WHY THE DEAD SEA IS “DEAD”
Russell M. Kline

      According to Acts 20:35, Jesus once said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” It is not known exactly when or where He spoke these words, but there is little reason to doubt that they are His. The wisdom which these words offer to the world is essential to complete understanding of the subject at hand.
     According to Baker’s Bible Atlas, the Dead Sea, which is also known as the “salt sea” (Genesis 14:3), the “sea of the plain” (Deuteronomy 4:49), the “eastern sea” (Joel 2:20), and the “asphaltic lake” (Josephus) is located about sixty miles inside of Palestine from the Mediterranean. It is forty-eight miles long, and ten miles at its widest point. Its surface is 1292 feet below sea level, and it reaches a maximum depth of about 1300 feet. The water in the sea has a twenty-five percent mineral content, making it some of the heaviest and hardest water in the world. Today, minerals like salt, potash, and bromine are mined commercially from its depths.
     It is called the “dead” sea, because no fish can live in its depths, and few animals make their homes on its shores. It has often been said that the Dead Sea is “dead,” because it does not give what it receives (Acts 20:35). It is estimated that six and one-half million tons of water flow into it every day, but not one drop ever flows out. Only the extraordinary rate of evaporation, caused by the harsh climate, keeps it from flooding the land. When Christians do not give what they receive from God, they can become just like the Dead Sea, in a spiritual sense.

God Gives Us Love, But Do We Give Love?

     God loves us much more than we deserve His love (1 John 4:8). He loves us so much that He was willing to sacrifice even that which is most precious to Him for our benefit (John 3:16). He loves us so much that He did this, even when the world hated Him (Romans 5:6-8). He loves us so much that, even in this day and age, He gives us an abundance of opportunities to repent of our sins, and obey his word, so that we might be saved (2 Peter 3:9). As the old song says, “the love of God is greater far than tongue or pen can ever tell...”
     God does not want us to be selfish with the love that He gives us, but rather He commands us to share it with the whole world (Matthew 22:37-40). We must demonstrate our love for Him by obeying His commandments (John 14:15). We must demonstrate our love for others by doing good works for them (Galatians 6:10). A real expression of love is manifested in deeds, rather than words (James 2:15-16). Although we may live in a world which values symbolism over substance, God is much more impressed by what we do than what we say (Mark 7:6). How much love have you given to God and to your neighbor today?
 

God Gives Us Material Blessings, But Do We Give Of Our Blessings?

     We are indebted to God for everything that we possess (James 1:17; Matthew 6:25-34). In fact, it may be argued that God owns everything, and we are merely stewards of His goods (Luke 16:1-10). As we begin to realize that God is the source of all our material blessings, we must learn to respect His power over our lives, understanding that our source may be cut off (Luke 12:15-21).
     God does not want us to be selfish with the material blessings He gives us, but rather He commands us to share them (2 Corinthians 9:6-7). We are commanded to give some of the means with which we have been blessed back to God, in the form of contributions to His church (1 Corinthians 16:1-2). The amount of this gift is to be determined by us, but we must give as much as we possibly can (Luke 21:1-4). The money that is taken up in these collections must be used to do the Lord’s work (2 Corinthians 9:12). In addition to this, we are obligated to share what we have with those who are in need (Matthew 25:31-46). How much of your means have you given to God, and to your fellow man, today?

God Gives Us Salvation, But Do We Give Salvation?
     Even after we do all that is required of us by the gospel plan of salvation, it is still up to God to save us (Luke 17:9-10; Romans 6:23). It is in this way that we are saved by grace, for God gives us our salvation, even though we could not possibly deserve it (Ephesians 2:8). As long as we cherish and hold fast to that precious gift, the hope of a home in Heaven will always be ours (Revelation 2:10).
     God does not want us to be selfish with our salvation, but rather He commands us to share it with everybody (Matthew 28:18-20). We accomplish this mission by “going” everywhere that we can in this world, and by “teaching” everyone who will listen to us about Christ. We cannot sit and wait for sinners to come to us. We must take the initiative. When we teach others, we may do so by the words that we speak (1 Corinthians 1:21), or by the example that we set before them (Matthew 5:16). If we will make an effort to do this noble work, then God will bless our works of evangelism (1 Corinthians 3:6-7). But, it must be affirmed that sharing our salvation is not an optional matter for us! Have you given salvation to someone today?
     Christians are supposed to be a people who give of their love (Matthew 22:37-40), of their means (2 Corinthians 9:6-7), and of their salvation (Matthew 28:18-20), among other things. When we fail to give, we become like the Dead Sea, in a spiritual sense (1 Timothy 5:6; Romans 6:23). Don’t allow yourself to sink into this sad spiritual condition. Give something to someone today!