(Matthew 5:16) Let your light shine before men,that they may...GLORIFY your Father in Heaven.Our Lord regarded His followers as a select company who belonged to a different world from the rest of humanity.Many of the religious people of His day were worldy(carnal) and unspirirtual,publicly parading their religion to impress others while privately dominated by pride,ambition,greed,and falsehood.This is why I don't follow all the religions of this world.I have a faith.Jesus told Hid disciples they could not make their light shine by sinking to the worlds low level.It was only by abiding in Christ and living under the ruling power of His Holy Spirit that they could rise above the world.Only in that way could they be salt and light to a decaying and darkened world.Our influence on society depends on our likeness to Jesus Christ.We cannot elevate others higher than we ourselves have gone.The first century Christians out-thought,out-lived,and out-loved their neighbors,and by their example of purity and compassion attracted countless thousands to the Christian faith.