniqueness of salt is that though it permeates, it still retains its distinctness. This is the double identity of a true child of God. He is in the world yet he is not of the world. He is holy as well as worldly in the sense of identifying himself with the needs around him. How can we be distinct yet be a part of the life around us? This is only possible by studying the Word of God and by living in obedience to His Word. Only then can we maintain, without compromise, God’s standards in our society.

I believe that we are unique in that we have the only message of hope for mankind. We are not great but God has chosen to give the Gospel to the weak of the world. He expects us to be available for Him to bless us and through us bring blessing to our society and our circle of influence. Now the question before us is, “Are we willing to give ourselves completely to Jesus Christ?”