The cross: is it or is it not the symbol of the church?

[King James]

It's not just the "Pagan" similarities the video above is talking about, it's also talking about whether it is or isn't an idolized "graven image" or if it's right to show off the cross that Jesus died on.

I agree with you though. Pagan parallelism can get quite fickle and redundant.

I say the cross is idolatry. I know I'm in the minority. Check this out. Because of this picture Jesus must be fake now.

 

[Messenger]

All I'm going to say is God definitely has a sense of humor.

How do you know that to be true statement?

 

[YosefHayim]

. Check this out. Because of this picture Jesus must be fake now.

Maybe. Do we know what Jesus Looks like? (That looks like a catholic Jesus, the Catholic perversion of Christianity is easy to pick apart for pagan and astralogical similarities because it's them that claimed December 25th, a pagan sun celebration as Jesus' birthday.)

The Bible never gives any physical description of Christ. The closest thing we get to a description is in Isaiah 53:2b, “He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to Him, nothing in His appearance that we should desire Him.” All this tells us is that Jesus’ appearance was just like any other man's – He was ordinary-looking. Isaiah was here prophesying that the coming suffering Servant would arise in lowly conditions and wear none of the usual emblems of royalty, making His true identity visible only to the discerning eye of faith.

Read more: http://www.gotquestions.org/Jesus-look-like.html#ixzz2WuDeQzXa​

Compare to the Shroud of Turin

 

[Matthew G]

All I'm going to say is God definitely has a sense of humor.

How do you know that to be true statement?

If a baboon's red butt doesn't put a smile on your face, check your pulse.

In all seriousness, I know He does because my oldest daughter was supposed to be a boy. Not one, but three...yes, that's right...three ultrasounds said so. And I bragged about that for 6 months because my wife and her mother had originally said it would be a girl. I just went on and on about my strong seed and my boy this and my boy that frankly being more than a bit of a jerk.

Then after 25 1/2 hours of labor, my wife gave the final push and said, "Is he out!?" And both nurses in unison went, "It's a GIRL!"

I felt my heart drop to somewhere around my knees, and I could feel God laughing up there. And then He said to me, "Do you see what happens when you get boastful? You get estrogen!"

Please don't think I'm joking. That story is 100% true, and my wife, parents, sister, in-laws, and our doctor will verify that - because they love telling people about that look on my face.

 

[Brother Mike]

To tell you the truth, I have no opinion about it one way or the other.
I don't like to see a crucifix with Jesus still on the cross. He arose in victory for us all.

Same, I don't like to see Jesus still nailed to the thing.

Well, I don't want to put words in Mike's mouth, but I'm 98.7% sure that was a joke.

Your not saying that there is no such thing as Vampires are you, or the Vampire Apocalypse?

Messenger:

Not a joking matter at all!

I have to agree. Once those vampires are on the loose, nobody is going to be laughing.

All I'm going to say is God definitely has a sense of humor.

Our Father is Hilarious, some of the things He has told me just is beyond imagination. How He can just stop you in your tracks, make you laugh and correct you, getting to look at what your actually thinking. He is awesome.

This comment here is what I am talking about. It's so Life real and God teaches and turns it into fun.

I felt my heart drop to somewhere around my knees, and I could feel God laughing up there. And then He said to me, "Do you see what happens when you get boastful? You get estrogen!"

I say the cross is idolatry. I know I'm in the minority. Check this out. Because of this picture Jesus must be fake now.

This comment here is what I am concerned with. Is it by itself Idolatry? How only "Some" view it? Or should we not even play around with it to keep others from getting snared?

Mike.

 

[Matthew G]

Your not saying that there is no such thing as Vampires are you, or the Vampire Apocalypse?

Either way, we eat a lot of garlic in my house (yay alfredo!), so I think we're good.

Once those vampires are on the loose, nobody is going to be laughing.

Agreed.

This comment here is what I am talking about. It's so Life real and God teaches and turns it into fun.
I felt my heart drop to somewhere around my knees, and I could feel God laughing up there. And then He said to me, "Do you see what happens when you get boastful? You get estrogen!"

Absolutely. Not always, but I'd say a good 90% of the time when God teaches me something, He's laughing while He does it.

 

[Matthew G]

Is it by itself Idolatry?

I don't think so. I know many men who have been guilty of idolatry of their wives - i.e. putting them ahead of God. Are women in and of themselves idols?

 

[Brother Mike]

Absolutely. Not always, but I'd say a good 90% of the time when God teaches me something, He's laughing while He does it.

My wife was frustrated about a choice, I forgot what it was, but she was searching scriptures I guess. She comes to me all flustered and wanted me to bug God for her answer. The wife had an attitude and like I want to bother God with that. She was actually frustrated at God.

Not knowing what she had been reading I went and asked God, Just show the wife her answer. The Lord spoke to me and said, "You go tell that wife of yours that her answer is black and white but is Read already."

So, I went and told her that it's black and white and you read it already. She got so happy because I guess she was reading over and over something Jesus said that she thought was the answer but not sure. She also thought God was just funny.

I have no idea to this day what the wife read or what that was all about. I try not to be the go between. If you got Beef with the Father, then you go and tell him. He does make planets you know.

Mike.

 

[Matthew G]

If you got Beef with the Father, then you go and tell him. He does make planets you know.

Amen!

 

[Deborah13]

How He can just stop you in your tracks, make you laugh and correct you, getting to look at what your actually thinking. He is awesome

I had this happen about a month or so ago. I was talking and said I had an idea and thought I could back it up with scripture. And before I could get a breath to speak another word, He said "What makes you think that was your idea, I taught you that." Opps. I started laughing and my daughter was so puzzled. How could He be correcting my stupidity and I laugh, I don't know. It's more like happiness than feeling rebuked, even though I knew He was saying, you're getting to big for your britches. It was just the way He said it, I guess.

