God’s Image Study • Commandment 2: Idols and Images
In the previous post, we examined the bronze serpent. Its connection to something God had done did not authorize the people to burn incense to it. That distinction brings us back to a subject explored in my earlier study, The Cross... Walking by Faith or by Sight.
What happens when an object associated with Jesus becomes a focus of religious devotion?
A cross may appear above a building, behind a preacher, around someone’s neck, or at the front of a procession. Familiarity can make its place seem beyond question. But the second commandment asks us to examine where our devotion is directed—including the things we have learned to regard as sacred.
We must be willing to ask that question of ourselves.
What does Paul mean by the cross?
Paul speaks of “the word of the cross” in 1 Corinthians 1:18. Follow his explanation through verses 23–24: the proclamation concerns Christ crucified, and Paul identifies Christ as God’s power and wisdom. The passage concerns the message being proclaimed and the one it proclaims. It gives no instruction to direct devotion toward a crafted representation of the instrument of his death. Read 1 Corinthians 1:17–25, LSB.
That matters when someone uses Paul’s language to justify a religious practice. We must establish the connection from the passage rather than assume that every practice involving a cross carries Paul’s approval.
Consider Galatians 6:14 as well. Paul speaks of boasting in Christ’s cross, then explains his changed relationship to the world: the world has been crucified to him, and he to the world. The surrounding discussion contrasts those seeking an outward showing with the importance of new creation. His words concern what Christ’s death means for his life and allegiance. They do not instruct his readers to honor a physical object. Read Galatians 6:12–15, LSB.
What does Jesus ask us to carry?
Jesus says:
“let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me.”
— Luke 9:23, LSB, excerpt
Notice the actions together: denying oneself, taking up one’s cross daily, and following him.
This brings the examination into our conduct. Am I willing to surrender a desire, an attachment, or an accepted practice when it conflicts with obedience? Does the symbol I display correspond to the life I am living?
Displaying an emblem cannot perform that obedience for me.
Walking by faith
In 2 Corinthians 5, Paul’s discussion of faith and sight concerns our present bodily condition, our hope from God, and our desire to please Him. God gives the Spirit as a pledge. Later in the chapter, Paul explains that those who live are to cease living for themselves and live for the one who died and rose on their behalf. Read 2 Corinthians 5:1–15, LSB.
This gives us a connection to examine: am I trusting God and responding to that calling, or have I attached spiritual security to something I can see and hold?
If I believe an object protects me, makes prayer effective, or establishes God’s presence, what passage teaches me to place that confidence there?
Calling something a reminder does not end the examination. We must also consider what we actually do with it and what we believe it provides.
Jesus directs attention to the Father when he explains the worship the Father seeks: worship in spirit and truth. That is the standard he gives in his conversation about the proper place of worship. Read John 4:20–24, LSB.
Our devotion belongs to YHWH (יהוה). Honoring the Son includes attending carefully to what he teaches about worshiping the Father.
The bronze serpent invites a searching question: has something associated with God’s work begun receiving the trust or devotion that belongs to God?
I must be willing to examine that question even when the object is familiar, cherished, or approved by people I respect. Love for God calls for more than defending what I have always practiced. It calls for allowing His instruction to examine that practice.
Threads to Follow
An image within the heart: What does Ezekiel 14:1–8 reveal about idolatry that extends beyond a visible object?
Resembling what we trust: How does Psalm 115:4–8 connect worship with what a person becomes?
Following through obedience: How does Luke 6:46 test the relationship between calling Jesus Lord and doing what he says?
The books were opened…
🌿 By Maria Emilia
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