Being Salted With Fire

Focus: Mark 9:49 - KJV

49. For every one shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt.

Ezekiel 43:22-24

Every believer is meant to be Christ-like: for Christ was offered a sacrifice for mankind, the believer must be willing to make himself a living sacrifice unto the Lord. In accordance with the tenets of sacrifice, before a sin offering is made a sacrifice, it is first salted. The essence of the salt is to take away the decay in the animal before it is set on fire for a savor unto God. When salt comes upon a decay, it brings about pain to the animal if it be yet alive. Also, fire burns; yet everyone who must be Christ-like will not only be salted with salt but also with fire. In essence, following Christ in this present world is not so easy as many assume it is. Yet, it is a task that must be done for us to make the Kingdom.

Enduring the momentary pain of this present world is prerequisite to enjoying the bliss in the world to come. Peter knew of the rejection of Christ by the Jews and that their defeat through His death was something they would prefer to cover. Nonetheless, after the triumph at the beautiful gate, knowing how he would have been killed by the Jews with Christ had he not denied him, he confronted them with the truth, not minding whose ox was gourd. Of course, he was arrested and beaten not because he had a fault, but because he had to be salted with salt and fire. Steven saw those who were about to kill him but refused to be quiet or stop testifying about Christ. He needed to go through his salting as a living sacrifice, albeit eventually with his life.

The Lord is saying to us at this time: will there still be faith on the earth when the King returns? For there to remain faith, the believer must be ready to contend for it. The time prophesied is here, when there will be so much torment for those who profess Christ. We are to hold on and stand our ground to the end if we must be counted worthy as sacrifice unto our Lord, just like Christ. We need not fear them that can kill the body but not the soul. The salting may not be direct infliction of bodily pain or injury, but other forms of wickedness including false testimonies, rejections, false imprisonments and so on. Only those who endure to the end shall be saved.

Please pray:

Thank you, father for showing me your way. Please keep me in faith till I see you in eternity. Do bear my burden and keep it light so that I may not be tempted beyond my tolerance level. No matter what may come my way, my life I keep in your hands. Help to sustain me in faith forever, in Jesus’ name. In the end, do not let me miss heaven, dear Lord, in Jesus’ name.

Please share with others. God bless you.