Why are there statues in a church?

Hello Ocean Moon i love your name. I am new here too.

Not all Christian churches have statues. Scriptures forbid us to pray to or worship idols or graven images, so many Protestant Christian churches do not have statues but have crosses instead.

Jesus Christ is one way of saying Jesus the “Messiah” because “Christ” means “Messiah” (from the Hebrew word “mashiach”)

Jesus already rose from the dead three days after He died, according to Scriptures. And yes, He will return again.

“Christianity” is a word that describes a way of life—the life of a Christian who follows Jesus. A Christian is someone who believes that Jesus is the Messiah, that He loves us, and died for our sins, and was raised from the dead, and will return one day.

John is a good book to read because it is full of Jesus teachings. If you are able to, you might want to read the book of Luke first. You may find it a little less confusing if it is your first time reading about the life of Jesus.

Hello, Oceanmoon, and welcome.

It's not idolatry to have statues as such; it's only idolatry if they become objects of worship. Statues in churches are not there to be worshipped, but to be physical and visual representations of the things we read about in Scripture, or in the history of the Church.

How many times a day does a Christian pray? We don't necessarily have a set answer. Some Christians have very regular prayer times - for example, morning and evening - but others will pray as they wish.

"Christ" means "anointed," and points to the role Jesus took on in his life here on earth.

Christians understand God as a Trinity; three persons, but all one God. So, "God Almighty" would for us encompass Father, Son and Holy Spirit. But sometimes we direct our prayers particularly to one or the other of the persons of the Trinity.

You are correct that we believe that Christ will return; that all of the dead will be raised; and that there will be judgement, and a new heavens and new earth.

You are right that John's gospel is not easy to understand! But you are welcome to ask questions and explore here.

Oceanmoon said:

Hi,
I would like to know a few things please,, why are there statues in a church? Isn't that idolatry? Also, how many times a day does a Christian worship Jesus?

Why the name is Jesus Christ, is that out of respect?

If you say God Almighty does that imply Jesus too, or do you direct worship to Jesus as God Almighty. What about the Holy Father then?

In Christianity what will happen when Jesus is resurrected? What I know is that he will return to this earth..

I research a bit about Christianity and only raises more questions, I would rather not know the answers for, but find the need to. The book of John is not so easy to understand.

Thank you

Click to expand...

Welcome to the forum Ocean Moon,

Idolitory is the worship of anything other than God.
So statues, pictures etc are not automaticaly idolitory. It depends what is being done towards them.

How many times do Christians worship God/Jesus in a day?
What do you call worship? There is no set number of times for worship. We are to live our livesto the honour and glory of God. Something we totaly fail at.
Quetion for you. God commands that All who worship him be perfect. How do you seek to follow this command and how do you copy with not being able to obey it?

The bible makes very clear that God is One, the shema, 'Hear O Israel the Lord is One.'
Yet the bible also makes clear that God is more than ONE
In Isaiah 9:6,For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7 Of the greatness of his government and peace
there will be no end.
He will reign on David’s throne
and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
with justice and righteousness
from that time on and forever.
The zeal of the Lord Almighty
will accomplish this.

We have what Christians believe is a prophercy of the coming of Jesus.
In this passage we have the Lord Almighty establishing the rule of a Son who is called Mighty God.
By the way Christians believe that the Trinity is :-
God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.
Those who say it is the Father Son and Mary are blaspheming God.

Resurection that happened on the third day.
When Jesus returns that is when the universe will end and everyone will be judged.

May I suggest checking out satilight television channals like sat7 which broadcast Christian programes.

Oceanmoon said:

Hi,
I would like to know a few things please,, why are there statues in a church? Isn't that idolatry? Also, how many times a day does a Christian worship Jesus?

Why the name is Jesus Christ, is that out of respect?

If you say God Almighty does that imply Jesus too, or do you direct worship to Jesus as God Almighty. What about the Holy Father then?

In Christianity what will happen when Jesus is resurrected? What I know is that he will return to this earth..

I research a bit about Christianity and only raises more questions, I would rather not know the answers for, but find the need to. The book of John is not so easy to understand.

