How do you feel about Crucifixes?

[Leevo]

With the Corpus Christi attached? I personally find no fault with them and bought one yesterday at a flea market and I also got a necklace Crucifix off ebay... I ask because I look at it as basically a physical representation of John 3:16 and it reminds me of the sacrifice Christ made so that I could go to heaven. It keeps me focused on Him having it around my neck and on my wall at home.

How do you all feel about them? If you dislike them, why?

 

[Goodbook]

Ive never seen people wear them. But then i dont go to a catholic church where its seems like its required. I have seen a giant crucifix in front of a catholic boys school. But it got taken down and isnt there anymore.

What I think about them...well when I was a child I thought it looked scary but I knew it was depicting Jesus suffering for our sins.

A friend whos dad was catholic gave me a cross etched into glass as a gift when my cat died. I had forgotten I had. I bought it out and put it on my bookshelf yesterday. It and was reminded of it when another one of my friends dog died recently. Crosses remind me of death, but also new life (empty ones). I guess with the corpus christi its more Jesus suffering that is emphasied rather than empy crosses which could be anybodys, but most churches have crosses, the baptist one has a wooden cross at the alter inside and a neon ones outside- theee of them- to represent calvary.

If I see a cross it might be that im passing through a cemetery or someone has just died, you see them on the side of the road. But its also hopeful because of the resurrection.

I sometimes look at it when im singing in church and it reminds me of what Jesus did.

 

[twin1954]

With the Corpus Christi attached? I personally find no fault with them and bought one yesterday at a flea market and I also got a necklace Crucifix off ebay... I ask because I look at it as basically a physical representation of John 3:16 and it reminds me of the sacrifice Christ made so that I could go to heaven. It keeps me focused on Him having it around my neck and on my wall at home.

How do you all feel about them? If you dislike them, why?

It is idolatry and ought to never be seen. If it were possible to find the actual cross that the Lord Jesus was crucified on the best thing that could be done with it would be to burn it. People worship all kinds of images and they are not particular in what it is. The Brazen Serpent wasn't destroyed until Hezekiah's day because people burned incense to it and worshipped it. 2Kings 18:4

 

[98cwitr]

Why revere a man made symbol of God, when you can worship Him directly? It'd be like walking around talking to a picture of my dad, when I could just pick up the phone and call him.

 

[mikedsjr]

With the Corpus Christi attached? I personally find no fault with them and bought one yesterday at a flea market and I also got a necklace Crucifix off ebay... I ask because I look at it as basically a physical representation of John 3:16 and it reminds me of the sacrifice Christ made so that I could go to heaven. It keeps me focused on Him having it around my neck and on my wall at home.

How do you all feel about them? If you dislike them, why?

If it reminds you of the sacrifice of Christ I'm not sure why anyone would fault you.

 

[Goodbook]

I guess some ppl need a visual aid, like children learn to read with picture books. But Jesus is the Word, not the Image.

Actually the beast in revelation wants ppl to worship images instead of relying on the Word. Because the Word is the truth.

 

[Leevo]

Why revere a man made symbol of God, when you can worship Him directly? It'd be like walking around talking to a picture of my dad, when I could just pick up the phone and call him.

Valid point, I just like to have it to keep my mind focused on Him. having the visual aid reminds me when I often forget.

 

[twin1954]

(Exo 20:4) Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:

 

[mikedsjr]

(Exo 20:4) Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:

That isn't what is happening. You might as well say, "Any picture, play,movie, art or animation depicting anything from Scripture is idolatrous".

 

[twin1954]

That isn't what is happening. You might as well say, "Any picture, play,movie, art or animation depicting anything from Scripture is idolatrous".

Not really. Anything picturing God, either the Father, the Son or the Holy Spirit is idolatrous. Idolatry is whatever folks look at and think of it as their god. It could be a carved stump or an idea of God that doesn't fit with Him as He is revealed in the Scriptures. So-called pictures of Jesus are idolatrous and an abomination as they certainly are not even close to a representation of Him.

If we need a picture, statue, sign or symbol to help us worship the true and living God we are in trouble. We have all of Creation to remind us of God. We have His word which tells us all that we need to know of Him. We have the Spirit in us as believers that gives us a view of Him in our spirit so that we need nothing else.

(1Pe 1:7) That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:


(1Pe 1:8) Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:


(1Pe 1:9) Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.

