INTRODUCTION

1. Christ has already won the victory over the ruler of this world (John 16:11; 1Cor. 15:55-57; Heb. 2:14-15), and Christians overcome this world through faith in Him (1John 5:4-5).

2. However, we who are Christians are still fighting the battle to influence this world and win souls for Christ.

   1. We must put on the full armor of God and fight a battle of resistance against the influence of Satan (Eph. 6:10-17; Jas. 4:7; 1Pet. 5:8-9).

   2. We must also seek to counteract Satan's influence on the world by teaching and demonstrating the truth of God's word to others.

3. In this lesson, let us consider five analogies using the five senses to demonstrate the influence that Christians should have on the world.

    

FIVE SENSES: FIVE ANALOGIES

1. The sense of taste: Christians are to be as salt in the world.

   1. This analogy of salt was famously made by Jesus during His Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5:13, which says,

      "You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again?  It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men."

   2. Just as salt improves food by making it more savory, Christians must improve the world by influencing it for godliness.

      1. The Lord emphasized the taste of salt as it primary value.  When added to bland food, salt makes the food more palatable although it is a separate element.

      2. In the same way, the presence of Christians must improve the world.  We are separate from the world (2Cor. 6:14-18), but we must make the world better while we are in it.

   3. We can influence the world for the better by our godly words and deeds.

      1. The godly influence of our words is addressed in Colossians 4:6, which says, "Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person."

      2. Likewise, our godly deeds can influence the world as we will see in the next analogy.

   4. Notice that the Lord's words give a warning against Christians losing good influence in the world.

      1. The Lord said that if salt loses its taste, then it is good for nothing.  It is therefore thrown out and trampled underfoot.

      2. Likewise, Christians who lose their influence for good are of no use to the Lord.  Like tasteless salt or a fruitless branch (John 15:2, 6), the Lord will cast them away from Him.

2. The sense of sight: Christians are to be as light in the world.

   1. Immediately after His salt analogy, the Lord gave His light analogy in Matthew 5:14-16:

      ¹⁴"You are the light of the world.  A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; ¹⁵nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.  ¹⁶Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven."

   2. As light of the world, Christians are to shine in the midst of darkness.

      1. There must be a sharp distinction between Christians and those who are still in the world outside of Christ.  It should be evident in our conduct, speech, activities, and adornment.

      2. In Philippians 2:15, the Scripture says to Christians, "So that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world."

      3. Consider the instruction of Ephesians 5:7-13:

         ⁷Therefore do not be partakers with them; ⁸for you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light ⁹(for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth), ¹⁰trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord.  ¹¹Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them; ¹²for it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret.  ¹³But all things become visible when they are exposed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light.

   3. Jesus defines our light as good works that reflect the glory of our heavenly Father.

      1. The source of our light is the Lord Himself, for He is the Light of the world (John 1:4-9; 8:12; 9:5). We are created in Him for good works (Eph. 2:10).

      2. When men see our good works, they glorify not us but God (see 1Pet. 2:12).  In other words, the light that we shine by good works should turn the attention of others to God.

      3. Such light must not be hidden, but rather it should shine to lead others to the Lord.

3. The sense of hearing: Christians are to sound out the gospel to the world.

   1. Consider the example of the Christians in Thessalonica from 1Thessalonians 1:6-10:

      ⁶You also became imitators of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much tribulation with the joy of the Holy Spirit, ⁷so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia.  ⁸For the word of the Lord has sounded forth from you, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith toward God has gone forth, so that we have no need to say anything.  ⁹For they themselves report about us what kind of a reception we had with you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God, ¹⁰and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath to come.

   2. Like the Thessalonian Christians, our faith should be so outstanding that the word of the Lord sounds forth from us to influence everyone it reaches.

      1. The church collectively and Christians individually are to carry the gospel of Christ into the world (Matt. 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-16).  We cannot do this in silence.

      2. The church is to be "the pillar and support of the truth" (1Tim. 3:15).  The truth of God's word must be spoken, and it is the church's responsibility to do so.

      3. We have the charge to "preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction" (2Tim. 4:2).  Our preaching of the word must never cease regardless of how the world responds.

4. The sense of smell: Christians are to be as a fragrant aroma in the world.

   1. Like the scent of burning incense wafting in the air, Christians are to be as a fragrant aroma to influence the world.  Consider 2Corinthians 2:14-16:

      ¹⁴But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place.  ¹⁵For we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing; ¹⁶to the one an aroma from death to death, to the other an aroma from life to life.  And who is adequate for these things?

   2. This fragrance is our influence to bring the knowledge of Christ to all people.

      1. The gospel "is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes" (Rom. 1:16).  Not all will believe, but all should have the opportunity to believe by hearing the gospel.  This is our responsibility.

      2. Some will be attracted to this aroma, and for them it will bring eternal life.  Others will hate the aroma, and for them it is the message of judgment.  Either way, we must exert this influence and spread "the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place."

5. The sense of touch: Christians are to pierce the hardened hearts of the world.

   1. The unfeeling, spiritual condition of the world is described in Ephesians 4:17-19:

      ¹⁷So this I say, and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind, ¹⁸being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart; ¹⁹and they, having become callous, have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness.

   2. God has equipped us to pierce through these hardened hearts with the sharpness of His word.

      1. The Scripture says that "the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart" (Heb. 4:12).

      2. We have been given this sword as part of our armor to use in battle (Eph. 6:17).

      3. With the word of God, our influence can pierce sinful men to the heart (Acts 2:37).

          

CONCLUSION

1. We Christians cannot wait for good influence to come from some other source: we must be that influence.

2. Therefore, let us take responsibility to influence our families, our brethren, and our neighbors for Christ.