On occasion a sermon will stir up more conversations and questions than is typical. This past Sunday was one of those occasions.
You can listen or watch the sermon here: No Images: Worshiping the Invisible God in Spirit and Truth. In this sermon I argued that while the first commandment forbids the worship of false gods, the second commandment forbids the worship of the true God in a false way. Therefore, the prohibition against graven images not only applies to idols of false gods but includes a prohibition of any physical representations of the triune God.
The true God has revealed himself without form but in words (Deuteronomy 4:15). This self-revelation of God now determines how we approach him in worship. The true and living God is not a God we represent (or “re-present”) by any physical form. He is unseen. He is unlike the gods represented by silver and gold (Psalm 115:2–4). This is not a limitation to God, but part of his glory. While he has no form, he speaks and his words have power—power to create, power to heal, power to save, power to do all that God pleases (Psalm 115:3).
Images that represent God would misrepresent him; disparage his glory; include our own perceptions of him; incline us to venerate images; and move God to jealousy. The people of Israel who built the golden calf to worship the Lord were strongly chastised. We are not to make a form for the God who has no form. We are not to make visible representations of the invisible God.
Many Christians have a copy of J.I. Packer’s classic, Knowing God. In his chapter on “The Only True God,” he discusses the second commandment at length. He quotes Charles Hodge in stating the principle of the commandment: “idolatry consists not only in the worship of false gods, but also in the worship of the true God by images.” Packer then goes on to say:
In its Christian application, this means that we are not to make use of visual or pictorial representations of the triune God, or of any person of the Trinity, for the purposes of Christian worship. The commandment thus deals not with the object of our worship, but with the manner of it; what it tells us is that statues and pictures of the One whom we worship are not to be used as an aid to worshiping him.[1]
While none of these statements should be controversial, it is how this is applied where differences of opinion emerge. Packer, in his 20th anniversary update, included a paragraph at the end of his chapter on the second commandment to address some of the concerns readers brought to his attention. I wish to do the same in response to feedback from last Sunday’s sermon. Questions arise when you get down to the specifics of what exactly is forbidden and what is permissible. What about the cross? Is this an appropriate symbol if there is no form of Jesus on it? What about an illustration of the burning bush or a lion? What about a picture of a baby in a manger?
Symbols and Representations
To answer these questions, I wish to make a distinction. It is important to distinguish between religious symbols from representations of the divine. Representations of God, like pictures of God the Father or Jesus, or figures of Jesus on the cross, re-present God in physical form. They inevitably misrepresent him, diminish his glory, are products of our own perceptions—requiring us to fill the gaps of what we do not know—and incline us to venerate them wrongly. For these reasons, God’s prohibition in the second commandment would include these “re-presentations” of God or Christ.
Religious symbols like a lion, a burning bush, a fish, a crown, a book, a cup, bread, a flame, a sword, a manger, or empty cross are not seeking to re-present God or the Son but illustrate truth revealed in God’s word.[2] To be sure, if someone were to use these symbols in worship—pray before them, bow or kneel before them, give the sign of the cross, or venerate them—then that would certainly be a violation of the second commandment. However, these symbols are emblematic rather than re-presenting the invisible God in visual form.
One example of symbolism is the burning bush symbol on the cover of the Reformation Study Bible and the explanation of it which you can read here. This symbol was used prominently by the Huguenots who shared the same understanding of the second commandment as expounded in last Sunday’s sermon. This symbol was not intending to represent God in physical form but a reminder of God’s self-revelation to Moses and his faithfulness to keep and preserve his people.
With this distinction in mind, the cross is a symbol, reminding us of Christ and his accomplishment in our salvation. Whereas the crucifix (the cross with a physical representation of Jesus) moves beyond a symbol to a re-presentation of Jesus in physical form. The former is permissible, the latter is prohibited. Religious symbols are not forbidden—the cherubim in the temple curtains and adorning the ark of the covenant is a case in point—but representations of God in physical form are out of bounds.
Some may believe the distinction between representation and symbolism is arbitrary or vague. For instance, I understand the baby in the nativity scene as a representation of Jesus, and therefore a 2CV.[3] Some might disagree and view the baby in the nativity scene as a symbol of the incarnation rather than a representation of Jesus. I concede that it may be difficult to discern and in some cases differences of opinion will exist between disciples of Christ. In these cases we should exercise charity for one another, seek God’s wisdom, watch out for sentimentalism or traditionalism, exercise caution, and do without the image if we are unsure rather than risk God’s displeasure.
Conclusion
God cares how he is worshiped. God cares how he is understood and made known. He has revealed himself through his word, both the written and incarnate Word. It is the word, breathed out by the Spirit and illumined in our hearts by the same Spirit that shines the spotlight on the Living Word, Jesus Christ. And in turn, Christ reveals the glory of God the Father. No form can capture the self-revelation of the Triune God. He has revealed himself through his Christ, his Spirit, and through the truth of his word and so now we know him and worship him in like manner.
May he be glorified as we know him, love him, and worship him in Spirit and truth.
— Tim Stephens
[1] I recommend his entire chapter to you if you are interested in reading more on the subject.
[2] As mentioned in the sermon, the second commandment does not prohibit the use of religious symbols. The tabernacle was adorned with cherubim along with the Ark of the Covenant.
[3] 2CV—2nd Commandment Violation