Greetings truth seeker! All around the world symbols are used to represent culture and tradition. Symbols carry great meaning to a society and they promote a certain character if worn or used. What about Christianity? Yes, Christians have symbols too, but it’s not what you think. Christians have been using a pagan sun symbol and a roman crucifix symbol to represent their faith for centuries.
Since the “pagan cross in the church” diminishes the character of Christ, I suggest using other biblically derived christian symbols instead that most people forgot about. My personal favorites are water, the dove, an olive branch, fire, and the lamb.
Water:
Water is a great symbol that represents the proto-Christian/ Biblical character. The meaning runs deep in scripture as water is used for purification, cleansing and rebirth. The first time that we see the power of water is in Genesis when The Highest God promises to destroy all the creatures that defiled themselves. He saved Noah and his small family but cleansed the earth of all the ungodly creatures with water. To cleanse something has a dual meaning.
First something must be filthy, impure, or disgusting and must be destroyed. Second the thing suffering from that filth will be cleansed, freed or rejuvenated from that original filth. We find this same dual aspect of water in the new testament as well. Through a baptism of water we are cleansed of our former filth (sins) so that we can be clean enough to receive the holy spirit and eventually the kingdom of heaven.
A christian symbol of a Dove:
The dove is the most pure of all the animals alongside the sheep. The Highest God calls his followers doves and sheep for a reason. They are kind, gentle, and peaceful which is the character that Christ demands us to have. The dove is first seen as a guide from Genesis after Noah was saved from the flood waters. Noah sent a dove to find land 3 times and the dove found an olive branch. The dove was chosen for this task because they are also loyal. Unlike the raven that Noah used to do the same thing, took off and never came back. Therefore the dove is also trustworthy and honest.
The dove also symbolizes the holy spirit and feminism.
Psalm 68:13 “Though ye have lien among the pots, yet shall ye be as the wings of a dove covered with silver, and her feathers with yellow gold.”
Song of Solomon 6:9-10 “My dove, my undefiled is but one; she is the choice one of her that bears her. The daughters saw her, and blessed her; yea, the queens and the concubines, and they praised her. 10 Who is she that looketh forth as the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners?
Deep Meaning of The Dove.
The Dove as you can see is personified as a “she” or “her”. Words like these are used for females and women to be precise. Yet in the New Testament the dove is the symbol of the holy spirit who is also the spirit of The Highest God. Matthew 3:16 “And Christ, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:”
Note the scriptural clue is that the holy spirit is a female. The Spirit of God is a woman (not a man).
Therefore the dove is a great symbol to represent one’s faith in the biblical text. Although it portrays a more feminine character it is a wonderful symbol for christians especially women. The dove is a powerful force of love, peace, gentleness, purity, loyalty, kindness, honesty, and trustworthiness.
Olives:
Olive trees, olive branches and olives are all very important in the Biblical text. The tree and its fruit symbolizes deliverance, favor in the Lord, longsuffering, and righteousness. The oil of the olive is able to sustain a fire for an extremely long time. It is also holier than all other trees, above all more favored than the evergreen tree. Having a small olive tree design in the home is a good omen, or even seeing one is a blessing. Matthew 21:1, Genesis 8:11 Exodus 27:20, Psalm 52:8.
Symbol of Fire:
Fire is another dual element and symbol in the biblical text. It is a tougher type of purification than water. Water is soothing and breathtaking while fire is warm yet extremely hot and painfully suffocating. Fire also represents passion, love and furry all rolled up in one. The Highest God descended on the bush in front of Moses (Exodus 3:2). He also appeared on Mount Sinai like fire from heaven (Exodus 19:18). Lastly he became a pillar of fire at night for the Isrealites while they camped in the wilderness (Exodus 40:38).
There is a trial of fire The Most High puts his strongest warriors through. If you can walk through that fire and come out alive and stronger than before with all faith, you will transform into one of his most trusted ministers and saints; more pure than gold. This concept is first seen in the Old Testament. Moses led two hundred men to The Highest God to be tried in the fire.
Scripture Reference:
Numbers 16: 35-And there came out a fire from the Lord, and consumed the two hundred and fifty men that offered incense. 36: And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 37 Speak unto Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest, that he take up the censers out of the burning, and scatter thou the fire yonder; for they are hallowed.”
Another similar instance is when Daniel and his friends were put to death by fire and they were found alive instead. Generally fire can be a sign of evolving or a sign of eternal death
2 Thessalonians 1:8 “In a fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Christ:”
Hebrews 1:7 “ And of the angels he saith, who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.”
Although fire is a scary type of dual element, it is still a symbol of christianity.
Lamb.
The holy lamb is not a new concept to most christians however most forget that its symbol started in the Old Testament like all the others. The first big appearance of the lamb is passover when the Isrealites were ordered to sacrifice a male lamb of the first year, without blemish. This lamb was a blessed offering made by fire. The Highest God said that he will send Israel a new lamb without blemish. This prophesied new lamb would be able to cover all sins and replace the passover Lamb. Ironically that new lamb is christ, he is the Ultimate lamb of The Highest God. John 1: 36 “And looking upon Christ as he walked, he saith, behold the Lamb of God!” He gave us an example of how lambs of God are supposed to act: kind, knowledgeable, honest, brave, perfect, patient, holy and confident.
The Highest Gods trusted lamb is also pretty ruthless. He is designated to execute judgment in the last days as it says in Revelation 14:1 “And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Zion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his father’s name written in their foreheads.” Brave is the lamb which makes this animal a perfect symbol for christianity.
Conclusion:
Many of the symbols mentioned have very deep meaning within the biblical text. All of them are better suited to represent Christians rather than the cross. The cross is only found in maybe five verses in the entire bible yet the dove, water, olives, fire and lamb are found hundreds of times. Utilizing these symbols will promote scriptural interpretation. I found it suitable that the dove and water is feminine and the fire and Lamb is masculine. It would be best that women use the symbol of a dove or water and men use the symbols of the lamb and fire. I hope that this information helped you decide what kind of symbol you would like to use to characterize your christian faith.
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