Jesus Christ died so that we would believe in Him, and then become salt and light to those with whom we come into contact. He could have mentored the whole world, but Jesus chose to only have a few faithful disciples so that we would be encouraged by His example to touch the few with whom we come into contact, and not become discouraged simply because our reach is not as wide as that of the Jewish and Roman leadership.

When I was a boy, I went to church, but I did not believe in Jesus Christ. When I became an adult, however, a person that I respected convinced me to investigate the truth of the claims of Jesus Christ, and I did so. The historical evidence that I studied since that day has convinced me that Jesus Christ was a real person, and that the New Testament is just as much of a factual account of what actually happened as any account of any event about which I could read a history book or in a newspaper.

We are to think of those positive things that are true, noble, just, pure, lovely, of good report, virtuous and praiseworthy. Of course, there are things in life that do not fit the preceding description, but those things that are negative are the things about which we are to supplicate, to pray, to diligently seek the mercy of God to fix and the peace of God to endure.