12. ‘The Light and Salt’ is the Holy Spirit

‘The Light and Salt’ is the Holy Spirit

With regard to the interpretation of the light and salt, it is generally known that to do the good deeds as the saints toward the world in the aspects of ethics and morality is to fulfill the obligations of the saints (the role of salt and light). However, the teaching of such ethical and moral interpretation is the only part of faith and it can never reach the ultimate goal of faith.

Like today’s modern church, if teaching is only for the purpose of deed without the teaching and guidance of the Holy Spirit, to shine the light cannot be the true light. Then, what is the true meaning of the light and salt? In order to find it out, if we look at the acts of Christ who is the true light, we can get to know the reality of the light. There were many incomprehensible behaviors among the acts of Christ in those days by the yardsticks of moral, ethical and commonsensical standards like the light and salt which the present Church interprets. Eventually, Jews judged Christ by the yardsticks of legal and ethical standards. As a result, rather they crucified Messiah on the cross like a sinner.

In terms of the light and salt by the standard of general interpretation of the modern Church, the acts of Pharisees with strict and legalistic morality can be rather closer to the standard of the light and salt than those of Christ. Therefore, even then people around Jesus Christ were critical of him and rather ascetic John the Baptist who walked by faith on the basis of the Law received their praise and adore.

Although John the Baptist possessed full qualification for a prophet in the aspects of morality, ethics, and celibacy, he said that he was not the Light. Despite Pharisees in those days were also equipped with strict and legalistic morality, they were described as darkness and only Jesus Christ was the true Light in the Bible (Jn 1:5).

Now, I would like to examine what the true light and salt are; and how to carry out to play the role of the true light and salt to the world.

1. The Light

The Bible says that the Light is the Holy Spirit.

1) The Light is the Holy Spirit.

I would like to consider carefully the reason why the Light becomes the Holy Spirit from the Biblical point of view.

① The Light= the truth; the truth is the Holy Spirit.

“He who practices the truth comes to the Light...” (Jn 3:21).

“When He, the Spirit of truth, comes...” (Jn 16:13).

The Light= the truth= the Spirit

② The Light= the life; the life is the Spirit

“In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men” (Jn 1:4).

“For the law of the Spirit of life...” (Ro 8:2).

The Light= the life= the Spirit

③ The Light= Christ; Christ is the Spirit.

“I am the Light of the world...” (Jn 8:12).

“Now the Lord is the Spirit...” (2Co 3:17).

The Light= Christ= the Spirit

2) The Light represents Christ, the Word, the truth and the Spirit.

This can be explained by a diagram and it is as follows:

As shown in the diagram above, the meaning of the Light represents Christ, the Word, the Truth and the Spirit.

3) What is the meaning of shining the light?

The Bible says that people can shine the light only when they are clothed with the image of Christ, and the image of Christ means to be filled with the Holy Spirit, being the divine nature (1Pe 1:4). Therefore, the Bible says that people to be filled with the Holy Spirit and they can shine the light only when they are filled with the Holy Spirit. The Bible defines that no one knows the Father except the ones who receive revelations through the Holy Spirit, namely the Son, and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him (the guidance of the Holy Spirit) (Mt 11:27, Lk 10:22). Like this, people can shine the light by knowing God’s wills (the light) and revealing them to the world as they are.

“So that the world may know that I love Father, I do exactly as the Father commanded Me” (Jn 14:31).

As mentioned above, Jesus Christ could shine the light to the world by obeying the words that God commanded to him.

4) How should the saints shine the light?

The meaning of shining the light can be classified into two kinds according to the degree of faith.

The light of physical saints

The saints who walk by faith, interpreting everything in the Bible only legally, literally and historically are called physical saints. When they consistently do good deeds on the basis of Matthew Chapter 5 verses 37-48 in the Bible, they shine the light to the world.

“But let your statement be, ‘Yes, yes’ or ‘No, no’; anything beyond there is of evil... Whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.

If anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, let him have your coat also... Therefore, you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Mt 5:37-48).

<The responsibility and purpose for the saints to live a virtuous good life is to meet the Holy Spirit.>

As if preparing all the furnishing for the home by a bride is to greet her groom for getting married, the Holy Spirit will come when the saints live a virtuous good life.

For example, as if bait (it includes faith and repentance) is required in order to catch a big fish, virtuous good deeds i.e. baits called physical love are necessary in order to catch a big fish i.e. the Holy Spirit.

After all, the ultimate goal of living a virtuous good life is to receive the Holy Spirit.

(Cf) What is bait?

The only way to receive the Holy Spirit is to cry out and seek (Lk 11:9-13) with only faith (Jn 7:38-39) and repentance (Ac 2:38) which is a way by the Law; and virtuous good deeds which come from voluntary spiritual deeds due to the fruits of the fullness of the Holy Spirit obtained by the result of this. Namely, virtuous good deeds include up to maintaining the Holy Spirit after receiving it.

The light of spiritual saints

1. As being always filled with the Holy Spirit, love [Love is patient, kind, not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.(1Co 13:4-8)] is completely fulfilled and maintained in the spirit.

