The Light of the World

You are the light of the world.  A city set on a hill cannot be hid.  Matthew 5:14

Just as Jesus used the metaphor of salt to describe his followers, he affirmed that they are also the light of the world.  We are to live our lives in obedience to Christ, to allow Christ's light to shine out from us so others may see it and give glory to God.  In contrast to the negative function of salt in preventing decay, the function of light is positive.  It illumines the spiritual darkness in the world through the influence of truth, beauty, and goodness.  

John Stott wrote:  "But fallen human beings need more than barricades to stop them becoming as bad as they could be.  They need regeneration, new life through the gospel.  Hence our second vocation to be 'the light of the world'.  For the truth of the gospel is the light, contained indeed in fragile earthenware lamps, yet shining through our very earthenness with the more conspicuous brightness.  We are called to spread the gospel and to frame our manner of life in a way that is worthy of the gospel.  

So then, we should never put our two vocations to be salt and light, our Christian social and evangelistic responsibilities, over against each other as if we had to choose between them.  We should not exaggerate either, nor disparage either, at the expense of the other.  Neither can be a substitute for the other.  The world needs both.  it is bad and needs salt; it is dark and needs light.  Our Christian vocation is to be both."  (p. 67, The Message of the Sermon on the Mount)