When the king of Arad, the Canaanite, who dwelt in the south, heard that Israel was coming on the road to Atharim, then he fought against Israel and took some of them prisoners. So Israel made a vow to the Lord and said, If you will indeed deliver this people into my hand, then I will utterly destroy their cities. And the Lord listened to the voice of Israel and delivered up the Canaanites, and they utterly destroyed them and their cities. So the name of that place was called Horma. Then they journeyed from Mount Hor by the way of the Red Sea to go around the land of Edom. And the soul of the people became very discouraged on the way. And the people spoke against God and against Moses. Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness where there is no food and no water in our soul loathes this worthless bread? So the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people. And many of the people of Israel died. Therefore, the people came to Moses and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord and against you. Pray to the Lord that he take away the serpents from us. So Moses prayed for the people. Then the Lord said to Moses, Make a fiery serpent and set it on a pole. And it shall be that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, shall live." So Moses made a bronze serpent and put it on a pole. And so it was, if the serpent had bitten anyone, when he looked at the bronze serpent, he lived. And then one other passage. 2 Kings chapter 18. 2 Kings chapter 18, verses 1 through 6. Now it came to pass in the third year of Hosea, the son of Elah, king of Israel, that Hezekiah, the son of Ahaz, king of Judah, began to reign. He was 25 years old when he became king, and he reigned 29 years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Abi, the daughter of Zechariah. And he did what was right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his father David had done. He removed the high places and broke the sacred pillars, cut down the wooden images, and broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made. For until those days, the children of Israel burned incense to it and called it Nehashtan. He trusted in the Lord God of Israel, so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor any who were before him, for he held fast to the Lord. He did not depart from following him, but kept his commandments, which the Lord had commanded Moses. Amen. We've been considering the second commandment out of Deuteronomy 5, verses 8-10. There in the second commandment, the Lord God, Most High, absolutely forbids, by express command, not by suggestion, not giving us some kind of option, but by express command, He forbids the making of any man-made images. of anything in the heavens, of anything on the earth, or in the waters that are under the earth. And he also forbids the bowing down or the use of any religious gesture to these man-made images, or offering them any kind of religious service of any kind. We'll be, in the next two weeks following, looking at what is known as the regulative principle of worship, which is derived from this commandment, the second commandment. But we've been focusing at this point in time upon the whole issue of images. I'd like to just read for you a paragraph from Calvin's Institutes, which I think summarizes very well this commandment, and the way in which it has been articulated thus far, Calvin says, meanwhile, since this brute stupidity grips the whole world, that is to pant after visible figures of God, and thus to form gods of wood, stone, gold, silver, or other dead and corruptible matter, we must cling to this principle, God's glory is corrupted by an impious falsehood whenever any form is attached to him. Therefore, in the law, after having claimed for himself alone the glory of Deity, when he would teach that worship he approves or repudiates, God soon adds, you shall not make for yourself a graven image nor any likeness. By these words, he restrains our waywardness from trying to represent him by any visible image, and briefly enumerates all those forms by which superstition long ago began to turn his truth into falsehood. For we know that the Persians worshipped the sun. All the stars they saw in the heavens, the stupid pagans also fashioned into gods for themselves. There is almost no animal that for the Egyptians was not the figure of a God. Indeed, the Greeks seem to be wise above the rest because they worship God in human form. But God does not compare these images with one another as if one were more suitable than the other. But without exception, he repudiates all likenesses, pictures, and other signs by which the superstitious have thought he will be near them. From this it is clear that every statue man erects, or every image he paints to represent God, simply displeases God as something dishonorable to his majesty." I think that's a very good summary of what we have considered thus far from the Second Commandment. The Lord declares, dear ones, in this, the second commandment, that the heathen nations of the world, they are the ones who form the various representations of God in the form of images. God is saying, don't be like