Thank you

Click to expand...

To better understand Jesus Christ pick up the book The Desire of Ages or online at
https://sealingtime.com/resources/online-library/books/ellen-white/the-desire-of-ages/

The Desire of Ages. This book is like a harmony of the gospels. It takes Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John and combines the stories in chapter form. Of the thousands of books in the Library of Congress on the life of Jesus, this is one of the most used and asked for.

Hi @Oceanmoon . I can help answer a few of these questions. The statues are used in some churches as aids to worship, the way a picture or a movie or a song can focus and direct our thoughts. Not all churches believe in them, though, so you'll get different opinions about them. And yes, if it's carried too far, it would be a form of idolatry, but that is not their intention.

"Christ" is Greek for Messiah, which means "anointed". Messiah was the promised anointed one who would deliver Israel. So "Jesus Christ" is like saying "Messiah Jesus". Sometimes the name is even rendered "Christ Jesus" in the Scriptures.

Finally, for the Christian, worship does not have to be formal or corporate - that is, in a church. Worship can be any time, anywhere. The passage of Jesus with the woman at the well at John 4 (who by the way was most probably a woman of ill repute) relates this change:



There's more to the passage, much worth taking a look at.

A lot of us dedicate our time to this section so we are here for questions. Please feel free to ask what you want whether it's doctrinal or personal.

Oceanmoon said:

I would like to know a few things please,, why are there statues in a church? Isn't that idolatry? Also, how many times a day does a Christian worship Jesus?

Click to expand...

Though statues are an inanimate lifeless thing, they can be a temptation for some to substitute the true and living God for what the statue represents.

Oceanmoon said:

f you say God Almighty does that imply Jesus too, or do you direct worship to Jesus as God Almighty. What about the Holy Father then?

Click to expand...

Yes. But we are not to confuse the Son with the Father even though they are the One God.

Oceanmoon said:

In Christianity what will happen when Jesus is resurrected? What I know is that he will return to this earth..
I research a bit about Christianity and only raises more questions, I would rather not know the answers for, but find the need to. The book of John is not so easy to understand.[/QUOTE]

Click to expand...

The centre of the Christian faith is Jesus Christ
(His perfect life/death for our sins/and resurrection.)

Oceanmoon said:

...Also, how many times a day does a Christian worship Jesus?

Click to expand...

Perhaps I missed it, but I haven't seen this question addressed totally. Perhaps you are asking if we have anything prescriptive like designated prayer times throughout the day? The answer is that it depends upon one's Christian tradition/practice. Persons of some (but not all) traditions pray morning, noon, and evening prayers. It is part of my tradition practiced by some by not all. You may find out more about that in our Book of Common Prayer. See "Daily Office" or "Prayers for Individuals and Families."

Oceanmoon said:

why are there statues in a church? Isn't that idolatry?

Click to expand...

Not all churches have statues.

One reason people say they have statues is so they think of Jesus and great people of God and events of Biblical history. And then they can meditate on how Jesus and His examples and events represent holiness and honoring God; and so their statues help them think about loving and honoring God and being holy. So, their claim is the statues are meant to help them to worship God . . . not to get people to worship the statues.

I suppose it is not idolatry if someone is not worshiping a statue. I can see how looking at it and thinking about what it represents is not worshiping it.

But we have people of God who are holy and honoring God, and they do not only represent these things, plus they can minister grace which has us growing in holiness and honoring God. So, I think we need to share with the people personally, so we can feed on their good example. They can minister more to us, possibly, than a physical statue can. How a statue can minister could be limited to our own ability to think and meditate about it . . . unless, of course, God sees fit to have us be effected better than what we can get ourselves to do.

We need to depend on God, in any case; and God does use examples who are His children. I think manmade art is very limited, compared with a Christian example whom God has made

And how are we to learn how to love, if we mainly or only depend on statues? We need to share with Christian people so we can find out how to love, and not get isolated with ourselves in self-produced devotion!!

Oceanmoon said:

With all due respect, I find the sculpture of Jesus crucified disturbing, I want to cry and feel really sad. I understood since Jesus died for everyone sins, but it was so much suffering..

