Graven Images

Robert W. La Coste
Hereford, Texas

Long ago God instructed, "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 ..."

In view of this statement of God's word, it is hard to understand why man reproduces "images" of heavenly things. Practically everywhere one may care to go, "pictures" of Christ, the last Supper, and other things can be seen. But what is even worse, some of these "graven images" are in the homes of Christians!!

In addition to what God said in Exodus 20:4, the Apostle Paul wrote, "Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device." (Acts 17:29)

This should be proof enough that the pictures of Christ (with long hair for the most part; see I Cor. 11: 14) and the art gravings of the last Supper need to come off the walls and out of the homes of those who would do God's will and be pleasing unto Him. They are a mockery of spiritual and godly things -- which no man could ever put on canvas, no matter what the talent and ability.

In striving to teach people about such things, one is often accused of being "narrow minded" or perhaps "sacrilegious", but what these people do not realize is that they are the ones who have become irreligious, by making an image of something heavenly. My friends and brethren, in light of God's, word, who has offended God??? "God is a spirit, and they that worship him, must worship him, in spirit and in truth" (John 4:24).

TRUTH MAGAZINE, XV: 27, p. 13
May 13, 1971