If The Salt Loses Its Saltiness, How Can It Be Made Salty Again? (Mark 9:38-50)
What is the mark of a Christian? It is salt that gives off a salty taste. It is like a pungent mustard seed. It walks to a different beat than this world. Loving and forgiving is the mark of a Christian. However, the outward appearance of attending worship on Sunday, giving offerings, and evangelizing is not the mark of a Christian.
In Mark 9:38-50, Jesus taught to live in harmony and accept one another. He also warns of the seriousness of sin that causes a brother or sister to stumble. As shepherds of the people, failing to be an example of salt and light, and pursuing one's own benefit in the name of religion, is to have lost the taste of salt. Jesus commanded that if your hand, eye, or foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. Sin produces death. Never take it lightly; you must hate and oppose it.
Those who are for us (Mark 18:6-9; Luke 9:49-50; 17:1-2)
38 "Teacher," said John, "we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us." 39 "Do not stop him," Jesus said. "For no one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, 40 for whoever is not against us is for us." (Mark 9:38-40)
John saw someone who was not with the disciples driving out demons in Jesus' name, and he forbade him. He believed that driving out demons was a work that only the twelve disciples should do. At that time, there were many in the land of Judea who listened to Jesus' words, saw His power to heal, and believed. However, Jesus said that those who perform miracles in the Lord's name are for the Lord. It means do not forbid them.
This world bears structural problems of division and conflict due to political, economic, and social reasons. Opinions differ according to region, class, race, political party, and background. Human history is stained with blood because of this. Countless wars and conflicts have occurred, and they are still ongoing. The so-called law of the jungle, where the strong prey on the weak, prevails.
Since World War II, the world has been investing astronomical costs for peace and coexistence centered on the UN. However, lasting peace is a long way off and is merely a wish. The peace that this world maintains is temporary and no one knows when it will collapse. Even among families, there are not a few cases of fighting and dividing.
The religious world is no exception. Even within Protestantism, it is divided into countless denominations, and it is still ongoing. Paul and Barnabas had a disagreement over the issue of Mark and eventually headed to different regions (Acts 15:39). The Corinthian church was divided into the Paul faction, the Apollos faction, the Cephas faction, and even the Christ faction (1 Corinthians 1:12).
However, there is an undeniable commonality in Christ. All people were created in God’s image and in His likeness (Genesis 1:27). There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all (Ephesians 4:4-6).
Each person has received one Spirit in Christ. However, this does not mean that everyone becomes the same person in Christ. Although knowledge, understanding, and expression are still diverse and different, they are members forming one body of Christ. God made people different and diverse. Even if they are twins, their appearance is similar, but their personalities, thoughts, and expressions are different.
God gave grace to each person according to the measure of Christ’s gift (Ephesians 4:7). So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up (Ephesians 4:11-12).
Therefore, although the depth and breadth of knowledge to understand each other in Christ are different, and the shapes and expressions are different, they form the body of Christ with one heart and one mind. One heart and one mind come from love, hope, and faith in God (Ephesians 4:13). Therefore, believers in Christ are not in a relationship of competition and strife with one another, but are brothers and sisters who love, accept, and forgive one another.
Even If You Give A Cup Of Water
"Anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to the Messiah will truly not lose their reward. If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them if a large millstone were hung around their neck and they were thrown into the sea" (Mark 9:41-42).
Giving a cup of water refers to an act of kindness. Showing kindness is evidence of welcoming, respecting, and loving the other person. When we accept, love, and forgive one another, there is a corresponding reward in heaven. The reward of heaven and the reward of this world are different. This world rejects the love and forgiveness of Christ’s cross and calls it foolish (1 Corinthians 1:23).
The love of Christ is bearing the shame, insult, and punishment on behalf of sinners and becoming a sacrificial offering. However, God did not let Christ’s death be in vain. Looking at the blood of His Son, He opens the gates of heaven and gives eternal life as a gift to everyone who believes (John 3:16). Through the merit of the precious blood shed by the Lord Jesus Christ, any sinner can receive the grace of redemption.
Now, because we have received the redeeming love of Christ, it is the duty of the saints to love others with the love of the cross. Loving one another with the love of Christ is God’s new commandment (John 13:34). If we listen to and obey the words of God’s commandments, God pours out heavenly rewards.
"And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him" (Hebrews 11:6).
