One question I get from time to time is some version of, “So what’s with the shark-fishie graphic thing?”
That seems like a fair and reasonable thing to ask, so here’s what I hope will be a helpful answer.
The shark/fish image that I use here at Fire Breathing Christian is meant to convey several things, including:
- The properly predatory and antagonistic nature of the relationship between Christianity (and therefore Christians) and the anti-Christian worldviews and systems that presently define much the world in which we live. The Gospel and Great Commission are inherently confrontational and corrective. The Gospel command to repent and submit to Christ as King in practice is the most antagonistic (and hated) message to ever hit the ears of prideful men. The Great Commission mandate to make disciples of all people so that they obey Christ as King in practice in every realm of His creation and in every area of life is equally repulsive and vile to the ears and hearts of self-serving, unregenerate men, women, boys and girls. In this context Christians are inherently as antagonistic to the hearts and minds of the unrepentant as anything or anyone can be, and in our Great Commission-inspired drive to conquer every heart and culture for Christ, we are naturally the most feared and hated of all predators from the perspective of self-serving unbelievers. (See: 2 Corinthians 10:3-6; Matthew 28:8-20)
. - The fear and hatred that quite naturally will be applied and acted upon by the world and the worldly in reaction to those who would dare proclaim and apply the lordship of Christ in every realm of life here and now. As touched upon in point #1, the fact that Christians proclaim the most hated command and message to ever hit the ears of unrepentant men will inherently inspire hatred from those men, until and unless the Lord graciously converts them through the faithful proclamation of that otherwise-always-hated Gospel. (See: John 15:18; Matthew 10:22)
It’s also important to note one thing that the shark/fish image is not indented to convey:
- Any sense of inherent strength or power – even the tiniest little bit – on my part (or on the part of any other Christian identifying with this symbol). I am a wretch saved by God’s grace alone. I could do nothing to contribute anything to my salvation and I can do nothing to maintain it. In and of myself, I am completely undeserving of even a breath of God’s air, much less knowledge of any of the beautiful truths that He has just begun to show me through His Spirit and Word. Everything that I’ve been given – including anything that I know about Him – is a gift from Him. I have nothing to boast of in myself. I will (and must), however, boldly boast in Him. (See: Ephesians 2:8-9; 2 Corinthians 10:17)
I hope that this clarification is helpful and that it encourages every beloved Brother and Sister in Christ to swim deep, make waves, and be dangerous.
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Lordship vs Lordship. Irrelevant.
"The Gospel command to repent and submit to Christ as King in practice is the most antagonistic (and hated) message to ever hit the ears of prideful men."
"I am a wretch saved by God’s grace alone. I could do nothing to contribute anything to my salvation and I can do nothing to maintain it."
Too bad you mention nothing about the message of repent is to give up being disobedient to יהוה instructions, and come back to following them. Yes, we are all saved by grace but as Paul (Ephesians 2) helps us understand we must follow the commandments. We've got to accept him that died for our sins, but quit transgressing the law and quit disobeying commandments. Not utilize symbols of any likeness on earth, heaven or within the sea; as an identity or ourselves.
Ephesians 2
1 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh[a] and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. 4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.