them. That's what they do. But you're not to follow their example. You're to listen to what I command you to do. And so I will bless you. You know, it's interesting that not even the Jews or the Muslims form any images of their God. They believe God is invisible and they do not form images of God. But we have evangelical Christians who form images of the invisible God. The Romanist Church teaches, and I quote from the Catechism of the Catholic Church that has just recently been published in 1994, a very recent catechism, the Christian veneration of images is not contrary to the First Commandment. Their first commandment in the Romans church is our second commandment also. So they're saying that the veneration of images is not contrary to the commandment that we have just read. That commandment which forbids idols. Indeed, the honor rendered to an image venerates the person portrayed in it. So this catechism says. The honor paid to sacred images is a respectful veneration, not the adoration due to God alone. In other words, they would make a distinction between worship and veneration. But as we have already noted, the second commandment forbids bowing down as well as any service to any image. Solomon declares in 1 Kings 8.27, as he was dedicating the temple, but will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain you. How then can God dwell? and an earthly temple. How can we confine God to an earthly tabernacle? Or how can we confine the invisible, infinite God to an image of any kind, therefore, if we cannot contain him in a temple or a tabernacle? For not even the earth, the heaven, or the heaven of the heavens can contain him. Remember the words of the Apostle Paul, dear ones, in Acts chapter 17. There he was giving a response to the idolatry that he saw all around him as he traveled through Athens, there in the Areopagus. And I want to read, beginning with verse 22, Just a few verses here. Then Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus and said, Men of Athens, I perceive that in all things you are very religious. He commended them for their religiosity. They were religious people. For as I was passing through and considering, notice, the objects of your worship. they probably would have, like all pagans, said, the objects that you see before us, we do not believe they're our gods. We do not believe that they in and of themselves, the wood, the stone, the gold, the silver, the materials that form that image, that that is the god, that's a representation of the god that we serve. But notice, Paul says, even though that was the case, that what they did before those images, he says they were objects of worship. Sounds very similar to the argument that we have just heard from the Roman Catholic catechism. They were objects, Paul says, of worship. The word used there, sabasmata, comes from the Greek word sebo, which means to worship. These were objects of worship, even though they themselves, the Athenians would not grant, were actually the gods themselves, but mere representations. He proceeds, I even found an altar with this inscription to the unknown god. Therefore, the one whom you worship without knowing him, I proclaim to you. Now notice, God who made the world and everything in it, since he is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in the temples made with hands, nor is he worshipped with men's hands. Things that men would construct with their hands, God is not worshipped and is not to be worshipped by those things. We are not to construct our own. image for worship. There is not to be any man-made inventions or constructions or additions to the worship of God. God is not worshiped, it says here, the Apostle Paul says, with men's hands, as though he needed anything. And then notice in verse 29 what God says to Paul. Therefore, since we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the divine nature is like gold or silver or stone, something shaped by art and man's devising. We cannot take the nature of God and represent it by any material object. One last passage before I move on to the main subject of the sermon today is Romans chapter 1. Romans chapter 1, very familiar passage, in which the Apostle Paul speaks against man and the wrath of God that has fallen upon man because of man's sin in perverting, corrupting the very nature of God. Notice what the Apostle Paul says, beginning with verse 18, For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness. What form did this suppression of truth take that Paul is referring to? Notice what he says, "...because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them." That is, they are created in the image of God. God has clearly made known who he is to all men. Verse 20, "...for since the creation of the world, his invisible attributes are clearly seen." How are they clearly seen? Because man constructs some image of God? Is that how they're clearly seen? No. How are his invisible attributes clearly seen? Being understood by the things that are made, that God created. Even his eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse. Because although they knew God, they did not glorify him as God. nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools." Notice how this foolishness, the form that this foolishness takes. Once they had suppressed the truth of God in unrighteousness, once they knew God and they did not glorify Him as God, notice the decline that occurs, the chain reaction that occurs. First of all, they change, verse 23, the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man and birds and four-footed beasts and creeping things. This passage would lead us to believe that they were not, whoever these people are that he has in mind, were not worshiping or intending necessarily to worship a false god, but they perverted the incorruptible nature of God by forming it into an image which they could worship. And what did God do? What was God's response to this perversion, even forming the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man, into an image of a man, even? Verse 24. Therefore, God also gave them up to uncleanness in the lusts of their hearts to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for a lie. And image, dear ones, is a lie. The truth is that God is invisible, but any image that we would erect is a falsehood, a deception. It's not teaching man according to truth, it's deceiving man according to a lie. And they worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. For this reason God gave them up to vile passions, for even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due. The Apostle Paul, dear ones, explains that the reason why men and women deface the image of God that's within them through their homosexuality, and I would say through any other crime that's committed against another man, or another woman or a child, is because they have formed God into images of their own hands. That's where the sin begins. Because they do not respect what God has said about himself, they have no problem in harming and endangering and destroying the image of God within them or within others. You see that idolatry is the root sin that leads to all other sins against one another. This is what Paul is asserting. When men seek to worship God as He pleases, that is, as man pleases, God gives man over to depraved passions so as to erase the image of God that he sees in himself and in others. That's where idolatry leads. It's one step down. But it begins with not acknowledging the invisible God and worshiping him as he is commanded. But what about the images of the Son of God who became flesh and dwelt among us? Does not the incarnation justify a new economy or a revision of the second commandment? Well, the Roman Church states, again, I read from the Catechism of the Catholic Church published in 1994, this quote, By becoming incarnate, the Son of God introduced a new economy of images. The veneration of sacred images is based on the mystery of the incarnation. of the word of God it is not contrary to the first commandment that is what we know is the second commandment very clearly it's not contrary to Deuteronomy chapter 5 verses 8 through 10 so says the Romish church because of the incarnation of Christ In other words, Rome teaches that the incarnation of the Son of God has changed the second commandment so that now not only may the Son of God be represented by images, but so may the Father and the Holy Spirit. For Christ said, if you've seen me, you've seen the Father. So you see, where does it end? You can depict the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit. You can have images of saints. There's no end to where this particular principle will lead one. Well, how should we respond to these statements by Rome? I'd like to give five responses at this time. Let me summarize where I'm going very briefly. I'd like to give to you what I believe is the Old Testament argument against images of Christ, give to you the New Testament argument Thirdly, give to you the visual argument, that is, the way in which we are to see Christ. Fourthly, I'd like to give to you the idolatry argument, and lastly, the historical argument. This will not take as long as it probably appears at this point that it will, but we're going to press on here through this. Let's look at the Old Testament argument. And I'd like for you to turn back with me to Deuteronomy chapter four. Deuteronomy chapter four and the last sermon I preached from. On the second commandment, I had you turn back to Deuteronomy chapter four, but I would have you just look once again at this particular passage versus 15 through 19. Take careful heed to yourselves, for you saw no form when the Lord spoke to you at Horeb out of the midst of the fire, lest you act corruptly and make for yourselves a carved image in the form of any figure, the likeness of male or female, the likeness of any beast that is on the earth, or the likeness of any winged bird that flies in the air. the likeness of anything that creeps on the ground, or the likeness of any fish that is in the water beneath the earth. And take heed lest you lift your eyes up to heaven, and when you see the sun, the moon, and the stars, all the hosts of heaven, you feel driven to worship them and serve them, which the Lord your God has given to all the peoples under the whole heaven as a