34 Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be seasoned? 35 It is neither fit for the land, nor yet for the dunghill; but men cast it out. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. (Luke 14:34-35 KJV)
Salt Without Taste Is Worthless
He warns them against apostasy and the loss of a true Christian spirit, for that would render them useless (Luke 14:34-35). Good Christians are the salt of the earth, especially good ministers (Matthew 5:13). Salt is good and useful. Through their words and lives, they preserve and revive others.
But Christians who abandon their profession to keep worldly things, becoming carnal and unspiritual, are like salt that has lost its flavor—useless. It has no virtue left. It cannot be restored. “How will it be seasoned?” It is nearly impossible to recover an apostate (Hebrews 6:4-6). If the gospel doesn’t cure a person of worldliness, their case is hopeless.
It is of no use—not even like dung, which can fertilize. Such a person contributes nothing. A once-informed believer who has gone astray is like a fool speaking riddles—confusing and unhelpful.
It is discarded. People throw it away. Scandalous professing Christians should be removed from the church—not only because they have forfeited membership benefits, but because they may corrupt others. Jesus ends with a call to attention: “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” What better use of our ears than to hear Christ’s words—especially his warnings about the danger of apostasy?