The Way, The Truth

Exodus 20:4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. 5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;

This is just my opinion stemming from an experience I had.

I hadn't been saved very long when I printed up a picture of Jesus and of the fake lady of Guadalupe and hung them on my walls. I wasn't catholic, but almost immediately I began to kneel in front of the picture of Jesus and pray. I believe God directed me away from that pretty quickly and I threw the pictures away.

Some claim that a picture of Jesus is just a picture no different than one of a member of your family. I disagree with that. You don't look at a picture of a family member and think "diety". They are a creation from the dust of the ground just as you are. But when you look at a picture of Jesus you know that He is God. You don't have just a picture of a 100% man, but of Jesus who is 100% God. What is your initial thought when you think of God? To fall on your face in worship.

Why, if pagans are so gullable as to worship a cow, or a statue of a man, or a block of carved wood would you think a picture of one who is supposed to be Jesus Christ would not be tempting? I don't think pictures of Jesus and angels and all that belong in a church because there are folks like me who are too weak. A cross without the image of His body is different. The cross isn't God. I'm not tempted to worship a tree because a tree isn't God. The cross itself is not Jesus.

I think this is one reason why catholics have been swallowed so deeply into idolatry. They have been engulfed by images all around them, in church and at home. They bow down to these images in worship and have gotten so caught up in it that they even bless and sprinkle carved concrete blocks of angels.

I'm against pictures personally. If you can hang pictures of Jesus in the comfort of your own home without temptation to you or your family, then that's your business, but I don't think they belong in the church.

I don't consider that to be an opinion Gardner.

I consider that to be the command of God. He said no images, period.

I don't even believe in using crosses or fish, there's just no need for it. For a start, it's so common to see people sporting a cross around their neck, and acting as though God didn't even exist, the cross means nothing. Second, I don't believe that there's a need to use images to stimulate our faith. If our faith is so poor that it takes a picture to spur it into being, then it's not true faith.

Could I claim to love someone if I required a picture of them or an object of theirs in order to feel affection toward them?

If our faith is so poor that it takes a picture to spur it into being, then it's not true faith.

I have two fish car symbols that I've yet to apply. I have a sticker on my back window of my old dodge that says "Jesus, My Lord & My God". Sometimes I think people stop speeding because of it, lol. It keeps me in line on the road as well because I know I have to represent.

I love Jesus Christ. I love what directs me His way and I love to display it. People are supposed to know we're Christians. I wear T-shirts to advertise for carm.org and such, I have a keychain hanging on my wall. It's a way to witness to the world. It's a way to shine the light of truth to those who you may not have a tract for.

Actually, I figured somebody would bring up the Cherubim on the Ark of the Covenant or the bronze snake. Those things. But those things were specific commands by God for specific reasons. But then there are movies and the like. I don't know what to say about that other than you don't hang a movie on the wall. It's not hanging there tempting you to talk to it or kneel in front of it and pray all the time.

I have a cross necklace with Jesus crucified on it. I dont worship it, I just wear it to show that I am Christian. Nothing wrong with that.

Khaosme wrote:I have a cross necklace with Jesus crucified on it. I dont worship it, I just wear it to show that I am Christian. Nothing wrong with that.

Khaosme, you may have a good intention of wearing that necklace, but as for me, it isn't necessary. I believe it's better to show that we are Christians through our actions and testimonies. God bless.

Our conversation (or manner of life) should be the silent preacher, not a cross. Crosses mean nothing, atheists can don them too.

If a cross is all it takes to make someone a Christian, then this earth is full of Christians...

So, I should throw out my crosses?

I did, even the pure silver one I got for a christening present. Never looked back.

I didn't, but I don't wear them anymore.

Genesis: I'll keep mine and one day will go to someone to give me money for it (like Cash For Gold), get the money, and then buy that concordance

I thought of that, but than, it may become a stumbling stone for another... I don't know, it's a conviction thing, best let the holy spirit lead.

Have the gold melted

The Catholic problem with graven images is traced to them being starved of the word or God thanks to the Bible being held in Latin and forbidden from being translated. They literally had to learn about God from stained glass windows. Then throw in the Mary idolatry and it gets even worse.

I don't have a problem with pictures of Jesus. I am never tempted to worship them in the slightest. The reason God forbid them is their tendency to be the object of worship and to underestimate the glory of God.

When Jesus came to earth, he humbled himself taking on the form of a servant, therefore voluntarily yielding his glory for a season. To depict Jesus in the humbled state he was in when he walked this earth (he is currently glorified) I think is not forming a graven image, but if it is room for temptation then by all means don't do it.

What do you consider 'forming a graven image'?

The commandment does not end in "images."

The command is not to bow down to them.