Salt of Wise Behavior
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The concept of "Salt of Wise Behavior" is not a direct biblical phrase but can be understood through the metaphorical use of salt in Scripture, particularly in relation to wisdom, speech, and conduct. Salt, in biblical times, was a valuable commodity used for preservation, purification, and flavoring. These attributes of salt are often used metaphorically in the Bible to describe the qualities of a wise and godly life.

Biblical References:

1. Colossians 4:6 : "Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone." This verse highlights the importance of wisdom in communication. Just as salt enhances flavor, wise behavior enhances the quality of our interactions. Gracious speech, seasoned with the wisdom of God, reflects a heart transformed by His grace and truth.

2. Matthew 5:13 : "You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its savor, with what will it be salted? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men." Here, Jesus calls His followers to be the "salt of the earth," implying that they are to influence the world positively through their wise and righteous conduct. The loss of saltiness symbolizes a failure to live out one's faith effectively.

3. Mark 9:50 : "Salt is good, but if the salt loses its saltiness, with what will you season it? Have salt among yourselves, and be at peace with one another." This passage emphasizes the importance of maintaining the qualities that make believers distinct. Wise behavior, characterized by peace and unity, is essential for preserving the integrity of the Christian community.

Theological Implications:

The metaphor of salt in relation to wise behavior underscores the transformative power of the Gospel in a believer's life. Just as salt preserves and purifies, the wisdom that comes from God preserves the believer from moral decay and purifies their actions and intentions. Wise behavior, therefore, is not merely about human intellect or prudence but is deeply rooted in a life surrendered to the Holy Spirit.

Practical Application:

1. Speech: Believers are called to speak with grace and wisdom, reflecting the character of Christ. This involves being thoughtful, kind, and truthful in all conversations, ensuring that words build up rather than tear down.

2. Conduct: Wise behavior is evident in actions that align with biblical principles. This includes living a life of integrity, showing love and compassion to others, and making decisions that honor God.

3. Community: Within the body of Christ, maintaining peace and unity is a reflection of wise behavior. Believers are encouraged to resolve conflicts, forgive one another, and work together for the common good, thus preserving the witness of the church.

In summary, the "Salt of Wise Behavior" is a metaphorical expression that captures the essence of living a life that is both pleasing to God and beneficial to others. It calls believers to embody the qualities of salt—preservation, purification, and flavor—in their daily lives, thereby fulfilling their role as the "salt of the earth."
Nave's Topical Index
Colossians 4:6
Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer every man.
Nave's Topical Index

Library

Christian Behavior
... They who vow celibacy, fly in the face of the infinitely wise eternal, who ... Christian
Behavior. ... 5) Faith, in the heart of a Christian, is like the salt that was ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/christian behavior.htm

Offenses
... I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his ... Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace
one with another ... The behavior of the disciples all through this period is ...
/.../chadwick/the gospel of st mark/chapter 9 38-50 offenses.htm

Book 1 Footnotes:
... [23] This pillar of salt was, we ... other expressions of his, that Jesus was a wise
man, if ... son there present, and his foretelling his future behavior and fortune ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/book 1 footnotes .htm

Treatise on the Priesthood. Book vi.
... squalid dress, and an unpainted face, simple behavior, and homely ... Priests are the
salt of the earth ... 7. It would be, therefore, in no wise excessively surprising ...
/.../chrysostom/on the priesthood/treatise on the priesthood book 6.htm

B. The Second Stages. Chs. 13:22 to 17:10
... begin and fail, but that it is not wise even to ... willful follower of Christ; he is
like salt that has ... unloving, however correct he may be in his moral behavior. ...
/.../erdman/the gospel of luke an exposition/b the second stages chs.htm

The Presentation of the Blessed virgin in the Temple
... The childish behavior of this boy as he played with his ... do anything like this without
the approval of a wise director of ... Everything was sprinkled with salt. ...
/.../emmerich/the life of the blessed virgin mary/iii the presentation of the.htm

1 Cor. Iv. 6
... Now all these our wise lawgivers from the beginning introduced ... that very day a starting
point in dissolute behavior. ... we have ashes, and soot, and salt, and the ...
/.../homilies on the epistles of paul to the corinthians/homily xii 1 cor iv.htm

North and South
... on Abraham's seed by a covenant of salt, the Holy ... grace it ascribes to God; and it
is wise of us ... their hearts when they are altered in their outward behavior. ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 17 1871/north and south.htm

Index of Subjects.
... the Patriarchs, [365]16; fidelity of, shewn in Ruth, [366]17; is the "Salt of the ...
Election, of the wise men, 39; time and extent of, [556]394; is of grace, but ...
/.../chrysostom/homilies on the gospel of saint matthew/index of subjects.htm