2. The saints who walk in the light which enlightens each heart i.e. saints who live by the guidance of the Holy Spirit are called spiritual saints, and to obey the revelation of the Holy Spirit and the will of God is called to shine the light. Like this, to receive the guidance of the Holy Spirit is to reach the finality of faith. The guidance of the Holy Spirit means to receive the guidance of the truth. The word of revelation under the guidance of the Holy Spirit is revealed to the saints as prophecy and this word of the prophecy is also called the word of the Lord and a commandment.

5) The Light means the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

If the Ten Commandments are the commandments which belong to the physical requirement in life (Heb 7:16), then the commandments educated by the Holy Spirit are spiritual commandments.

Thus far, we have thought that only the Bible is the truth and the word of God, but the Bible says that the guidance of the Holy Spirit is also the truth and the word of God (Jn 16:13, Jn 14:26). Likewise, the guidance of the Holy Spirit is the same as the guidance of the truth. Like today, if the church understands the truth not by the spiritual interpretation of the Bible but by the literal interpretation of the Bible, it cannot find the deeper truth of God except love which is the general truth of broad principles.

The Bible does not present concrete living standards, ethics, morality, etc. which fitted to individual circumstances and situations, thus saints must have applied only love as one commandment to their lives in their own ways. Like this, concrete truth can never be found by only literal interpretation; and present confusion and starvation will be continued without spiritual interpretation.

Although spiritual interpretation is inevitable to find concrete truth, it is susceptible to numerous risks and side effects, thus only the Holy Spirit would present concrete truth (practical truth that can be applied according to the purpose and need of each individual). But since the guidance of the Holy Spirit has the drawbacks which it can neither standardize nor generalize with a fixed frame or form, it is generally applied to each individual in most cases except special people and circumstances.

Accordingly, if each saint tries to solve his problems concretely regarding his personal circumstances, he will have more spiritual confusion and starvation because he is not able to apply only literal interpretation of the Bible and the overall universal truth to his practical living. The Bible says that Holy Spirit will play the role of a leader and a teacher who guide each individual one by one according to his special circumstances and this is the main point of the Bible. In this age, saints should receive the guidance of the Holy Spirit without fail regarding their problems.

Since Pentecost which started from the attic of Mark, the Holy Spirit still teaches and guides us directly in accordance with our situations until today and enlightens every heart of each individual as the light of the Holy Spirit of this age.

“There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man...” (Jn 1:9).

Like this, the guidance of the Holy Spirit is to receive the guidance of the truth and all we need is to be guided by the Holy Spirit and obey what the Holy Spirit says. For example, it is good for people A to eat, whereas it can become good for people B not to eat. Likewise, the guidance of the Holy Spirit is not the same, uniform and consistent for all the saints, but it can be individual and differentiated in accordance with the measure of faith and belief.

The ministry of Jesus Christ who was the true Light showed the example of not the life of his own but the life under the complete guidance of the Holy Spirit. Without his own judgment and condemnation, he was consistent in perfectly obeying the word of God so that he showed us the example of a life of Light.

“...the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; ... ” (Jn 5:19)

“The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own initiative, but the Father abiding in Me does His works” (Jn 14:10).

Like this, no one knows the true will of Father besides those who receive a revelation under the teaching of the Holy Spirit and only the Holy Spirit knows the will of God. Because no one knows the will of God without the Holy Spirit, only the teaching and work of the Holy is the “light”. In addition, when people walk by the guidance and teaching of the Holy Spirit, it is called that ‘’they shine the light”. In this way, Apostle Paul also carried out his mission only by teaching of the Holy Spirit i.e. he shone the light (1Co 2:13).

6) The Light is the reproof of the Holy Spirit.

“But all things become visible when they are exposed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light” (Eph 5:13).

Then, by whom and how were they reproved?

“He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment" (Jn 16:7-8)

As the above phrase, the light is to receive reproof concerning sin, righteousness, and judgment through the Helper, the Holy Spirit. In other words, this means to receive lessons from the Holy Spirit for our wrong thinking and misjudgments in our lives. As if we receive a verdict form a judge in a court, to receive reproof can be a reproof and a lesson which are verdicts from the Holy Spirit. Namely, it can be called ‘good’ and light.

Like this, ‘the guidance and the teaching of the Holy Spirit’ is the light.

2. The Salt

The salt is the covenant and promise of salvation. After the fall of man, God promised to restore the fallen man by sending Jesus Christ as a redemptive (salvation) work with numerous words and prophecies through prophets. As He promised, He kept the covenant by dying of Jesus on the cross. In addition, He promised to send the Holy Spirit and that covenant was started from the attic of Mark, which is the advent of the Holy Spirit. That promise has been continuously fulfilled through the Holy Spirit until now. In the period of the Old Testament, this was fulfilled with serving God by the Law (a tabernacle, laws of sacrificial rites, feasts, the new moon, the Sabbath, etc.) which was the symbol of salvation, through the nation, Israel. Among them, only when the laws of sacrificial rites were observed according to the patterns which God showed, salvation was surely promised to the Israelites.

