cross for worship?

regarding a cross or crucifix, my dilemma arises when i question what these symbols are for. rather than getting into whether Christ died on a cross or a stake and questioning what a Latin word - crux - is doing in the middle of Greek or Hebrew text, or even pondering on what possible hidden agenda could have been lurking when this symbol was adopted by the Roman Catholic (universal) Church, i have chosen to simply look into the Word of God to find out where these symbols fit within Christian worship.

the first scripture that jumps out at me is number 2 of the 10 commandments:

Exodus 20:
4 "You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth;
5 you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me,
6 but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.

so here God plainly says NOT to make for ourselves a carved image or bow down to a carved image. this is repeated again in Deut 4 in verses 16, 23 & 25, and again in Deut 27:15

Deut 27:15 `Cursed is the one who makes a carved or molded image, an abomination to the LORD, the work of the hands of the craftsman, and sets it up in secret.' And all the people shall answer and say, `Amen!'

in Isaiah 40-48 there is much mention of idols and carvings, along with many other places throughout the Bible, but no where in the Old Testament or New Testament have i found there to be any mention of God giving any holy symbol to His people for the purpose of worship.

so does Christ's death on a cross or a tree make the instrument of execution a holy symbol proclaimed by Christ or God the Father, or are these symbols created by man under the influence of the deceptive forces of satan?

let's consider how the cross is used in many denominations of mainstream Christianity.

the use of the cross in common Christian worship originates in the catholic church. since the first few centuries, the cross has been a symbol in the catholic church where people kneel down and bow before it, wear it around their necks, kiss it and make the sign of it across their torso. up until this day these things are still done in the Catholic Church.

in many of the Protestant denominations, the cross has been borrowed as a holy symbol from the catholic church along with many other doctrines. many Protestants wear a cross as a symbol of their being a Christian, and although they do not perform many of the Catholic rituals and mannerisms, most are unaware that this symbol was never Biblically given to be a part of their worship of God, let alone that such practice is forbidden.

one might question how all this matters. the use of holy symbols can, and does, lead to idolatry which directly breaks the 2nd Commandment. if it is true that satan continually tempts mankind to break the laws of God, wouldn't it also be true that using the cross as a holy symbol pleases satan and displeases God?

in regards to this issue, i believe the pertinent question that a follower of Christ should be asking is WHY would Christian churches make symbols to be religious in light of Commandment #2? even more so, WHY use a cross for worship if it is believed to represent the execution device of our Saviour? (if the Romans used an axe for execution, would Christians now be wearing axes around their necks?)

i believe Christians should ask their religious leaders these kind of questions, whatever church organization with which they happen to be affiliated.

8-)

bernard baruch carman
www.SeedsOfTruth.org
9/98; revised 8/05
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