heritage." If you look and, again, very briefly compare what I just read from Deuteronomy 4, verses 15 through 19, with Deuteronomy 5, verses 8 through 10, you'll see a remarkable parallel. You'll find that the same words are used in both passages for the verbs, to make, you know, to make for yourselves a carved image. The same verb is used in both passages. The same noun is used in both passages for a carved image. You'll find that the same verbs are used for bow down and serve. I think in the King James Version, in verse 19, it says, worship them and serve them, but it is the identical same verb as is used in Deuteronomy chapter 5, verse 9. where it's translated, bow down. And we find the same information given as to what likenesses there are not to form this image according to. Nothing in the heaven, nothing upon the earth, nor anything in the sea under the earth, in the water under the earth. So it is a very important point to note that these are parallel passages. But why, in Deuteronomy chapter 4, are they not to form these images? In fact, I might ask, of whom are these images to represent that he is condemning here? In verse 15, very clearly, Moses says, Take careful heed to yourselves, for you saw no form when the Lord spoke to you at Horeb. Therefore, you are not to make any images, because God did not reveal Himself in any form. The same thing is said in Deuteronomy 4.12, just a few verses prior. And the Lord spoke to you out of the midst of the fire. You heard the sound of the words, but saw no form. You only heard a voice. That's why you're not to form an image of God. God did not reveal Himself to you when He spoke to you from Horeb, from Mount Sinai, Very clearly here, God is not saying, do not make any form of me as simply Father, but you can of the Son, or you can of the Holy Spirit. He's not distinguishing the persons within the Trinity. He's saying, do not make any form of me as God, Father, Son, or Holy Spirit. Now, I think it's very, very important to point out that even though the Lord had no form, but only spoke from Mount Sinai, nevertheless, God had revealed himself both before Mount Sinai and after Mount Sinai using visible forms. It's very important to know that. Because the argument goes, because Jesus Christ now has revealed himself in visible form, now it's okay to do so. But I want you to see that God revealed himself in visible form before Sinai and after Sinai. The commandment, therefore, applies equally to the people of the old covenant, and not making forms of God, as it does to the people of the new covenant. You remember he appeared in human or angelic form to Hagar in Genesis 16, 13, to Abraham and Sarah in Genesis 18, 1. And there it actually says that three men, uses the word men, and even that they ate with Abraham and Sarah at that point. God revealed himself to Jacob, Genesis 32, 24. In fact, this wasn't a material representation. He wrestled with him. That was a physical, material, visible form that he took. He appeared to Israel at Bochim in Judges 2, 1. To Gideon in Judges 6, 11. To Manoah and his wife, the parents of Samson. in Judges 13.3 to Isaiah in Isaiah 6.1. In fact, in John 11, we find that John quotes certain words from Isaiah 6, and he says that that was Christ who was revealed in visionary form as the King whose train filled the whole temple court. God revealed himself in Daniel Chapter 7, verses 9 and 13, as the Ancient of Days, with white hair, being the father. And the son, in verse 13, ascends and comes up to the throne. In Zechariah, chapter 3, verse 1, he appears to Zechariah in visionary form as the angel of the Lord. We even find that God not only reveals himself in human form, or angelic form, in physical form, but he also reveals himself in allegorical form, or in representations that are not human in form. For example, he reveals himself in a burning bush, or in a cloud, or a pillar of fire, various representations of God both in human form and in non-human form But God says you're not to make any image of me even though God had revealed himself in that way in the Old Testament You see even though God had already and was again to manifest himself in visible form, the people of God are commanded, and all people are commanded, not to create any image or replica of that visible form in which God chose to reveal himself. If God chose to reveal himself in some visible form, whether it's a man, a dove, an angel, a cloud, fire, that's his prerogative as God. But man was not to create a picture, an image, or any kind of representation of the way in which God chose to reveal himself. And so the issue, dear ones, is not has God ever revealed himself in a visible or even a human form. That's not the issue. The issue is not whether Jesus Christ became flesh. That's not the issue. The issue is do we have the right to create, to make a picture or image of that form which God took. That's the issue. And that's what the second commandment clearly forbids. We do not have the right to do so. Certainly none of the prophets in the Old Testament None of the people of God in scripture, none of the apostles in the New Testament ever, ever made a representation of God