1) The purpose for sacrificial rites

1. The expression of worship for God

2. The offering of sacrifices of atonement for sin

3. Reconciliation between God and man

Salt was used as a sign of covenant to keep the promise (1, 2, 3) between God and the Israelites forever by sprinkling salt on every grain offering and other burnt offering which were offered before God and the Bible says it as a covenant of salt.

“Every grain offering of yours, moreover, you shall season with salt, so that the salt of the covenant...” (Lev 2:13).

“...God of Israel gave the rule over Israel ... by a covenant of salt?” (2Ch13:5).

“It is an everlasting covenant of salt before the Lord to you and your descendants with you” (Nu 18:19).

2) Terms of a contract for a covenant of salt

1. I am your God and you are My people.

2. Reconciliation (communication) takes place between God and the people.

3. It means that God will forgive their sins and give them salvation.

There was the empowerment of the individual who would or would not observe this covenant of salt. The covenant between God and the individuals can be continued by observing God’s ordinance and precepts, whereas it will be terminated if they do not observe it. Only when the ordinance and precepts were observed, the contract of the covenant of salt has been valid. Like this, salt is the sign and symbol of the covenant to redeem Israel forever without changing only when the Israelites keep the laws of sacrificial rites which God presented as they are.

As if newlyweds put each ring on a finger of each spouse as a symbol of a promise for unchanging love, the meaning of a covenant of salt is to fulfill and accomplish the promise which God has promised once until the end. Salt is used for the symbol of the promise.

The covenant of salt which was a symbol of salvation in the Old Testament period has been fulfilled through Jesus Christ, the reality of salvation, in the New Testament period. God kept and fulfilled all of His promises which He would save mankind by crucifying Jesus Christ through prophets as God promised in the Old Testament. Also, today God is still fulfilling His promise that Jesus Christ is with us forever by the Second Coming of Christ as the Holy Spirit after his death (Act 1:4-5).

Likewise, the only way to be saved in the Old Testament period is to sprinkle salt on every grain offering. By doing so, people could be reconciled with God. In the New Testament period, reconciliation between God and saints can be continued and they can be saved due to the Holy Spirit who came at the cost of bloodshed of Jesus Christ.

To sprinkle salt in the Old Testament means to receive the Holy Spirit in the New Testament and this is to participate in the covenant. In other words, the finality of a covenant of salt is the Holy Spirit who came at the cost of the bloodshed of Jesus Christ. The very true meaning of salt is the Holy Spirit. As Apostle Paul confessed, “I was made a minister according to the working of His power” (Eph 3:6), salt is to walk according to the working of the power of the Holy Spirit.

3) Salt is the Holy Spirit.

The covenant of salt in the laws of sacrificial rites in the Old Testament is the promise to send the Holy Spirit in this age. Therefore, the Holy Spirit is also called the Holy Spirit of promise (Eph 1:13, Gal 3:14).

Now and forever, a covenant of salt which is salvation is being fulfilled as a promise of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, to receive the Holy Spirit is i.e. to be partakers of the promise (Eph 3:6).

This can be summarized as follows:

Like this, the interpretation of the true meaning of light and salt is the Holy Spirit. The fulfillment of the truth is love (1Co 13), and the fulfillment of love is shown as the Holy Spirit in this age. The guidance of the Holy Spirit is the fulfillment of love and this is i.e. the fulfillment of the truth.

The Holy Spirit is the true light and the finality of salt. Like the word became flesh, God’s love has been shown as the Holy Spirit. In other words, as God sent Jesus Christ because He loved us, Jesus Christ will save everyone who calls the name of the Lord forever and ever as the Holy Spirit by becoming the leader and teacher of life.

‘Light and salt’ means the Holy Spirit. We can shine the light only when we walk by the teaching of the Holy Spirit, and salt is the symbol of the covenant which the Holy Spirit will be with us forever and ever. This is the true meaning of ‘light and salt’.

What is the meaning of 666?

Six hundred and sixty six, the number of the beast, does not symbolize the bar code which some eschatologists claim but represents the number of a man (Rev 13:18). Six hundred and sixty six, the number of a man, is only theoretical study which is formed by human wisdom and knowledge without the Law and the Holy Spirit. If theology is not the teaching of the Holy Spirit, it can also belong to 666, the number of a man. It is a just mere means to live only for the flesh without being able to reach eternal life and life. It does not have anything to do with God because it belongs to the flesh. Like this, the thing that is not the teaching and guidance of the Holy Spirit is called 666, the number of a man, i.e. the number of the beast. In other words, it means the teaching which does not depend on the Holy Spirit and the Law but only human wisdom and knowledge.

In this age when human wisdom and knowledge act as a king, doing the role of the light and salt to the world is not to do right in legal and moral standards but to carry out only the teaching of the Holy Spirit according to the will of God as the saints who believe in God. Like this, to shine the light is to reveal God’s will, known by revelation through the Holy Spirit, to the world.

Hallelujah! Be the glory forever and ever to the only God. Amen.