What does it stand for in Scripture?

Salt is mentioned in numerous passages of Scripture _ in connection with important truths and practical admonitions, though in most cases its meaning is left unexplained. Nevertheless, relying upon the Holy Spirit's guidance, we may find what are the principles to which it points, and apply them correctly.

Among other passages, one in Exod. 30:35 sheds much light on the subject. It reads as follows:"And thou shalt make of it a perfume after the work of the perfumer, salted, pure, holy" (Num. Bible). The words pure and holy added to "salted," make plain that salt stands for what preserves in purity and holiness to whatever it may be applied, as we shall further see.

In Lev. 2:13 we read, "Every oblation of thy meal-offering shalt thou season with salt; neither shalt thou suffer the salt of the covenant of thy God to be lacking from thy meal-offering; with all thine offerings thou shalt offer salt." The meal-offering was a type of the Lord Jesus Christ in His humanity. Leaven, the type of evil, was not permitted among the ingredients which composed the meal-offering, because there was no evil in Him. But the absence of evil was only the negative side; it did not fully express the perfection of His character, even as, man; that which speaks of incorruptibility had to be introduced, and the offerer was enjoined not to suffer salt to be lacking in any of his meal-offerings, as well as in all the other offerings; even the incense, as indicated above, expressing the fragrance which ascended up to God from Christ's blameless life, was not complete without what the salt typifies. It is said of the meal-offering, "It is a thing most holy of the offerings of the Lord made by fire" (Lev. 3:2,10); the same as is said of all the other offerings (Num. 18:9).

Here, then, salt represents the principle of incorruptibility, giving character to that to which it is applied. Thus salt is called "the salt of the covenant of thy God" (Lev. 2:13). God's covenant with Israel was based on His holy and unchangeable character, and the sacrifices and offerings were ordained for the maintenance of His relation with Israel. A "covenant of salt" is therefore a holy covenant, sure, unchangeable and eternal. Emphasis is laid upon this in Num. 18:19, where we read:"All the heave-offerings of the holy things, which the children of Israel offer unto the Lord, have I given thee as a statute for ever:it is a covenant of salt for ever before the Lord unto thee and thy seed with thee."

In 2 Chron. 13:5, likewise, we read:"Ought ye not to know that the Lord God of Israel gave the kingdom over Israel to David for ever; even to him and his sons by a covenant of salt?" In this case salt stands as a guarantee for the endurance of that covenant.

Again, in Judges 9:45, when Abimelech fought against the city and took it, and slew the people therein and beat down the city, he "sowed it with salt," indicating thereby that its destruction was to be without recovery. It points to the perpetuity and holiness of judgment upon the wicked. Whether he had God's mind or not in doing so, is another question.

When Elisha came to Jericho, the city of the curse, he found that the water was bad, instead of pure and refreshing, and the land was barren. In the name of the Lord he cast salt into the spring, and the waters were healed (2 Kings 2:19-22). Here it is the power of sovereign grace, purifying the source of life, as God's act of mercy through His prophet.

Turning now to the New Testament, in Matt. 5:13 we read as follows:"Ye are the salt of the earth:but if the salt have lost its savor, wherewith shall it be salted? It i? thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out and to be trodden under foot of men." What Israel should have been, but was not, the disciples, as Christ's followers, were really to be-the salt of the earth, the representatives of a holy God to bear testimony against evil in a world that lies in wickedness, thus preserving the world from moral corruption. As long as they are in it, it defers the day of judgment, as it is the peculiar property of salt to resist the process of decay. They were also "the light of the world" in their day, and we also are to "show forth the virtues of Him who hath called us out of darkness into his marvelous light," warning men of the coming judgment and proclaiming the good news of salvation ere the judgment falls upon the rebellious and the ungodly. God's witnesses therefore are characterized as "the salt of the earth."

In Mark 9:50 we read of the possibility of salt losing its saltness, thus useless, and to be cast out; as Israel who, as a nation, had utterly failed in her collective testimony for God (see Rom. 2:24), and was about to be scattered among the nations, as disowned by God. And this is applicable to the professing church, and to any movement or body professing allegiance to Christ, Where evil, or a dead condition prevails, the salt has become saltness, and removal of the candlestick follows.

In Mark 9:49, SO we read:"For every one shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt. Salt is good, but if the salt have lost its saltness wherewith will ye season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another." Here, salt is identified with fire-the fire of God's holiness, by which in the coming day every one shall be tried, even the believer's works (see 1 Cor. 3:13-15). Here then salt with fire stand for divine holiness to be manifested in judgment. "Every sacrifice," everything connected with the Lord's name, is thus to be tested whether it is acceptable to our holy Lord, or not. May it produce godly fear and holiness in our whole life.

"Have salt in yourselves and have peace one with another" seems to reflect on what is related in verses 33-36, namely that the disciples disputed among themselves who should be the greatest. Pride had raised the dispute, and it disturbed the peace. They needed to have salt in themselves. The Lord supplied it by setting before them a pattern of humility-a little child, by which to judge their pride-judge themselves, thus ending dispute and restoring peace.

Finally let us hear the apostle's admonition in Col. 4:6. He says:"Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man." It is indeed our greatest privilege to make known to others the gospel of God's grace, but we must not forget the salt that is to go with it. And what is that? It is the principle of holiness, in testimony against evil. Grace and truth must go together. The proclamation of grace without a call for repentance, dodges the sin question; it is like food without salt, flat and savorless. Yet our testimony consists not merely, nor chiefly, in denouncing evil and condemning the sinner, for it would be no more a word of grace. Wisdom and divine guidance are needed to discern where and when salt is needed. The apostle knew how to use it when he spoke to Felix concerning the faith in Christ; he "reasoned of righteousness, temperance and judgment to come." Felix then trembled and answered:"Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season I will call for thee."
Salt then stands for the principle of holiness, be it as giving character to the thing applied, preservation from moral corruption, testimony against evil, self-judgment, or judgment upon the wicked. John Kofal