An Icon is an image carved (usually from wood) and sometimes covered in gold & silver. It is an idol?

Question

Many poster have said that there is a difference between Icons & Idols. What is the difference?

God's View -
Exod 20:4
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
(KJV)

Lev 26:1
1 Ye shall make you no idols nor graven image, neither rear you up a standing image, neither shall ye set up any image of stone in your land, to bow down unto it: for I am the LORD your God.
(KJV)

Deut 4:16-18
16 Lest ye corrupt yourselves, and make you a graven image, the similitude of any figure, the likeness of male or female,
17 The likeness of any beast that is on the earth, the likeness of any winged fowl that flieth in the air,
18 The likeness of any thing that creepeth on the ground, the likeness of any fish that is in the waters beneath the earth:
(KJV)

Deut 4:23
23 Take heed unto yourselves, lest ye forget the covenant of the LORD your God, which he made with you, and make you a graven image, or the

The Ark of the Covenant & the Cross were objects God used and that are connected with His presence.

The Images of Mary & the Saints are Pagan. The Obelisk is a phallic symbol from ancient Egyptian and Caanan.

Answer 1

This tract below will answer your question:

Answer 2

An icon is a religious painting of the byzantine traditon of art.

Actually an idol is anything that takes God's place(money,power,fame,ego)

An idol fro the early Christians was an image of a pagan god not a picture or statue of Christian religious significance. The Catacombs were filled with religious images.

Egyptian Ka statues in which a soul of the decesed was to dwell or an image of anything that could be used for magic would have been considered idols by the jews as wella s the statues of pagan gods in which the god was to dwell.

Answer 3

It's an idol, and a graven image, as are crosses, images of Jesus, images of saints, statues of the 10 Commandments, printed copies of the 10 Commandments, and so forth. Flags, too, so they shouldn't be in churches.

The most frustrating thing about the Fundies tying up our courts with nonsense suits about displaying the Decalogue is that the Decalogue itself forbids what they're trying to do. They either don't really believe in the Commandments, or they're too dumb to understand them, and either of those conditions is too infuriating to be borne.

Answer 4

If you think the carved thing covered in silver or gold is actually a god and you worship it, then, yes, it is an idol. The commandments were given at a time when people worshipped false gods. They would say things like, "This frog is my god and I worship him." or "I'll make a cow out of gold and it will be my god." Today, some people worship celebrities and material goods this way - putting their pursuit of them before God.

But things like statues, icons, pictures, crosses, etc. are not idols because no one actually thinks that the thing is a god. People know that these works of art are only significant in the way they remind us of God and deepen our faith in him. Even statues of saints are not idols because no one thinks the actual saints are gods, and no one thinks that the statues that represent them are gods. They are just to remind us of good and holy people who showed us examples of how to follow Christ.

In order for something to be an idol, it has to be worshipped, and Christians only worship the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Looking at a statue is no different than looking at a picture of your sweet old grandmother and remembering what a good Christian she was and trying to be like her. And, you might even talk to the picture of grandma, but you are not worshipping her. And you might even ask her to pray for you, but you are not worshipping her. So she is not a god and she is not an idol, and neither are the saints or the statues.

Blessings!

Answer 5

We can have reverence for symbols, but not worship them. The Ark of the Covenant is a prime example. It was an icon, a symbol of God's covenant, just like the cross is used as a symbol of God's covenant through Christ. The Ark of the Covenant was not to be worshiped as a God, but instead was to be held to remember the covenant. The cross is not to be worshiped either, we just wear it to remember the covenant.

Answer 6

An idol can be something that takes your affection away from God.
Ezekiel mentions men who have "...idols in their heart,..."
In Colossians 3:5 it says, "...and covetousness, which is idolatry".