Why the Christian Fish?

Christians have used symbols to express their faith in Jesus for hundreds of years. During the 1st century, persecuted Christians used symbols to express their faith in Jesus. Many Christian symbols have been found in the catacombs under Rome. Some symbols included the cross, Greek letters such as XP (which was the first two letters for the Greek word for Christ), and even a peacock. The fish was also used as a Christian symbol. Some believed it was used as a code. When two people met face to face, one would draw an arch. The other person would draw an identical arch completing a stick figure fish shape. This showed the person was a Christian during the underground church age in Rome.

Fast forward a couple thousand years and the "Christian fish" can be found on the back of cars or even tattooed on the skin to express faith in Jesus. The Greek word for fish is ΙΧΘΥΣ or spelled phonetically as ik-thoos. These Greek letters also form an acrostic;

Ι - Ιησους, Greek for "Jesus"
Χ - Χριστος, Greek for "Anointed" (synonymous with the title "Christ")
Θ - Θεου, Greek for "God"
Υ - Υιος, Greek for "Son"
Σ - Σωτηρ, Greek for "Savior"

Together, this forms the statement, "Jesus [the] Christ, God's Son, Savior"

The fish symbol is still used today to distinguish Christians. More specifically, the ikthoos is used to distinguish businesses and organization.
And rightly so;

I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God to salvation for all that believe...
Romans 1:16 (paraphrased)

Using the ikthoos on your car or your business card lets others know that you follow Jesus; that you are a Christian. Christians, according to Scripture, are known by their love. Christians are called to possess high moral values and are ambassadors for Jesus. Christians are to live by Biblical standards and conduct themselves in a God honoring manner. Christians are called to be equally yoked, not only in dating relationships and marriage, but in business as well. Christians are known by their love for each other. Christians are to fulfill the Great Commandment of loving God with their all and loving their neighbor as themselves.

So go ahead, put an ikthoos on your business card. Slap a chromed out ikthoos on your car. Just remember, if we show the world we are Christians, what will the world see?

Our mission statement: Ikthoos exists to provide a cutting edge link to Christian businesses and organizations to the general public through the internet in a God honoring way.

We are not a church. However, we are conscious of God's glory, the proclamation of the Gospel, and the fulfillment of the Great Commandment
in our daily lives.

Seeing we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses, let us drop every weight, and the sin which easily torments us, and let us run with fortitude the race that we are now in, (2) Looking to Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured
the cross, despising the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Hebrews 12:1-2 (paraphrased)