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Writer's pictureSam Christian

IDOLATRY: FALSE IMAGES OF CHRIST

Updated: Dec 22, 2021


God is clear in His instruction that children of Israel in the past and children of God today stay away from all forms of idolatry. God is a jealous God and will not share His authority with other deities. In worldly religions, graven images, statues, and paintings are modeled after animals, natural objects, men, and so on. It is the blindness of men to worship false gods that cannot create them, help them and deliver them. People bow down to idols, offer gifts and prayers to gods, kiss the feets of statues, and even put confidence in these dead objects. In the ten commandments, God forbade Israel to do such things.


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;


Deception came quickly after the arrival of Jesus Christ. Despite many efforts, they could not suppress the gospel of Christ, could not hide the knowledge of eternal salvation and could not deny the power and glory of Jesus. However, they were able to deceive the whole world to believe that images of long hair men represent Jesus Christ.

The Bible talked much about Jesus's wisdom, love, mercy and even miracles that He performed, but little about His appearence. Nowhere in the New Testament we can find that He had long hair. Moreover, to craft these images, artists need to use models who are only men and not God. Bowing down to these images, keeping them in the mind and heart, thinking of them during prayers, and putting them on gospel promotion works are all sins in the eyes of God. A part of Isaiah 44 is used to show God's view on idolatry.


Isaiah 44

9 They that make a graven image are all of them vanity; and their delectable things shall not profit; and they are their own witnesses; they see not, nor know; that they may be ashamed.

10 Who hath formed a god, or molten a graven image that is profitable for nothing?



These images are not of Christ

Copyright License CC0, Smithsonian American Art Museum, https://www.si.edu/object/head-christ%3Asaam_1956.11.21

If you wish to use this image, please read Acknowledgements at the end of this issue.



Copyright License CC0, Smithsonian American Art Museum, https://www.si.edu/object/ideal-christ%3Asaam_1968.155.80

If you wish to use this image, please read Acknowledgements at the end of this issue.


Copyright License CC0, Smithsonian American Art Museum, https://www.si.edu/object/old-italian-masters%3Asaam_1974.39.9

If you wish to use this image, please read Acknowledgements at the end of this issue.


Isaiah 44

13 The carpenter stretcheth out his rule; he marketh it out with a line; he fitteth it with planes, and he marketh it out with the compass, and maketh it after the figure of a man, according to the beauty of a man; that it may remain in the house.

17 And the residue thereof he maketh a god, even his graven image: he falleth down unto it, and worshippeth it, and prayeth unto it, and saith, Deliver me; for thou art my god.

18 They have not known nor understood: for he hath shut their eyes, that they cannot see; and their hearts, that they cannot understand.


Copyright License CC0, Smithsonian American Art Museum, https://www.si.edu/object/crucifijo%3Asaam_1996.91.54

If you wish to use this image, please read Acknowledgements at the end of this issue.


Christians must remove false images of Jesus Christ from their possessions, churches, and ministerial and evangelical campaigns. It is a grievous sin.


Acknowledgements


Images used in this issue are under the Creative Commons Zero (CC0) license and the Smithsonian claimed that no restriction of copyright is known. These images can be copied, modified, and distributed without permission from the Smithsonian. However, according to Smithsonian Institution's Term of Use, The Smithsonian does not guarantee all content with CC0 icon is free from other rights such as rights of publicity or privacy or rights held by third parties. Please use these images with caution and refer to the Smithsonian Terms of use (https://www.si.edu/termsofuse). Giving acknowledgements to the Smithsonian is advisable.


Vocabulary and grammar corrections were done with the help of online Dictionary by Merriam-Webster.

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