Christians as Light and Salt in Matthew 5:13-14 and its Implications for Good Governance in Nigeria

The attitude of many Christians in Nigeria to governance is generally poor and this has always had adverse effects on nation building. Going by its tenets and values, Christianity is a worthy religion whose adherents are expected to positively influence the systems they are part of, and so, Christians cannot afford to leave the governance of Nigeria into the hands of others. Unfortunately, Nigerian Christians are, at best, apathetic to political participation. In the Beatitudes, Jesus likened those who believed in Him to light and salt with an expectation that they would have good impacts on their immediate community. Apart from the fact that light and salt are essential to life, they are also change agents. However, as indispensable as they are, they cannot make any appreciable impact unless they are part of the system they are expected to influence. It is, therefore, imperative that Christians in Nigeria would resolve to be practically involved in the governance of the nation. In this paper, the authors will critically examine the description of Christians as light and salt of the world and, using exegetical and hermeneutical methods, the implications of these to good governance in Nigeria would be highlighted.