Symbols Of Our Faith

Symbols of Our Faith

(Read Joshua 4:1-9) The twelve memorial stones were to be a reminder of God’s mighty acts on behalf of His people. Scripture is full of examples of symbols of faith. Symbols remind us of God and they help to call us away from ourselves into worship. A symbol is a good means of communication. Oftentimes, a symbol describes more accurately than words concepts such as God, Christ, salvation, atonement, and eternity.

We have many symbols of our faith. When we think of symbols of faith, we may think of the statues of Mary and others as used by the Catholic church. And in a fear of idol worship, we may reject or think we reject, all symbols of our faith. But to reject all outward symbols of faith is to overreact to the abuses of symbols by some and it deprives us of visual, concrete reminders and expressions of faith. But we Baptists have more symbols of faith than we may think.

THE CROSS.

The most obvious symbol of our faith is the cross. The cross is a reminder of the redemptive work of God through the offering of His Son, Jesus Christ. There’s a difference between a cross and a crucifix. A crucifix is a cross which still has Jesus on it, whereas a cross is empty. Most protestants (non-Catholics) prefer the symbolism of a cross to a crucifix because the empty cross is a reminder of an act which has been completed and is symbolized in the resurrection triumph of Christ over death. So you see there are different symbolic meanings between a cross and a crucifix.

And there are other symbols in the church that may not be quite so obvious. Most Southern Baptist churches you visit are arranged very similar architecturally. There are symbolic reasons for the way that our churches are constructed. First, let’s start with the placement of the Bible.

THE BIBLE

The open Bible symbolizes the acts of God in history. It contains the written word that points to the Living Word. An open Bible should always be in view of the congregation. Some churches make a practice of displaying the open Bible on the Lord’s Supper table. Others prefer to place an open Bible on the pulpit. I think it is proper for the open Bible to placed at either place---on the pulpit or the Lord’s Supper table. In either case, it symbolizes that God’s Word is central to our beliefs and worship.

THE PULPIT.

The pulpit symbolizes the centrality of the Word of God. From the pulpit the Word is proclaimed, therefore, it is appropriate for the pulpit to be in the center rather than to one side. For us, the proclamation of God’s Word is central to our belief and so the pulpit is placed in the center and higher than the congregation to symbolize that God’s Word comes down to us from heaven. The Lord’s Supper table, the pulpit with an open Bible, and the baptistry all symbolize the gospel and it is appropriate for them to be in the center of the building facing the congregation. In addition, the center aisle of the building symbolizes the free accessibility of the gospel and an open invitation for all to come to Christ.

THE BAPTISTRY.

The baptistry is a visible symbol of the believer’s commitment to Jesus Christ as Lord. It symbolizes death to sin and resurrection to a new life. The baptistry has particular significance for churches that believe in the immersion of believer’s only. It symbolizes that we have made a responsible decision to follow Christ. When the baptistry is located at the front of the sanctuary, behind the pulpit and in line with the Lord’s Supper table, it’s a constant reminder of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

THE LORD’S SUPPER TABLE.

In Baptist churches, the Lord’s Supper table is typically located in front of the pulpit on the same level as the congregation. This symbolizes the fellowship of believers and conveys a sense of common unity of the entire congregation. It also symbolizes the fact that Christ came down to our level to save us from our sin.

STAINED GLASS.

Stained glass is an artistic way to symbolize the beauty of God. It helps to arouse feelings associated with the true authentic worship of God. Feelings of awe, reverence, and inspiration.

CONCLUSION.

As we have seen, we Baptist have many symbols of our faith. And when we understand the meaning of these symbols, they serve to remind us of the glory of God and His gracious mercy as expressed through our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. And when we view these symbols in their proper perspective, they help us to focus our attention and worship on the great and glorious almighty God.