Idols in the church

[angels4u]

How about having a cross hanging in your livingroom with Jesus still ON the cross?

We had people living with us last year on the other side of our house, they are evangelicial but they had a cross hanging in their livingroom with Jesus on it.

I was very confused about it and asked the lady why she had a cross with Jesus still on it???

She said it reminded her all the time that Jesus died for her sins.

I believe He is off the cross He is Risen in living in my heart .

And to have a cross with Jesus on it would be wrong for me, how about you guys?

Love in Christ,Angels

[refugepsa91]

This thread made me sit here and think just what I have in the house that could be dangerous....and I actually remember something...they are these brass match holders that hang on the wall  ya know next to a fireplace....well they are made to look like satan the little chin beard and even horns...my gosh they are gone first thing in the morning !  Wierd thing is I knew I had them cuz after I got saved I wanted to get rid of them but I forgot and wham months later you all reminded me!

Thank you you are all a blessing!

By the way now that I think some more my church doesn't have a steeple and no pics on the walls very plain...there isn't even a cross in there....well they do sell little cross necklaces and so on in the bookstore but nothing at all hanging on walls or on the outside of the building.

Love and Blessings

Angel H.

[Star]

Yod: That Apostolic churches(called Nazarene in Europe, but different than the Nazarene in North America) never have steeples or crosses on their churches.  Their members wear no religious symbols.  That's the church I was baptized in.  Now I am affiliated with the Brethren Assemblies, and we never have anything but plain buildings to worship in, for the very reasons you cited.

[Snowdoove]

Angel4~

I have a ceramic cross with Jesus on it on the wall in my home.

I see nothing wrong with it.

I no longer see Jesus Christ on the cross, for He is Risen and lives in the hearts of people who love Him and are trying to follow His teachings.

Don't you think that by sharing all of this, people may get caught up in all of it. This will take them away from Sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ and helping others by showing their love.

The world is in enough turmoil as it is.

[byHisGrace]

Some of the things mentioned above are idols and should not have any part in a Christians life.  Lot's of them though, are just inantimate objects that have no bearing one way or the other unless we give them that.  I see nothing wrong with crosses or religious sayings or pictures-in fact, my home has scripture in every room.  I think your looking for the devil under every bush.  It is just like the symbols we use in communion, they are just that, symbols and a reminder to us and others of the hope that is within us.  When I see the cross I am reminded of His love and His sacrafice for me. That's all, no more no less.

[Catsmeow]

Angelgirl...I don't think there's anything wrong with a crucifix, (the cross with Jesus still on it)...I'm not too fond of it because it makes me sad  but many people do have one and there's no sin in doing that...

It's a more common practice among Roman Catholics but when I was in Indonesia, the Baptist church had a crucifix in it so I figure it's a non-issue.

It's so easy to start getting caught up in this stuff and we really shouldn't. It doesn't in any way dishonor the Lord; I just prefer to see the cross without the Body of our Lord on it...but that's my preference.

[WISDOM]

Some of the things mentioned above are idols and should not have any part in a Christians life.

[munari]

Cat,

You're right. And I'd like to take this post to make a quick apologetic to maybe explain WHY Christ is still on the cross. I don't intend for this to splinter, but I think it may be good as info for those who are curious about why Jesus is still on the cross on a Catholic's crucifix.

Catholics celebrate the Mass. The Mass is an unbloody sacrifice, a participation in the one-time sacrifice on Calvary. For this reason, Catholics have Christ on the crucifix to remind us of this sacrifice, as a reminder of what Christ did for us.

For me, I think that if all I had was an empty cross, I would remember that Christ rose from the grave for me (as I do now), but I would forget, or at least not have as clear in my mind, the real sacrifce and suffering that Christ endured for my soul.

[Catsmeow]

Good point. Still makes me sad to see it, though.  

[munari]

Yes, it is sad, but that's not necessarily a bad thing cat...  

Its a grim reminder not only of what He did for me, but what I have done to Him. Everytime I see a crucifix, it reminds me, on some level, of how my sins are responsible for Him being on that cross, and that He suffered for me and for all humanity. We should let our sadness be our strength to not sin again, because as I have stated before, our sins stretch back through time and add another stripe to His back or another thorn in His head.