Click to expand...

I don't think there's anything wrong with finding such sculptures disturbing. I've seen some that I find very disturbing!

I guess my question for you would be, having read our answers, was that helpful? Do you feel you would like to explore further, and can we help you with that?

Oceanmoon said:

With all due respect, I find the sculpture of Jesus crucified disturbing, I want to cry and feel really sad. I understood since Jesus died for everyone sins, but it was so much suffering..

Click to expand...

If you didn't find the story of Jesus's death disturbing that would be a cause for concern about you.

But more than the brutality of his death is the reason he willingly went to that death.

How do you respond to the claim that it is only through faith in Jesus that anyone can get to God?

Oceanmoon said:

I would like to know a few things please,, why are there statues in a church?

Click to expand...

Men like statues.

Oceanmoon said:

how many times a day does a Christian worship Jesus?

Click to expand...

We do not have an official number of times we worship Jesus, during the day. I understand there are Muslims who stop for prayer, seven times a day while they are facing Mecca.

There are different ways people claim to worship Jesus.

There are people who go to church on Sunday, but that can be all they do. Others might go on Sunday, and pray in the morning and the evening.

Others understand that we should worship Christ, all the time. We worship God, by being the way He wants, and by loving the way God wants; and God in us has us living and loving the way He wants > we understand we must not depend on what we can get our own selves to do, but submit to God . . . personally . . . so He is the One having us become like Jesus and love the way Jesus loves. This is very pleasing to God, because Jesus is so pleasing to our Heavenly Father. So, only God is able to do this good with us.

And worship is not by ourselves; we are God's family; so our Father has us coming together with each other, so we can worship as His family and not only as isolated individuals. We need to have special times when we get together for church, so we can publicly worship in song and hear God's word through a leader.

Therefore, we have personal worship, by always loving God and always seeking to submit to Him and do what He wants, and love any and all people the way Jesus wants. But also there is public worship when we gather with others to share and to praise and thank God and encourage one another and hear His word.

And all of this is what I would say is personal worship, in actual personal sharing with God Himself in us, who has us do this.

But, also, there are people who have formed public groups and they have various rules and programs for what to do during church; they tell people to do things which even evil people can imitate; and they depend on seeing people do these copy-catting things, in order to decide and judge who is a Christian! But they do not make a point of having us personally submit to God and how He has us worshiping. They are into self-produced worship, depending on themselves. And this I understand is isolating > if people just copy how they are told to act, each one can be on his or her own, and they are not sharing intimately as God's family.

Worship is in family love, then, with tender caring and sharing with one another . . . not only copy-catting what we are told to do and then going home.

"Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you." (Ephesians 4:31-32)

So, worship and prayer have us being "tenderhearted" with each other, as family, with kindness and affection for one another. And worship and praising and honoring God includes forgiving each other > "even as God", we have in God's word.

So, worship and prayer do not have us isolated with ourselves.

But there are people who do not do this, but they call themselves Christians. But these things I find to be written in the Bible. And I personally know people who seem to love and share, like this, and I find that God is confronting me and correcting me to become a worshiper like this.

"In Spirit and In Truth"
Yahuweh is seeking those who serve Him entirely all the time, truthfully, spiritually, in every way...

Oceanmoon said:

With all due respect, I find the sculpture of Jesus crucified disturbing, I want to cry and feel really sad. I understood since Jesus died for everyone sins, but it was so much suffering..

Click to expand...

Many times I have felt that way myself, and even without statues. The thought of Him going through all that is overwhelming. There's a song that says, "Why did they nail His feet and hands? His love would have held Him there."

The deeper, abiding truth behind what He did is that He did it voluntarily, out of love for us. He did not take counsel with us or ask our permission beforehand; He did it unilaterally and proactively. As this was revealed to me it was a kind of love that I was unprepared for, and it has at times completely undone me. But my usual reaction is love and worship.


Jesus' sacrificial atonement for our sake is completed, and cannot be undone. The only question is whether we as individuals are going to open our hearts and avail ourselves of it or not.