More On Sacred Images
3No Lutheran would ever think of praying the rosary, but many have been taught that Exodus 20:4 probibits the church from creating sacred images. Both of those theologies are equally foreign to the Lutheran faith. As surely as we don't pray to Mary; we don't refrain from making sacred art.
As I explained in yesterday's sermon it is because "the Word was made flesh." (John 1:14) Because now we know what God looks like. He looks like Jesus. And we know what the love of God looks like. It looks like the crucifix.
Christ's death on the cross changed everything. It ended the first creation, and began the new. It put our sins on Christ and Christ's perfection on us. Thus building a cross has also changed. Once it was a dreaded instrument of death that the builder took sinful delight in creating. Now it is a the instrument of life. A sacred symbol whose crafting is a high and blessed honor.
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3 Comments
Rev. Dean Kavouras Sep 19, 2017 @ 11:20 am
The comment made by Michael S. Schultz is composed of quotes from and / or largely based on teachings of the Restored Church of God: https://rcg.org/articles/lg.html .
Speaking charitably I would say that they are a different denomination than we are; and so their teachings will be different than ours. Interesting to study so that we might better understand our own over against falsehood.
On a less charitable day I would say they are sectarians, on the outer fringe of what can be called the church of Jesus Christ. Sectarianism is a one of the chief sins of the flesh per Galatians 5:20 " ... enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions ..."
I admit my criticism is ad hominem, and that has little staying power. And so if anyone wants to know why Lutherans find Michael's references to be false Christian teaching, I will field any questions here, or in person by appointment. But the best place is the pastor's class on Sundays at 9:30 AM at the church.
Rev. Dean Kavouras Sep 18, 2017 @ 6:55 pm
This commentary is the belief of another church, not the Lutheran church, or the one, holy, catholic (nor RC) and apostolic church of the ages. I respect their right to believe what they believe, but every Lutheran should know it's not our faith. Nor is their representation of our faith accurate. In a word: fake news.
Michael S Schultz Sep 18, 2017 @ 4:21 pm
The Ten Commandments were never part of the law of Moses or the Levitical sacrificial system. The civil laws and sacrifices were based on God’s Commandments, which make up the core of God’s laws. Thus, the Ten Commandments precede and transcend every lesser law based upon them—statutes, judgments, precepts and ordinances. Most professing Christians falsely brand the Ten Commandments as the “Old Covenant.” However, the Old Covenant was based on the Ten Commandments, which preceded and transcended the Old Covenant.
Consider this analogy: The idea promoted by most professing Christians—that God’s spiritual law, the Ten Commandments, has been abolished—is as ridiculous as claiming that the physical laws of gravity and inertia are no longer enforced. Theologians cannot negate God’s law any more than scientists can void the laws of gravity and inertia.
How did the leaders of the New Testament Church view the laws of God? Paul wrote, “Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good” (Rom. 7:12). The Apostle John wrote, “For this is the love of God that we keep His commandments and His commandments are not grievous” (I John 5:3). And Christ summed up the matter, saying, “…if you will enter into life, keep the commandments” (Matt. 19:17).
In Matthew 7:21, He also said, “Not everyone that says unto Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that does the will of My Father which is in heaven”!
Christ and the apostles did not dismiss God’s law. Counterfeit Christianity took this drastic step in the first century—the world has blindly followed ever since.
The “Grace” of False Christianity
Let’s examine traditional Christianity’s teaching of grace. It teaches that the Old Covenant was the Ten Commandments. It maintains that Christ came to establish a “new covenant” containing only grace and promises—liberty to do whatever one pleases. Law is not included in their package. In their own minds, these creative religionists have devised a way to “have a good time” and have a clear conscience. They had to eliminate the source of their gnawing guilt. The solution was simple: “Grace alone ‘saves’ men. The burden of commandment-keeping is no longer necessary.”
This diabolical teaching would lead you to believe that the law of God is harsh and cruel. It proclaims that the fault of the Old Covenant was with the law, and since God gave the law, the fault must have been His. Read what Christ says to those who follow these false precepts: “Howbeit in vain do you worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men…Full well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your own tradition” (Mark 7:7-9).
https://rcg.org/articles/lg.html