 

[twin1954]

Peter said that the unimaginable things he saw and heard on the mount of transfiguration were not to be trusted more than the Scriptures.

(2Pe 1:16) For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.


(2Pe 1:17) For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.


(2Pe 1:18) And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount.


(2Pe 1:19) We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:


(2Pe 1:20) Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.


(2Pe 1:21) For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

 

[Winken]

I rarely "dress up" anymore, but I do have the typical pastor's outfit with a small cross fastening the collar of the white shirt, no tie. I also have "Minister on Duty" on the dashboard of my cars. Each attracts attention.... each gives the opportunity for someone, anyone, to ask me about my Faith. But I'm not going to put a cross in our picture window at home, or out in the front yard. Just thinking.............

 

[twin1954]

God is very jealous for His name but He has magnified His Word even above His name. Just look at the Psalms to find how often the beauty and glory of His name is mentioned. How much more His Word then ought we to take heed?

(Psa 29:2) Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.

(Psa 111:9) He sent redemption unto his people: he hath commanded his covenant for ever: holy and reverend is his name.


(Psa 138:2) I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.

 

[mikedsjr]

Twin, the verses have nothing to do with wearing a crucifix. You don't make rules for others when Scripture doesn't forbid it.

 

[twin1954]

Twin, the verses have nothing to do with wearing a crucifix. You don't make rules for others when Scripture doesn't forbid it.

I am not making rules for anyone I am just pointing out what the Scriptures teach. I would have thought that the meaning of the passages that I gave was obvious. I never said that they say anything about crucifixes but they certainly do apply to my argument against them.

The question was asked and I answered and I gave my reasons for my answer. I backed up my argument with the Scriptures simple as that.

I find them to be an abomination but they are a small matter to me in the total of things that are not Scriptural in the practice and beliefs of "Christianity" today.

 

[mikedsjr]

I am not making rules for anyone I am just pointing out what the Scriptures teach. I would have thought that the meaning of the passages that I gave was obvious. I never said that they say anything about crucifixes but they certainly do apply to my argument against them.

The question was asked and I answered and I gave my reasons for my answer. I backed up my argument with the Scriptures simple as that.

I find them to be an abomination but they are a small matter to me in the total of things that are not Scriptural in the practice and beliefs of "Christianity" today.

I disagree that the verses apply to your argument. There is nothing there remotely suggesting crucifixes are wrong. You have to be careful being open with what you find wrong and what Scripture says is wrong. Rules out of fear lead to traditions that the church says are binding on all.

 

[twin1954]

I disagree that the verses apply to your argument. There is nothing there remotely suggesting crucifixes are wrong. You have to be careful being open with what you find wrong and what Scripture says is wrong. Rules out of fear lead to traditions that the church says are binding on all.

They apply to my argument that the Scriptures are all we need. Crosses, crucifixes and pictures of Jesus are all superstitious nonsense that folks hold on to in order to bolster their faith. I put them in the same place as tongues and so-called miracles as teaching that the Scriptures are not enough. It is ignorance at best and idolatry at worst.

I am not binding anyone with what I believe to be a Scriptural teaching I am just making the argument against them. If you think you need to keep a cross or crucifix to bolster your faith that is between you and God. But just don't do it in ignorance.

 

[MWood]

If you carry a small New Testament in your pocket, and read it every day, it will do more for you than any crucifix. It really is the only crutch that we need.

 

[twin1954]

If you carry a small New Testament in your pocket, and read it every day, it will do more for you than any crucifix. It really is the only crutch that we need.

I actually have a full Old and New Testament Bible in pocket size with very small but very clear print that I carry.

 

[mikedsjr]

They apply to my argument that the Scriptures are all we need. Crosses, crucifixes and pictures of Jesus are all superstitious nonsense that folks hold on to in order to bolster their faith. I put them in the same place as tongues and so-called miracles as teaching that the Scriptures are not enough. It is ignorance at best and idolatry at worst.

I am not binding anyone with what I believe to be a Scriptural teaching I am just making the argument against them. If you think you need to keep a cross or crucifix to bolster your faith that is between you and God. But just don't do it in ignorance.

No, you haven't proven anything with the Scripture you quoted regarding wearing a crucifix. It say nothing against a crucifix. I'm not surprised your opposed to it. But Scripturally there is nothing opposed to it