The Highway Forums General Discussion Open Forum the 2nd commandment

Well, I have a confession to make. Before coming to this board, while I have of course heard of the second commandment, I have never never heard anything like what you all are saying. The closest I came to it was when I was very concerned about my husband who wanted to take a picture of Jesus that he had had for a long time, and put it up in the hallway so that when he came out of the bedroom in the morning, he would have a "motivation to be good." I was concerned that he was making it an idol. So one day I 'dropped' it, and it "dropped" with such force that it shattered everywhere to smithereens. oops!
<img src="/forum/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

But other than that, I have never heard of not using christmas cards, or not seeing movies. In fact the ones that would not show Jesus at all were "boring" in my estimation.

Anyway, this has brought up of course a whole new realm yet again. (I am even wondering if I have ever even been saved!) Exodus says:

Exodus 20:15-16 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of then that hate me; and shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments.


It says there not to make "any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:"

Does that mean that we shouldn't have pictures of flowers or greenery on our walls? I guess real plants are no problem, but what about fake plants? What about pictures of cats or dogs or whatever?

This is a serious question too.. I'm not trying to make a point or prove anything or debate. I just wonder about it because of the wording of the scripture. In fact, I am even wondering about the childrens videos depicting talking animals or "enchanted" things.

What think ye all? <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Michele

Michele,

That question was asked by "sbc_and_reformed" in another thread and answered. <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> But in brief, the key to understanding this text and any text, for that matter, is the CONTEXT. The Second Commandment consists of two parts; the first of which is a prohibition against the creating and or representing any of the three persons of the Godhead, regardless of the medium, including one's own imagination... for indeed any type of representation will of necessity come from one's imagination since no man has ever seen God, nor is any man capable of rendering God as He is in any of His three persons. The second part is the prohibition against using vain representations for the purpose of worshiping God.

Van Reenen's sermon is very instructive found here: The Second Commandment.

And you may find this Q&A, which is a new addition to the OPC website of interest in regard to this entire matter of representations of God: Mel Gibson's movie "The Passion".

In His Grace,

Why is that?

I was about to direct her to your answer to my post. I read Ursinus' commentary today...very well put!

I also checked out Richard C. Barcellos' In Defense of the Decalogue.

A book I''d like to get my hands on is Arthur Hunt and Gene Veith's The Vanishing Word.

Because I was a dirty rotten heathen looking for nothing but excitement.

I thought you were saying that you still thought they were boring.

Sorry about that <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Why?

Surely, I do not know your heart as God does, but from what little I can gather on this message board, I believe you are a sister in Christ!

Same here, Michele. If you have been honest with us, I believe you are a sister in Christ.