Dr Paul Allen

Many times the Bible uses symbolic language in order to teach. Often spiritual truth can be conveyed more realistically by the employment of symbols, which bring a picture to the human mind. Thus, there are a number of symbols used throughout the Scripture for this purpose. We list those which are most apparent. A. A Mirror. “For if any one is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror …” (Jas. 1:23–25 NASB ). This illustrates the revealing power of the Word. B. A Critic. “For the word of God … is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart ” ( Heb. 4:12). “The Greek of Heb. 4:12 reads, ‘The Word of God is … a critic of the thoughts and intents of the heart.’ ”21 C. Seed. “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever” (1 Pt. 1:23). (See also: Lk. 8:5–15, note especially v. 11, “The seed is the word of God”; Is. 55:10, 11; Jas. 1:18.)

Illuminated parchment, Spain, circa AD 950-955, depicting the Fall of Man, cause of original sin. (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) From Genesis to Revelation the Bible makes it clear that no one was ever saved by his own good works but only by faith in the promises of God . Only in Eden was salvation put on the basis of obedience, with the accompanying warning of death for transgression of God’s command: “But from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you shall surely die” ( Gen. 2:17 , NASB ). In Genesis 3 this one command was broken by both Eve and Adam in response to Satan’s temptation and deceit; and God confirmed their sentence of death by saying, “For you are dust, and to dust you shall return” (Gen. 3:19). From that time on, no human being has ever been saved by obedience—except the race of the redeemed, who are saved by faith in the atonement of Christ, whose deed of obedience paid the price of their salvation. It is