Why do Catholics have a crucifix with jesus hanging on it?

Question

and other churches have just a cross?

Answer 1

Bible believing Christians know that Jesus is no longer on the cross and He's no longer in the grave.

The detailed name of the Mass is called the "Sacrifice of the Mass" which the Roman church teaches is a bloodless sacrifice.

So to the Roman church, Jesus is put back on the cross whenever they say mass.

And of those who don't understand the language, a crusifix is a "graven image" which the Ten Commandments says you should not have.

It says don't have a graven image.

It also says don't worship the graven image.

I've seen people in the Roman church worship those graven images with my own eyes. As recently as last March.

Pastor Art

Answer 2

A lot of churches have the crucifix with Jesus on it, not just the Catholics. But I think it's more prominent with Catholics, as they tend to have saints bones in their cathedrals, etc. They are also have the stations of the cross, which show the suffering of Jesus leading up the crucifixion.

I am sure it has to do with the ceremonial reminder of the brutality that Jesus faced. And Catholics are much better at their ceremony than most protestant religions. Protestants tend to be more reserved, focus on things that aren't suffering, etc.

I, however, am protestant, and had a crucifix with Jesus on it, until a roomate had a party and someone stole it.

Answer 3

Let’s see what the Scripture says, shall we:

In 1 Cor 1:23 St. Paul said ”…but we proclaim Christ crucified…” Why does he say that? I believe he knows about the resurrection. But he also knows that crucified Christ on the cross brings peace and breaks the bond of sin and death.

The cross that bears the beatened and bloodied body of Jesus Christ is the ‘power of God.’ It is a reason why we have the Crucifix. Besides that, the Crucifix also reminds us of God’s endless love for us by giving His only Son to be crucified and died on the cross.

Protestant churches tend to be scrupulous about the crucifix is because having the corpus on the cross can be considered a graven image or idolatry. But as we read in the Bible, even God himself asked images to be made, for example the Cherubim whose wings covered the Ark of the Covenant.

Answer 4

The MOST important thing that Jesus did for us was die for our sins to give us the gift of everlasting life.

He did rise from the dead but rising from the dead did not open the gates of heaven for us, dying for our sins did. The crucifix in no way denies the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

The Crucifixion of Jesus Christ is the MOST important point in all of history.

The crucifix reminds us of this moment.

The following Scriptures even suggest that Jesus wants us to lift up his image:

Numbers 21:8-9 states: And the LORD said to Moses, "Make a saraph and mount it on a pole, and if anyone who has been bitten looks at it, he will recover." Moses accordingly made a bronze serpent and mounted it on a pole, and whenever anyone who had been bitten by a serpent looked at the bronze serpent, he recovered.

And in John 3:14-15, Jesus says in correlation: "And just as Moses lifted up the [image of a] serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life."

With love in Christ.

Answer 5

Catholics see the crucifix as a reminder of the Christ's ultimate sacrifice for man-kind and the hardship He endured to save us.

The other churches have crosses without Jesus on them, to remind them of the Ascension of Christ.

Answer 6

I guess with Jesus image on the cross, we are reminded of how much Jesus loved us until death on the cross. It is called the " triumph of the cross" as someone already mentioned. It is because when Jesus died on the cross, He atoned or made up or payed for the offenses of our sins, therefore He opened the gates of heaven for us. God had to die in order to save mankind and allow people to go to heaven. So this is why Catholics use the crucifix to remind them of God's love. Satan hates crucifixes. The cricifix of St. Benedict is a powerful weapon against the evil spirits. Evil spirits hate the image of Christ on the cross so we also use the crucifix to remind us of the Presence of God and to keep away the evil spirits. Like exoscisms usually make use of crucifixes to go into battle against satan and his coworkers. Also, when you are working on your studies or reading a book or doing anything on your desk, the crucifix reminds you of Christ's redeeming sacrifice, then you are reminded to offer your work, united with Christ's sacrifice on Calvary and your work then becomes a powerful offering united with Christ. It becomes a way to sanctify yourself, your work and the world.

Answer 7

The crucifix is a visual reminder to us of Jesus' sacrifice on the cross.

Protestant churches believe -- erroneously -- that having Jesus on a crucifix is an act of idolatry.

It's an erroneous belief because idolatry is only when a graven image is worshipped. Making a crucifix (or any other image) is not idolatry; only worshipping it is. And we Catholics don't worship crucifixes.

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Answer 8

What they are doing is going directly AGAINST scripture.''
(Exodus 20:4-5) “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. 5 You must not bow down to them nor be induced to serve them, because I Jehovah your God am a God exacting exclusive devotion, bringing punishment for the error of fathers upon sons, upon the third generation and upon the fourth generation, in the case of those who hate me;

" a form like anything"...

Even Muslims obey this one.

In worship, there should never be used icons of any sort.

Jesus asked us to worship in " spirit and truth"

(John 4:23) Nevertheless, the hour is coming, and it is now, when the true worshipers will worship the Father with spirit and truth, for, indeed, the Father is looking for suchlike ones to worship him.

Answer 9

dear suzi.i guess to remind them that jesus died for them.i wear a cross,and one night someone asked me why i had jesus on the cross.and i said this is not jesus,its me.my reason for wearing the cross reminds me that i have to crusify the flesh daily, and that it is me.know ye not that our old man was crusified with him. it reminds me that it is no longer i that lives but christ within me.hope this helps love pastor carney.

Answer 10

Clearly it's because they are wicked idolaters. What is your problem with the Catholic church anyway? Okay, so you believe that, as Exodus whatever states, graven images are wicked. But you know Catholics are not worshiping the image as a God in itself. So if you don't care for their practices, don't convert, but I find your repeated implication that they aren't "real" Christians to be nonsensical and prejudiced.