Scriptural Poems; Being Several Portions of Scripture Digested ...
... Ye are the salt o' th' earth; but wherewith must The earth ... mine doth hear, And doth
them, to a wise man I ... d, He was exceeding wroth at his behavior, And utterly ...
/.../scriptural poems being several portions.htm

Resources
What is a biblical view of social action? | GotQuestions.org

Is it a sin to cuss / swear / curse? | GotQuestions.org

Questions about Matthew | GotQuestions.org

Salt: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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Subtopics

Salt

Salt of Grace in the Heart

Salt of Saints

Salt of the Saving Efficacy of the Ekklesia of Christ

Salt of Wisdom in Speech

Salt of Wise Behavior

Salt Sea

Salt Sea or Dead Sea

Salt used for Ratifying Covenants

Salt used for Seasoning Food

Salt used for Seasoning Sacrifices

Salt used for Strengthening New-Born Infants

Salt used in Ratifying Covenants

Salt: (Pits of) Desolation

Salt: (Salted With Fire) Preparation of the Wicked For

Salt: (Without Savour) Graceless Professors

Salt: All Animal Sacrifices Were Required to be Seasoned With

Salt: Characterised As Good and Useful

Salt: Elisha Throws, Into the Pool of Jericho, to Purify It

Salt: Liberally Afforded to the Jews After the Captivity

Salt: Lost Its Savour when Exposed to the Air

Salt: Lot's Wife Turned Into a Pillar of

Salt: Miracles Connected With: Elisha Healed the Bad Water With

Salt: Miracles Connected With: Lot's Wife Turned Into a Pillar of

Salt: Often Found in Pits

Salt: Often Found in Springs

Salt: Often Found: Near the Dead Sea

Salt: Partaking of Another's a Bond of Friendship

Salt: Places Sown With, to Denote Perpetual Desolation

Salt: Places where It Abounded Barren and Unfruitful

Salt: Salt Pits

Salt: Salt Sea

Salt: The City of Salt

Salt: The Valley of Salt

Salt: The Valley of, Celebrated for Victories

Related Terms

Salt-sea (3 Occurrences)

Salt-wort (1 Occurrence)

Salt-pits (1 Occurrence)

Saltness (3 Occurrences)

Salty (4 Occurrences)

Tasteless (4 Occurrences)

Salted (6 Occurrences)

Lost (85 Occurrences)

Loses (17 Occurrences)

Wherewith (182 Occurrences)

Saltiness (3 Occurrences)

Becomes (138 Occurrences)

Seasoned (6 Occurrences)

Flavor (2 Occurrences)

Restored (77 Occurrences)

Saltless (1 Occurrence)

Siddim (3 Occurrences)

Pillar (72 Occurrences)

Goes (472 Occurrences)

Mallows (2 Occurrences)

Boundary (83 Occurrences)

Season (101 Occurrences)

Edomites (22 Occurrences)

Unsalty (1 Occurrence)

Oblations (24 Occurrences)

Insipid (3 Occurrences)

Telmelah (2 Occurrences)

Tel-melah (2 Occurrences)

E'domites (13 Occurrences)

Eastern (22 Occurrences)

Meat-offering (111 Occurrences)

Meal-offering (120 Occurrences)

Barrenness (3 Occurrences)

Crushed (199 Occurrences)

Cereal (124 Occurrences)

Corn (107 Occurrences)

Southern (9 Occurrences)

Saltwort

Bay (8 Occurrences)

Lacking (53 Occurrences)

Within (400 Occurrences)

Oblation (208 Occurrences)

Eastward (72 Occurrences)

Fresh (41 Occurrences)

Yourselves (530 Occurrences)

Savour (52 Occurrences)

Add (135 Occurrences)

Extremity (46 Occurrences)

Vale (20 Occurrences)

Gilead (130 Occurrences)

Savor (51 Occurrences)

Peace (523 Occurrences)

Barren (44 Occurrences)

Limit (115 Occurrences)

Lot (145 Occurrences)

Sela (5 Occurrences)

Cease (138 Occurrences)

Arabah (32 Occurrences)

Kinnereth (7 Occurrences)

Nitre (2 Occurrences)

Nothing (769 Occurrences)

Nibshan (1 Occurrence)

Northern (18 Occurrences)

Unproductive (5 Occurrences)

Joktheel (2 Occurrences)

Lick (8 Occurrences)

Lose (59 Occurrences)

Longer (373 Occurrences)

Inlet (4 Occurrences)

Flat (33 Occurrences)

Fit (47 Occurrences)

Thrown (126 Occurrences)

Tanner (3 Occurrences)

Trampled (41 Occurrences)

Thenceforth (11 Occurrences)

Trodden (42 Occurrences)

Regain (12 Occurrences)

Salt of Wisdom in Speech
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