Why the Cross Is Not Idolatry: Worship vs Veneration
The speaker defines idolatry as the worship of physical images, statues, stones, objects made of metal, stone, or wood, that are fashioned by human hands. This, he says, is the worship and service of created things rather than the Creator. He then addresses the accusation that Christian veneration of the cross falls under this definition.
He calls the accusation a straw man, because Christians do not worship the cross; they worship Jesus Christ, who died on the cross for salvation. The speaker notes that the commandment against graven images is not a blanket prohibition on every religious image. He points to Exodus, where God commands Moses to make golden angels, showing that not all images are forbidden.
The apostolic church, he argues, worships God alone and venerates the cross only because of what Christ accomplished through it. Therefore, the church cannot be attacked for a belief it has never held or taught.
Key moments
- Idolatry is the worshipping of physical images, statues, stones, made out of metal, stone or wood, worshipping and serving created things rather than the creator.
- Their idols are silver and gold, made by human hands.
- This is a complete straw man; Christians do not worship the cross, we worship Jesus Christ who died on it for our salvation.
- The commandment about graven images is not about every single religious image, because in Exodus God commands Moses to make golden angels.
- We worship God alone and venerate the cross because of what Christ accomplished through it.
- You can't attack the apostolic church by accusing it of something it has never believed or taught.