THE BIBLE SAYS TO WORSHIP JESUS IS IDOLAT

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   Christians do not worship icons or other man-made portrayals of God, saints, etc. Rather they are meant as a visual reminder of God's glory to focus our attention on him, in much the same way the Psalms or Proverbs do so through written word. Your connection between Jesus and icons is an interesting one, but one I believe to be mistaken. While stained glass, sculptures and paintings were created by human hands, and therefore imperfect, Jesus was created by God and thus the only perfect human being to ever have existed. We believe quite literally the Jesus is God incarnate--in a human body, and that he became so in order to form a bridge between Himself and imperfect humanity....a covenant between Himself and a broken world, so that our brokenness can be forgiven and we can spend an eternity in his presence rather than be condemned to an eternity apart from him.

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thomasd Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Groupie Joined: 13 July 2008 Status: Offline Points: 43	Post Options Post Reply Quote thomasd Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 15 July 2008 at 5:57am
	Christians do not worship icons or other man-made portrayals of God, saints, etc. Rather they are meant as a visual reminder of God's glory to focus our attention on him, in much the same way the Psalms or Proverbs do so through written word. Your connection between Jesus and icons is an interesting one, but one I believe to be mistaken. While stained glass, sculptures and paintings were created by human hands, and therefore imperfect, Jesus was created by God and thus the only perfect human being to ever have existed. We believe quite literally the Jesus is God incarnate--in a human body, and that he became so in order to form a bridge between Himself and imperfect humanity....a covenant between Himself and a broken world, so that our brokenness can be forgiven and we can spend an eternity in his presence rather than be condemned to an eternity apart from him.

robin Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 17 May 2008 Status: Offline Points: 595	Post Options Post Reply Quote robin Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 06 June 2008 at 8:18pm
	ACCORDING TO THE BIBLE THE WORSHIP OF JESUS CHRIST IS IDOLATRY! TO WORSHIP JESUS AS GOD IS TO WORSHIP AN �ICON�! A visit to almost any place of worship will reveal how many religious people have elevated creatures (humans or otherwise) above the Creator. How so? By their image and icon veneration and their worship rendered to Saints, Madonnas, Crosses, some with and images of Jesus. (See Psalm 115:2-8; 2 Corinthians 5:7; 1 John 5:21). Can God, who �is spirit,� (John 4:24) and �invisible� (Colossians 1:15) be represented by a man made material image (or anything)? No. Regardless of how imposing an icon may be, it can never match the glory of God. So an manmade etc. image of God could never be a representation of him. (Romans 1:22, 23) Would a person be �worshiping in truth� if he approached God through some man-made icon? The `Bible states of Jesus Christ at` 2 Cor. 4:4: �� that the illumination of the glorious good news about the Christ, who is the image (Gk.�eikon�) of God, might not shine through.� Colossians 1:15 He is the image *(Gk.�eikon�)* of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; `Icon n. (also ikon) 1 painting of Christ etc., esp. in the Eastern Church. 2 image or statue. 3 symbol on a VDU screen of a program, option, or window, esp. for selection. iconic adj. [Greek eikon image].�-`Oxford Dictionary �image �n. 1 representation of an object, e.g. a statue. 2 reputation or persona of a person, company, etc. 3 appearance as seen in a mirror or through a lens. 4 mental picture or idea. 5 simile or metaphor. �v. (-ging) 1 make an image of; portray. 2 reflect, mirror. 3 describe or imagine vividly. be the image of be or look exactly like. [Latin imago imagin-].�-Oxford Dictionary WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT IMAGE OR ICON WORSHIP! Exodus 20:4 �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. Deut 27:15 ��Cursed is the man who makes a carved image or a molten statue, a thing detestable to Jehovah, the manufacture of the hands of a wood-and-metal worker, and who has put it in a hiding place.� Isa. 42:8 �I am Jehovah. That is my name; and to no one else shall I give my own glory, neither my praise to graven images. Image - God�s firstborn Son, who later became the man Jesus, is in his Father�s image. (2 Cor 4:4) Inasmuch as that Son was obviously the one to whom God spoke in saying, �Let us make man in our image,� this likeness of the Son to his Father, the Creator, existed from when the Son was created. (Gen 1:26; John 1:1-3; Col 1:15, 16) When on earth as a perfect man, he reflected his Father�s qualities and personality to the fullest extent possible within human limitations, so he could say that �he that has seen me has seen the Father also.� (John 14:9; 5:17, 19, 30, 36; 8:28, 38, 42) This likeness, however, was certainly heightened at the time of Jesus� resurrection to spirit life and his being granted �all authority . . . in heaven and on the earth� by his Father, Jehovah God. (1 Pet 3:18; Mtt 28:18) Since God then exalted Jesus to �a superior position,� God�s Son now reflected his Father�s glory to an even greater degree than he had before leaving the heavens to come to earth. (Php 2:9; Heb 2:9) He is now �the exact representation of [God�s] very being.��Heb 1:2-4. The Point! If humans worship Jesus Christ then they worship an �image� (Gk. e`ikon)` a �representation� a �copy� etc. which is idolatry:- 1 John 5:21 �Little children, guard yourselves from idols.