 

[Brother Mike]

How could He be correcting my stupidity and I laugh, I don't know. It's more like happiness than feeling rebuked, even though I knew He was saying, you're getting to big for your britches. It was just the way He said it, I guess.

Praise God, just reading these "ALMOST" brings a tear just thinking how Good and funny our God is, able to instruct in love but get the point over so powerful. It is just the way He says it. I think that is the point. "What makes YOU think that was YOUR idea, I taught you that" That sounds exactly like Him and it's amazing.

It's one reason I feel sad when someone says that God Hurt them in a Car crash so they will get closer to them. Not the Father I know.

You were in a place to pay attention to him when you otherwise would not. God never caused your crash, you just did the smart thing after the crash.

Mike.

 

[YosefHayim]

"Do you see what happens when you get boastful? You get estrogen!"

Ha

 

[evenifigoalone]

I had a small wooden cross necklace. For me, it was like a reminder that helped me to keep my mind in the right places. Kinda like tying a string on your finger to remember something. I don't see how that could be wrong, unless it becomes an object of worship.

Both of the main churches I've attended in my lifetime have three crosses out in the front, my childhood church and my current church. My current church also has a wooden fish symbol on the wall inside the sanctuary.


My dad never approved of the cross or fish symbol, but I couldn't find anything in the Bible about it.

 

[evenifigoalone]

Also, something I heard pointed out recently:
Anything, even something good, can become an object of worship. If it's anything other than God, it's an idol. Even the experience of worship can become an idol. Even the gospel can become an idol, if it means more to you than God does.

Anything has the potential to be an idol, including cross necklaces. This doesn't mean we should get rid of anything that might possibly become an idol. If you're going to do that, might as well live your life in a bubble, and even that wouldn't be foolproof.
As for if the cross has become an idol...from what I can see, probably not on any massive scale. On an individual level? I'm sure it's happened.

That's how I see it, anyway.

 

[handy]

Also, something I heard pointed out recently:
Anything, even something good, can become an object of worship. If it's anything other than God, it's an idol. Even the experience of worship can become an idol. Even the gospel can become an idol, if it means more to you than God does.

Anything has the potential to be an idol, including cross necklaces. This doesn't mean we should get rid of anything that might possibly become an idol. If you're going to do that, might as well live your life in a bubble, and even that wouldn't be foolproof.
As for if the cross has become an idol...from what I can see, probably not on any massive scale. On an individual level? I'm sure it's happened.

That's how I see it, anyway.

I agree with you Questdriven... :amen

 

[Guest]

The cross is my reminder that Jesus died for my sins, real suffering that became love in the end. He is beautiful.

 

[handy]

The cross is my reminder that Jesus died for my sins, real suffering that became love in the end. He is beautiful.

I agree, and look at crucifixes in the same way. Crosses and crucifixes, for me, are reminders to me as well as a message to others, of the gospel of Christ.

Are they "necessary"? No. But there is a lot in life that isn't necessary.

Can they be effective as messages? Sure! Just like a big, yellow M can be a message that one's physical needs can be met within, a cross or crucifix can be a message that one can find some spiritual help, perhaps.

One thing they should never, ever be: An excuse for division within the Body.

 

[jasoncran]

The cross is my reminder that Jesus died for my sins, real suffering that became love in the end. He is beautiful.

I agree, and look at crucifixes in the same way. Crosses and crucifixes, for me, are reminders to me as well as a message to others, of the gospel of Christ.

Are they "necessary"? No. But there is a lot in life that isn't necessary.

Can they be effective as messages? Sure! Just like a big, yellow M can be a message that one's physical needs can be met within, a cross or crucifix can be a message that one can find some spiritual help, perhaps.

One thing they should never, ever be: An excuse for division within the Body.

ya know, I left the kingdom hall years ago and yet I found that the church which wouldn't agree with the evils of the cross, the idea of the non-triun god of the bible and also the holidays. yet here with these posts it well odd that the church is going that way

 

[farouk]

Also, something I heard pointed out recently:
Anything, even something good, can become an object of worship. If it's anything other than God, it's an idol. Even the experience of worship can become an idol. Even the gospel can become an idol, if it means more to you than God does.

Anything has the potential to be an idol, including cross necklaces. This doesn't mean we should get rid of anything that might possibly become an idol. If you're going to do that, might as well live your life in a bubble, and even that wouldn't be foolproof.
As for if the cross has become an idol...from what I can see, probably not on any massive scale. On an individual level? I'm sure it's happened.

That's how I see it, anyway.

[MENTION=89910]questdriven[/MENTION]:

Some symbols such as the Christian fish symbol <>< have long been popular as conversation-starters.

Blessings.

 

[farouk]

I had a small wooden cross necklace. For me, it was like a reminder that helped me to keep my mind in the right places. Kinda like tying a string on your finger to remember something. I don't see how that could be wrong, unless it becomes an object of worship.

Both of the main churches I've attended in my lifetime have three crosses out in the front, my childhood church and my current church. My current church also has a wooden fish symbol on the wall inside the sanctuary.


My dad never approved of the cross or fish symbol, but I couldn't find anything in the Bible about it.

[MENTION=89910]questdriven[/MENTION]:

Have you seen jewelry, too, of the Christian fish symbol?

The fish symbol, though not as widespread as the cross symbol, is very common, in various mediums, anyway.

It makes for a good explanation to people who ask about it.

Blessings.