Cross

Catholics and Protestants is that many Catholic crosses have an image of Jesus hanging on them, while Protestant crosses are empty. (The cross with Christ on it is a crucifix.) More important is that the cross and the crucifix represent two very different understandings of Christ's atonement for sin. Both Catholics and evangelical Protestants believe that Christ died to pay the penalty for sin. The difference is that Protestants believe that Christ's work was finished on the cross, and Catholics believe it continues.

For Catholics, the appearance of Christ on the crucifix represents the fact that Christ's atoning work is still going on.

For Protestants, the empty cross demonstrates that Christ's sacrificial work is completed, and there is no more sacrifice for sin.

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God knows all. He has known everything from the beginning. Nothing is a surprise to God, nor does He ever come into possession of new knowledge. Did it ever occur to you that nothing occurs to God?

God gave us conscience. If the truth of God's Word opposes the world's wisdom on a certain issue, you must align yourself with God's Word.

Faith is from God, not from man. Man can do nothing to earn or receive it. Martin Luther

If we take our doctrines into our hearts where they belong, they can cause upheavals of emotion and sleepless nights. This is far better than toying with academic ideas that never touch life. John Piper

Faith is the gift of God – not the result of the persuasion of the evangelist.Jerry Bridges

And here I thought the empty cross was that Christ was no longer there but carrying on His work in the resurrected life

Just an FYI, the majority of the Crosses in the world that don't have Christ on them is Orthodox.

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"When I opened my mind's eyes in deep thought through the study of the 'Book', I saw the depth of the knowledge of the graces; I opened my heart in order to understand what seemed difficult to understand, to examine, to be informed and comprehend the depth of its knowledge which filled my frail mind with awe, and in order to take in mentally I was prepared to forget that knowledge which I had in the beginning."
- Saint Gregory of Narek

That too.

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God knows all. He has known everything from the beginning. Nothing is a surprise to God, nor does He ever come into possession of new knowledge. Did it ever occur to you that nothing occurs to God?

God gave us conscience. If the truth of God's Word opposes the world's wisdom on a certain issue, you must align yourself with God's Word.

Faith is from God, not from man. Man can do nothing to earn or receive it. Martin Luther

If we take our doctrines into our hearts where they belong, they can cause upheavals of emotion and sleepless nights. This is far better than toying with academic ideas that never touch life. John Piper

Faith is the gift of God – not the result of the persuasion of the evangelist.Jerry Bridges

Good to know

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To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
God knows all. He has known everything from the beginning. Nothing is a surprise to God, nor does He ever come into possession of new knowledge. Did it ever occur to you that nothing occurs to God?

God gave us conscience. If the truth of God's Word opposes the world's wisdom on a certain issue, you must align yourself with God's Word.

Faith is from God, not from man. Man can do nothing to earn or receive it. Martin Luther

If we take our doctrines into our hearts where they belong, they can cause upheavals of emotion and sleepless nights. This is far better than toying with academic ideas that never touch life. John Piper

Faith is the gift of God – not the result of the persuasion of the evangelist.Jerry Bridges

Some believe that those images help them to see God in various forms. Native Americans saw the great spirit's strength when they looked at eagles, wisdom when they saw an owl.
When God said not to have images it's because He wants nothing between Him and His people. Not an earthly projection of a small bit of who He is.

During Reformation, some early Protestant reformers were very cautious about images of Christ. Crosses are frequent in places of worship, but these reformers believed that using images of God in worship was a violation of the second commandment.

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God knows all. He has known everything from the beginning. Nothing is a surprise to God, nor does He ever come into possession of new knowledge. Did it ever occur to you that nothing occurs to God?

God gave us conscience. If the truth of God's Word opposes the world's wisdom on a certain issue, you must align yourself with God's Word.

Faith is from God, not from man. Man can do nothing to earn or receive it. Martin Luther

If we take our doctrines into our hearts where they belong, they can cause upheavals of emotion and sleepless nights. This is far better than toying with academic ideas that never touch life. John Piper

Faith is the gift of God – not the result of the persuasion of the evangelist.Jerry Bridges

In the words of Fr. Benedict Groeshel on why Catholics have the Crucifix:

"All of us has a Cross to carry, none of us knows what it's like to be risen from the dead."

Or something like that.

Are there really no crucifixes in Protestant churches?

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As the sparrow finds a home and the swallow a nest to settle her young, My home is by your altars, LORD of hosts, my king and my God! (Psalms 84:4)

Originally Posted by JimfromOhio

During Reformation, some early Protestant reformers were very cautious about images of Christ. Crosses are frequent in places of worship, but these reformers believed that using images of God in worship was a violation of the second commandment.

Really? Just during the reformation

Of course, today too. LOL

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To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
God knows all. He has known everything from the beginning. Nothing is a surprise to God, nor does He ever come into possession of new knowledge. Did it ever occur to you that nothing occurs to God?

God gave us conscience. If the truth of God's Word opposes the world's wisdom on a certain issue, you must align yourself with God's Word.

Faith is from God, not from man. Man can do nothing to earn or receive it. Martin Luther

If we take our doctrines into our hearts where they belong, they can cause upheavals of emotion and sleepless nights. This is far better than toying with academic ideas that never touch life. John Piper

Faith is the gift of God – not the result of the persuasion of the evangelist.Jerry Bridges