Matt. 5:13-16 (NKJV)
Have you ever heard the expression that someone is a “no good, good for nothing?” It is a reference for someone that a person feels is basically useless and doesn’t do anything good. They are good for accomplishing nothing.
There is also an expression that a person is “good for nothing” that’s used in a way that reflects that a person is a good person, but nothing is coming out of their goodness. This is the type of Good For Nothing that I want to focus on today. Being a good person, but nothing good is really coming from their goodness. This is the category that some Christians fall into. They think that being a Christian is all about just being a morally good person. The problem with this is Jesus didn’t die for us to just be a good person, He died to save us from our sins that we might do something good from His gift of salvation.
In Matt. 5, Jesus tells us that we are to be the salt and light of the world. He also basically says that we are “good for nothing” if we are not salt and light to the world. Let’s look at the scriptures and see what it means to be Good For Nothing.
We are Good For Nothing if we are not:
- Salt that provides seasoning.
Salt adds seasoning or flavor to whatever it is added to. If we as Christians are not adding flavor to the lives of those around us, we are good for nothing. We are to season this world with Jesus and let people get a taste of Him. - Salt that provides a preservative.
Salt is used as a preservative to keep things from spoiling or decaying. If we as Christians are not preserving the word of God and keeping it alive, then we are good for nothing. We not only preserve God’s word by storing it in our hearts, but by teaching His word to others. We are to pass God’s word down from one generation to another. - Salt that provides healing.
Salt in its natural form has great healing qualities. If we as Christians are not providing healing for a lost and hurting world, then we are good for nothing. There are a lot of hurting people in the world today and their only answer is in Jesus. You have the answer that they need. - Light that provides light in the darkness of evil.
The Bible refers to evil as being darkness. If we are not shining the light of God’s goodness and holiness to dispel darkness, then we are good for nothing. It is only through the light of Jesus that people can see how evil and dark the ways of Satan and the world really are. - Light that provides light in the darkness of hopelessness.
The Bible also teaches us that being in the state of hopelessness is like being in darkness. If we are not shining hope into people’s lives that are feeling like life has no hope, then we are good for nothing. People need to know that God will never leave them or forsake them. That they can cast all their burdens on Him. That is the hope of the world.
If we are living a good moral life, but we are not sharing the gospel, we are being good for nothing. If I attend Life In The Word and don’t encourage others to come, I’m good for nothing. If I’m involved in youth ministry, but I don’t bring my friends, I’m good for nothing. If I know that next Sunday is Easter and I don’t invite others to come, then I’m good for nothing.
Jesus didn’t die for us to be good for nothing, but for us to do something good.
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