Art, OCD and Biblical interpretation

[KiranLee]

Hi everyone, I am looking for advice. This feels like a never ending battle. I have been worried that art is a sin to God. I began to recover then I read Revelations 9:20 and now I am afraid that this means that making art leads to idolatry and demon worship so God doesn't want us to do it all. I am very confused and scared to the point that I am trying to prevent thoughts with images from popping into my head.
Does that verse mean that we need to repent from making anything or just idols?

 

[kufe]

Hi everyone, I am looking for advice. This feels like a never ending battle. I have been worried that art is a sin to God. I began to recover then I read Revelations 9:20 and now I am afraid that this means that making art leads to idolatry and demon worship so God doesn't want us to do it all. I am very confused and scared to the point that I am trying to prevent thoughts with images from popping into my head.
Does that verse mean that we need to repent from making anything or just idols?

Art is a form of expression not idolatry, it only becomes that when you start to put that which you have created above God, then it doesn't just become an object you appreciate but an object you worship. So no art is not a form of idolatry.

 

[faroukfarouk]

Hi everyone, I am looking for advice. This feels like a never ending battle. I have been worried that art is a sin to God. I began to recover then I read Revelations 9:20 and now I am afraid that this means that making art leads to idolatry and demon worship so God doesn't want us to do it all. I am very confused and scared to the point that I am trying to prevent thoughts with images from popping into my head.
Does that verse mean that we need to repent from making anything or just idols?

Hi; idolatry is worshipping images, not making things that reflect the glory of God. (It's good to keep looking Godward.)

Are you are good artist?

 

[Jeshu]

Hi everyone, I am looking for advice. This feels like a never ending battle. I have been worried that art is a sin to God. I began to recover then I read Revelations 9:20 and now I am afraid that this means that making art leads to idolatry and demon worship so God doesn't want us to do it all. I am very confused and scared to the point that I am trying to prevent thoughts with images from popping into my head.
Does that verse mean that we need to repent from making anything or just idols?

Art can be the opposite of idolatry giving glory to God! Only art that demands worship like an idol is idolatry and idolatrous, enjoying our God given human ability is not a sin, but a gift. Any art giving God glory is good and pleasing to the Lord. Jesus loves it when we do art for Him or in His honour.

Revelation 9:20-21 is about the works of sinners hands in which they prided themselves for having removed themselves from true God serving their own inventions instead.

So only when pride in your art removes you from God would your art be idolatrous, never otherwise. Indeed if you are an artist let nothing stop you from doing art. Love, faith and hope in God could come up with some real master pieces.

Peace

 

[KiranLee]

Art can be the opposite of idolatry giving glory to God! Only art that demands worship like an idol is idolatry and idolatrous, enjoying our God given human ability is not a sin, but a gift. Any art giving God glory is good and pleasing to the Lord. Jesus loves it when we do art for Him or in His honour.

Revelation 9:20-21 is about the works of sinners hands in which they prided themselves for having removed themselves from true God serving their own inventions instead.

So only when pride in your art removes you from God would your art be idolatrous, never otherwise. Indeed if you are an artist let nothing stop you from doing art. Love, faith and hope in God could come up with some real master pieces.

Peace

Hi; idolatry is worshipping images, not making things that reflect the glory of God. (It's good to keep looking Godward.)

Are you are good artist?

Thank you both for the encouragement it has helped me a lot. I have been drawing since I was ten years old(People tell me I am a good artist so I hope that I am effective at God's skill) on my good days, I know for certain it came from Father because no one else trained me, but on my bad days I forget, I want to use it for God's glory but this OCD makes it hard for me to use His skills for Him sometimes.

 

[KiranLee]

Art is a form of expression not idolatry, it only becomes that when you start to put that which you have created above God, then it doesn't just become an object you appreciate but an object you worship. So no art is not a form of idolatry.

Thank you, that helps put my mind at ease. I am getting tired worrying. Sometimes it feels like I am a thread away from hell, which I know is false because of Jesus' blood, but it still terrifies me sometimes.

 

[faroukfarouk]

Thank you both for the encouragement it has helped me a lot. I have been drawing since I was ten years old(People tell me I am a good artist so I hope that I am effective at God's skill) on my good days, I know for certain it came from Father because no one else trained me, but on my bad days I forget, I want to use it for God's glory but this OCD makes it hard for me to use His skills for Him sometimes.

YW, Kiran. Maybe on your home page I could make some suggestions also, beyond the OCD topic on this thread.

 

[KiranLee]

YW, Kiran. Maybe on your home page I could make some suggestions also, beyond the OCD topic on this thread.

Oh of course, I am always open to encouragement and instruction from a brother.

 

[Jeshu]

Thank you both for the encouragement it has helped me a lot. I have been drawing since I was ten years old(People tell me I am a good artist so I hope that I am effective at God's skill) on my good days, I know for certain it came from Father because no one else trained me, but on my bad days I forget, I want to use it for God's glory but this OCD makes it hard for me to use His skills for Him sometimes.

sorry to hear that you O.C.D is playing up. Please ground your talents and gifts in God's word and you will be safe from those intrusive thoughts.

God is a God of rest and peace seek Him in those realities by giving Him all those realities that do not trust or obey Him. Doubting and fearing God being real time culprits.

Please put your faith in His loving truth and you will be able to flourish.

Have you made art about your O.C.D? i have seen some really good art depicting mental illness and offering real time solutions with it done by mentally ill people. Such is good art. You could be a master at doing that for you have first hand experiences with O.C.D.

Peace.

 

[KiranLee]

sorry to hear that you O.C.D is playing up. Please ground your talents and gifts in God's word and you will be safe from those intrusive thoughts.

God is a God of rest and peace seek Him in those realities by giving Him all those realities that do not trust or obey Him. Doubting and fearing God being real time culprits.

Please put your faith in His loving truth and you will be able to flourish.

Have you made art about your O.C.D? i have seen some really good art depicting mental illness and offering real time solutions with it done by mentally ill people. Such is good art. You could be a master at doing that for you have first hand experiences with O.C.D.

Peace.

Thank you, I have considered making art for such purposes. I have some ideas that I hope could help others both understand OCD and help those who suffer from it feel less alone. I also have seen some art depicting Schizophrenia and bipolarism which helped me to see the conditions from a different angle. I would like to do something like that with OCD as a subject.

 

[Aussie Pete]

Hi everyone, I am looking for advice. This feels like a never ending battle. I have been worried that art is a sin to God. I began to recover then I read Revelations 9:20 and now I am afraid that this means that making art leads to idolatry and demon worship so God doesn't want us to do it all. I am very confused and scared to the point that I am trying to prevent thoughts with images from popping into my head.
Does that verse mean that we need to repent from making anything or just idols?

Anything that is more important than God is an idol. Children, work, possessions, money, ourselves, spouse, family, sport, music, art - any human endeavour is potentially a trap. Even Christian work can become an end in itself. You do not need to single out art.