A War Against Sin through the Call to Be Salty

03/01/26

42 “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.

43 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.

[44]

45 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.

[46]

47 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,

48 where “ ‘the worms that eat them do not die, and the fire is not quenched.’

49 Everyone will be salted with fire.

50 “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 9:42–50 NIV

If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble… v. 42

…encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. — Hebrews 3:13 NIV

theft, hatred, jealousy, envy, sexual immorality, witchcraft, greed, murder, rage, selfish ambition, causing division, lying, drunkenness, orgies, slander, gossip, arrogance and boastfulness, lack of mercy, obscenity and filthy speech…

Does what I am doing move me toward Jesus or away from Him?

Does what I am doing make me more like Jesus or less?

“All sin leads to spiritual ruin and death — and that drastic measures are necessary to fight it.”

We can’t just do sin management; we need to fight it aggressively.

Everyone will be salted with fire. v. 49

…let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. — Galatians 5:16 NLT

But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. — Galatians 5:22–23 NLT

Have salt among yourselves, and be at peace with each other. v. 50b

And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another…— Hebrews 10:25 NLT

“The Church is the Church only when it exists for others.” — Dietrich Bonhoeffer.

Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again? v. 50a

Don’t manage sin—fight it, so we can be a purified people who bring the life-giving presence of Jesus to the world.

How do we fight sin instead of managing it?

We start with questions

• Does what I am doing move me toward Jesus or away from Him?
• Does what I am doing make me more like Jesus or less?

We offer ourselves to Jesus every day.

• We submit to His authority.
• We walk in step with the Holy Spirit.

Why do we fight sin instead of managing it?

So we become “salty”

• So our lives make people thirsty for Jesus.
• So our homes, our tables, and our relationships reflect His love and peace.