I asked my dad, a retired scientist, about how salt loses its flavor (Luke 14:34) He explained that salt is sodium chloride, and moisture is what breaks the bond between these two elements. Water causes salt to lose its effectiveness.
In Luke 14:25-35 Jesus wasn't giving a chemistry lesson, rather He was teaching about discipleship. Jesus explained that just as moisture can seep in and ruin salt, so certain things can creep into the life of a believer and render them useless as a disciple.
According to Jesus three things can break the bond between us and Him.
To avoid being watered down by these invaders. We must hate, die, and relinquish.
- Jesus said in comparison to our love for Him we must hate other people.
- Jesus said we must take up our cross and die to our selfish pleasures.
- Jesus said we must be willing to relinquish every possession and follow Him.
Jesus said we cannot be His disciple unless we keep the bond between us and Him strong. We must avoid anything that weakens our relationship with Christ. This is how we stay salty, and remain effective in the Lord's service.