About the cross, images, statues, etc.?

Question

Whatever happened to following the teachings of God's word the bible rather than man. At Exodus 20:4,5 it states, "You must not make for yourself a carved image or a form like anything that is in the heavens above or that is on the earth underneath or that is in the waters under the earth. You must not bow down to them nor be induced to serve them". Or what about Jeremiah 10:3-5 which states that people have the custom to make images that can't do anything for you. And finally, the scripture at John 4:24 which states, "God is a Spirit, and those worshiping him must worship with spirit and truth." (not an idol or carved image). Displaying Jesus' stake is a reproach. I only suggest that you reconsider what your religious leaders are telling you. Bring these scriptures to their attention and ask their opinion on it in relation to their displaying the cross, sculptures of Jesus and angels, etc.

Do you honestly think that you need the cross as a reminder to have a communication with or serve God? I don't. Rather than hanging it around your neck or sticking it on top of the church, you should show through your imitating of Jesus Christ that you serve the most high God Jehovah.

Remember people, along with stating you must not worship idols and carved images, Exodus 20:4 says that you must NOT MAKE THEM. Don't be selective about the scriptures you read.

Answer 1

Hmmmm, you sound like an iconoclast, an early heresy that made the same complaint as you, apparently becuse like you, they believed that their fellow humans were dumber than stumps. Given the culture then, THEY may have had reason for it. You do NOT.

The proscription is against WORSHIPPING those things as if they were Deity.

If someone is so weak in mind today that they can think an image is a reality and therefore worship the image, I suggest they require a psychiatrist, NOT a religious leader.

Today's Christians use them solely as symbols of a reality. Said symbols are reminders to our finite human minds of Whom it really is that we owe our being and our salvation TO. That's all.

We don't think the cross is God. Or the statue of the Sacred Heart of Jesus IS Jesus. Believe it or not, most of us HAVE progressed beyond the Iron Age!

Answer 2

Jesus almost certainly died while impaled on a simple stake, rather than a cross of two intersecting beams. Of course the Romans had the ability to create such devices, and probably did. But ask yourself: why they would have bothered when a simple stake would have worked just as well or better?

It is also enlightening to examine other relevant Scriptures.

You may be interested to see how your own copy of the bible translates Acts 5:30, Galatians 3:13, Deuteronomy 21:22, 23, and Acts 10:39. The King James, Revised Standard, Dyaglott, and Jerusalem Bible translate the instrument of Christ's death simply as "stake" or "tree" because the original wording simply does not support the idea that this was more than a piece of upright wood.

It is also eye-opening to examine how the first-century Christians felt about idols of any kind, much less one that glorified an instrument of death.

Learn more:
http://www.watchtower.org/library/g/2005/5/8a/article_01.htm

Answer 3

Well, we do not bow down or serve the carved image of the cross. I agree that sometimes people get really fanatical about it, even becoming enraged when someone vandalizes a cross on a church or some other figure. I see it as just a piece of wood.

We use it as a reminder of what Christ has done for us. I do not agree that displaying the cross is a reproach, for we do not worship these things, they are mere visual aids for the One whom we DO worship.

Answer 4

I hear what you are saying about worshiping these things , but let me ask you , do you wear a watch ? or any kind or ring , even a wedding ring , do you have things setting around your house of any sort ? that would be of an image of anything? do you have anything setting in your yard ? of any sort? do you have something on a key ring other then keys ? if you say yes to any of this do you worship them , these are all images of something . do you see in your own question , YOU MUST NOT BOW DOWN TO THEM NOR BE INDUCED TO SERVE THEM. . isn't this the whole point of what was written ? to NOT WORSHIP or to NOT SERVE idols or images . there is a difference between just having a cross hang on a wall or around your neck and worshiping it.

Answer 5

One of many many reasons why I left the Catholic religion.Jesus called the religious leaders of his day hypocrites.The same applies to religious leaders of our day.I have been one of Jehovah's Witnesses for eight years.I thank Jehovah every day for such a wonderful privilege.In a world filled with deception,immorality
violence,hypocrisy and dishonesty,we are so blessed to be part of Jehovah's wonderful pure and faith building organisation.It is sad so many are blinded by Satan.These ones are missing out on the many blessings that we as God's people are enjoying

Answer 6

I don't claim to know much about what other religions teach, but my church's teachings are in line with what you've asked.

Even though we are christian, we don't have crosses, etc on/in our buildings. We have pictures, but they aren't used in worship. In fact, the only "decoration" in our chapels are arranged flowers and a clock or 2....

I serve my church in the Nursery- I supervise and teach the very small children (18 months-3 years) while their parents are in their classes. I use pictures in our lessons (only about 2 or 3 minutes long) when we talk about Jesus, so they can develop an idea of who He is, etc. But I also use pictures of fish and other nature-themed images (He created them), homes, families, etc, as well.

In my home, I have pictures of Jesus- one of His resurrection- He's steping out of the tomb, two different pictures of Him sitting with a child on his lap... I also have our wedding pictures, pictures of me as a baby (we don't have any baby pictures of my husband :( I also have our wedding certificate and a picture of my mom and I.

Now that I think of it, I hardly ever really LOOK at those pictures of Jesus. I know they're there, I know what the pictures look like, but they're up simply as a reflection of who I am, what I believe. I want people who come into my home to have no question about what I believe.

Answer 7

The early church was persecuted for being atheist!! Because they had no visible artifact to represent their God!

Personally I don't know how they lived without a chrome fish on their chariot, a tunic with catchy christian phrases on it or a comb that said "Jesus Loves You"

Answer 8

I would tend to agree with you. Therefore, I don't use any images in my worship, and in light of what you've mentioned, it would do people good to independently assess their own forms of worship, regardless of church traditions. Cause at the end of the day, you answer to God, not your church.

Answer 9

You'd think a zealous Christian is not really likely to forget he or she is a Christian just because there is no crucifix in the vicinity, maybe with them it really is "out of sight out of mind"..it's a bit shallow isn't it.

Answer 10

You are absolutely correct.