A pagan form of Christianity, absorbing all the pagan practices, is one of the misrepresentations prevalent today. John 4:23 tells that the ” true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.” So is idolatry the type of worship Father seeks of us? Let us begin this page with the 2nd Commandment.
The Second Commandment – Not present in the 10 Commandments taught in the Catechism ( Click here to see ?)
“Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. “ Exodus 20:4.
Now let us break down the commandment phrase by phrase, and try to understand it.
Thou shalt not make = You should not make ( This is simple)
Any = used for saying that it does not matter which thing or person you choose
Graven image = Here the word graven means “carved” or “sculpted.” A graven image refers to some kind of object or image that has been made to represent a god. It is an archaic term (very old-fashioned; no longer used) engrave (an inscription or image) on a surface. Example “marble graved with exquisite flower, human and animal forms”
of anything = means anything, not specific. LITERARY meaning is to fix (something) indelibly in the mind. Example “the times are graven on my memory”
Image = a visual representation of something; an object of worship carved usually from wood or stone; idol
likeness = the fact of being similar in appearance
Where are the possible places? = In heaven, on earth, or water under the earth
I hope you understood this well.
Dive deeper to find the pearl.
One does not make idols of living persons. You make only for dead persons as memory and our God is a living God who has a Son who too is a living being. Both are divine. People have seen Jesus when he walked the earth, but nobody as of now remembers the face, so there is no question of having a photo also. If you keep a photo of Jesus, of which you cannot confirm whether it is true or not, then you are breaking the commandment of God. One cannot and should not reduce the Mighty Son of God to a mere man-made photo that too by imagination.
Excuses – How far can they defend you
Many are having excuses to defend their practice of faith, but God will not accept them. Matthew 7:22-23 “Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly,” I never knew you; depart from Me, you workers of lawlessness!. No wonder many will not get a place in heaven for practicing lawlessness.
Further, we read in Deuteronomy 4:15-16 Take ye therefore good heed unto yourselves; for ye saw no manner of similitude on the day that the Lord spake unto you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire: 16 Lest ye corrupt yourselves, and make you a graven image, the similitude of any figure, the likeness of male or female, These are clear instructions but smartly flouted. Again, John 1:18 says that nobody has seen God, and If this is the case, and the Word of God is Truth, then why fallible men are contradicting it at the cost of their salvation. In fact, photos of Christ, crucifixes, and statues, let it be of any person from the Holy Bible, are prohibited.
The present-day Christians need to study the Bible deeply. The New Testament also has enough verses regarding the sin of idolatry. 1 Corinthians 10:14, 1 John 5:21, Revelations 9:20. Galatians 5:19-21. In fact, Colossians 3:5 elaborates more about idolatry.
If you turn to Isaiah 44:9-20 you can read and understand the foolishness of an idol worshipper. If you make an idol representing God then you have indeed reduced the Diving Father to a different god than what actually he is. Many tell that they feel comfortable worshiping in this fashion. True, it may satisfy you, but it saddens God, because at the cost of the blood of Christ, you have been purchased, but all the efforts have turned futile.
Regarding this commandment, we need to understand a few more things. First and foremost, this is a commandment, NOT a suggestion. You do not have options to flout the commandment and please do not give your fallible human suggestions to the Almighty as His ways and His thoughts are higher than us. “Isaiah 55:8-9 8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. “
Regarding Lawbreakers, the book of Proverbs has clear instructions. Proverbs 28:9 “He that turneth away from his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be an abomination.” There are many Christians who would say that now we are under grace and no more under the law. Is it so? Can you commit murder then? Will your spouse forgive adultery? To sum it up if you say there is no law, then surely there is no sin. And if there is no sin, then there should not be any death, because 23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 6:23.
In this series, we shall study how and why many Christians practice idolatry. Why are they substituting the Living God for Mary, Joseph, Peter, and many other persons in the Bible, when the Bible does not instruct? And if they are doing, then which doctrine are they following?