The reward that God gives is different from what is obtained in this world. The reward of heaven is invisible and does not necessarily involve recognition or praise. On the contrary, it is accompanied by shame, insults, and pain. This was true for the prophets of the Old Testament, the apostles, and countless saints, and above all, the Lord Jesus Christ was treated as if He were a criminal and received death.
However, God’s reward is eternal, unchanging, and is a power and authority that governs life. The Lord’s reward is rest and peace enjoyed amidst pain and pressure. God’s reward comes into our inner being. His love, joy, and peace come in, and we are not buried in pain and sorrow, and we gain freedom from complaints and resentment. This is because we sit and reign with the Lord at the right hand of God’s throne (Ephesians 2:6).
If You Cause One Of These Little Ones To Stumble
However, Jesus taught that causing one of these little ones to stumble carries an unimaginable price. Here, a large millstone refers to a millstone pulled by an animal such as a donkey. The "little ones" refers to anyone who is caused to stumble. Specifically, it refers to cases where they are caused to stumble by so-called religious leaders. Such cases are still happening frequently today. This includes sexual abuse, exploitation, and making unjust financial gains.
Valuing the traditions of the elders, like Corban, more than the Word of God, and condemning little ones who do not follow them, is also hypocrisy that causes others to stumble. Jesus warned His disciples about the yeast of the Pharisees and Herod (Mark 8:15). The early church consisted of not only Jews but also Gentile believers. Some Jewish false teachers caused a disturbance by forcing Gentile believers to be circumcised (Acts 15:1; Galatians 2:4, 6:12). This is also causing them to stumble.
Leviticus sets regulations concerning various foods and regulations concerning feasts such as circumcision, Passover, and Pentecost. The Law and regulations of God are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ (Colossians 2:17). Through regulations on food and feasts, God revealed and taught His good will and plan. In the regulations, an unclean animal is not evil in itself; it is to teach that its characteristics are unclean in the sight of God.
Everything God made was good in His sight. Jesus taught that what goes into the mouth does not make a person unclean, but what comes out of the heart makes a person unclean (Mark 7:15). Therefore, Jesus declared all foods clean (Mark 7:19).
"Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day" (Colossians 2:16).
Why is causing someone to stumble serious? It is because it is causing the little ones, whom God purchased with the blood of Christ, to stumble (Romans 8:11). In Romans 14, Paul deals with the issue of eating food sacrificed to idols. Since idols are nothing, even food sacrificed to them is not unclean (Romans 8:4). Those who have knowledge can eat the sacrifice without any hesitation, but those who do not have knowledge are hindered, and their conscience, being weak, becomes defiled (Romans 8:7).
Those with knowledge are free regarding food. However, they must be careful not to let that freedom cause those with weak faith to fall (Romans 8:9). In this way, sinning against a brother and injuring their weak conscience is sinning against Christ (Romans 8:12).
"So if what I eat causes my brother or sister to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause them to fall" (Romans 8:13).
If Your Hand Causes You To Stumble, Cut It Off
"If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, where the fire never goes out. And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell. And if your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, where ‘the worms that eat them do not die, and the fire is not quenched.’ Everyone will be salted with fire. 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" (Mark 9:43-49).
One sins with the hand, foot, and eye. If one sins, the corresponding result surely follows. Therefore, Jesus taught that if one sins, proactive action must be taken. Sin is serious. The wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). Therefore, one should never treat sin lightly or overlook it. One must oppose and hate it.
Jesus spoke about heaven, and at the same time, repeatedly mentioned hell (Matthew 5:2, 5:29, 5:30, 10:28, 18:9, 23:15, 23:33). Hell is a state where the way to go before God is completely blocked, so one can never get out (Luke 16:26). Therefore, the time before Jesus returns is called the year of the Lord’s favor (Isaiah 61:2). However, when the day of the Lord arrives, all flesh must stand before the Judge of all things and receive the judgment of righteousness. This day is called the day of vengeance of our God (Isaiah 61:2).
Jesus called His disciples the salt and light of this world (Matthew 5:13-16). Salt performs the role of making things salty and preventing decay. Salt losing its saltiness means that as a Christian, one is not following the way of the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is failing to obey God’s commandment to love one another.
The instruction to have salt among yourselves and be at peace with each other means do not compete over who is the greatest, and do not forbid others from driving out demons in the name of the Lord. Instead, you must love, forgive, and serve one another. Also, you must send kindness and encouragement to those who work in the name of the Lord.
Amen!
June 7, 2026
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Scripture quotes are from the NIV.
