| In recent years the Christian Fish Symbol can be | | | | We believe in the Power of God's Love as |
| seen affixed to the back of cars, as key chains | | | | explained in the three examples below: |
| and in other very visible locations as Christians use | | | | 1. God's Love at Calvary |
| it to demonstrate to the world that they are | | | | God so loved the world that He gave his only |
| believers in the only one true God. | | | | begotten son (John 3:16). It is because of God's |
| The Origin of the Christian Fish Symbol | | | | love and what He did for us at Calvary that our |
| The origin of the popular Christian Fish Symbol is | | | | sins are forgiven and we will have eternal life in |
| believed to have been in the early years of the | | | | Heaven. |
| church after Jesus' ascension into heaven. | | | | 2. God's Love in the Resurrection |
| Because the church was growing rapidly it was | | | | In Ephesians 1:18-20 Paul prayed that we would |
| the target of persecution by both the Romans | | | | know his incomparably great power for us who |
| and the Jews. | | | | believe. That power is like the working of his |
| One usage of the symbol was as a sort of | | | | mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when |
| secret code. When a Christian met someone they | | | | he raised him from the dead and seated him at |
| thought was a fellow believer they would scratch | | | | his right hand in the heavenly realms... |
| the top arch of the symbol in the ground. If the | | | | What God did, He did out of love and because of |
| other person was also a believer in Christ he | | | | it we can overcome the world, that's the Power |
| would complete the fish symbol by drawing the | | | | of God's love at work. |
| lower inverted arch. | | | | Read below to see how God wants us to |
| Another reported use for the Christian Fish | | | | translate His love into everyday living. |
| Symbol in the early church was as a pointer to | | | | 3. God's Love as Guidelines for Living |
| secret meetings which would be scratched on the | | | | God commanded us to love one another. He |
| ground or on a rock. | | | | said:o Love God (Mark 12:29-31; Deuteronomy |
| Sixteenth Century Christians | | | | 6:4-5)o Love your brother (1 John 4:19-21)o Love |
| In later times (around the 16th Century) Christians | | | | your enemy (Matthew 5:44)o Love your neighbor |
| used the symbol in a more open and declarative | | | | (James 2:8; Galatians 5:14; Luke 10:27) |
| fashion. The Greek word | | | | God gave us guidelines for loving when He defined |
| ΙΧΘΥΣ was added | | | | love in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a. This is what makes |
| to the body of the fish. | | | | us conclude that To Love is to Give because you |
| ΙΧΘΥΣ or Ichthusis | | | | cannot live according to this scripture without |
| is the Greek word used most often in the Bible | | | | giving of yourself. |
| for the word fish. Christians used the Greek | | | | Love is patient,love is kind. |
| letters from the word | | | | It does not envy,it does not boast,it is not proud. |
| ΙΧΘΥΣ (Iota Chi | | | | It is not rude,it is not self-seeking,it is not easily |
| Theta Upsilon Sigma) as an acronym to represent | | | | angered,it keeps no record of wrongs. |
| "Isesous Christos Theou Uios Soter" or "Jesus | | | | Love does not delight in evilbut rejoices with the |
| Christ God's Son, Savior." | | | | truth. |
| Why Christians Use the Symbol of a Fish? | | | | It always protects,always trusts,always |
| Christians may have used the fish as a symbol | | | | hopes,always perseveres. |
| for their faith because of how Jesus used fish in | | | | Love never fails. |
| His ministry. Some of those references include the | | | | We believe that when we follow God's command |
| following: Jesus told Peter and Andrew that He | | | | to love in the way that He said to love then we |
| would make them fishers of men (Mark 1:17). | | | | have indeed made the world a better place to live. |
| Jesus fed the 5,000 with five loaves of bread and | | | | As Christians we need to encourage one another |
| two fish (Matthew 14:17). After Jesus | | | | to love as Christ loved by giving of Himself. |
| resurrection, He appeared to His disciples and | | | | Therefore, GIL PUBLICATIONS logo of the |
| directed them to a miraculous catch of fish and | | | | Christian Fish Symbol is also a call to Christians to |
| He cooked a breakfast of fish for them (John | | | | love as Christ said to love and for us to use the |
| 21:6-9). | | | | power of His love to overcome the world as He |
| Christians Today | | | | did (John 16:33). |
| Christians today represent the Christian Fish | | | | The Power of God's Love is without limit. Paul |
| Symbol in various ways including: the Greek | | | | further prayed that we may have power, |
| letters ΙΧΘΥΣ, with | | | | together with all the saints, to grasp how wide |
| a cross, with JESUS in the body of the fish or | | | | and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, |
| just plan without any letters. | | | | and to know this love that surpasses |
| The GIL PUBLICATIONS Logo | | | | knowledge-that you may be filled to the measure |
| GIL PUBLICATIONS has taken the Christian Fish | | | | of all the fullness of God ... (Ephesians 3:18-19 NIV). |
| Symbol as our logo and added the word love | | | | To be filled with the fullness of God ... can you |
| because of our ministry name, God is Love (I | | | | imagine that? |
| John 4:8, 16). Also, we want to draw attention to | | | | This article may be copied and distributed as long |
| love because we believe that the world needs the | | | | as the author contact information remains. |
| kind of love that God commanded us to give to | | | | By: Akili Kumasi |
| one another. | | | | GIL Publications. |