as Father, Son, or Holy Spirit. Absolutely no record of anything of the kind. Complete silence. Have we all of a sudden in this age been given that kind of liberty and freedom to do so when the people of God never did so themselves? That's the height of presumption on our parts. Yet when God's people did make graven images as representations of the invisible God, clearly forbidden by God, In other words, when they sin in doing so, for example, Aaron in constructing the golden calf, or Jeroboam in constructing the two calves, representations of the invisible God. They were not trying to lead the people of God into Baal worship at that point. They were simply representing God. When in these two accounts this did occur, God severely punished them. To whom will you liken God, Isaiah says, or what likeness will you compare unto him? The passage I read from Numbers 21 and 2 Kings 18 of the serpent that was constructed, that was commanded by God to be constructed, so that those who had been bitten might look upon it and be healed, was again at the command of God. to do so. God has the prerogative and the authority to command how he believes and what images should be constructed, the furniture in the tabernacle, all of those things, but we ourselves do not have that prerogative. What we see in 2nd Kings is that this particular serpent even became idolatrous. in their offering incense unto this bronze serpent later on. And it's interesting that that particular serpent, I don't believe, I've heard sermons where the serpent represented Jesus Christ, that he became sin, but I would have you consider that according to John 3.14, it's not the object but the action that he was lifted, that the serpent was lifted up. Jesus points back to the serpent. As Moses lifted up the serpent, so the Son of Man will be lifted up. The serpent does not represent Jesus Christ. It's the lifting up, the action that is representative of the way in which Jesus Christ would be lifted up upon the cross. And so that was not a representation of God anyway, or of Christ. That's the Old Testament argument. Let's move on to the New Testament argument at this point. The New Testament argument can be summarized this way. You cannot separate Christ's deity from his humanity so as to picture him in simply human form. You must remember that though Christ was divine and had the nature of God, and though he assumed unto himself the nature of man, two natures joined, yet not confused, to form a third entity. Yet, there was only one person. Two natures, but one person. And that person was a person before taking on humanity. He is a divine person. He has a human nature, but he is a divine person. And therefore, to try to picture a divine person still violates the second commandment. The incarnation of the Son of God does not change who Jesus Christ is as to his divinity, as to his deity. It did not mar, it did not detract or subtract anything from his deity. He is fully God. There was nothing subtracted, there was simply something added. Now, John, in his gospel, chapter one, speaks of the divine glory that attended the Son of God. John 1, 14. And the word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. How in the world can an image depict or portray one who is full of grace and truth? It's going to be a lie. And if you're like me, even before I came to understand the truth about images, in my evangelical days, I was nauseated at the pictures, the movies, the characters that were chosen to represent Christ. Such a feminine character you've never seen before in all of your life. One with long flowing hair, even. When we find in 1 Corinthians chapter 7, verse 15, that it's a shame, it's contrary to nature for a man to have long hair. And so, here we find that John says that Christ was full of grace and truth. He possessed the glory of God while upon the earth. In Colossians chapter 2 verse 9 says, for in him, this isn't speaking simply about Christ before his incarnation, but after his incarnation. It's not simply speaking about Christ before his resurrection or before his ascension. This is true of Christ. as the divine person, both God and man, for in him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily." Again, how can we depict a divine person in which the fullness of deity dwells? Turn with me on this one point. I've got a couple more passages I'd have you consider. John 20, verse 29. You'll remember the account of Jesus appearing First time, Thomas was not present. The second time he was present, the disciples in the intervening time told Thomas that Christ had appeared to them. He's raised from the dead. Thomas says, I won't believe unless I can see the nails, the imprints in his hands, unless I can thrust my hand into a site where he was pierced. I won't believe. Quite a statement. But Jesus does appear to the disciples again. He does have mercy upon Thomas, even in that great doubt that he had. And he says in verse 27, Reach your finger here and look at my hands, and reach your hand here and put it into my side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing. And Thomas answered and said to him, My Lord and my God. Notice what Jesus says. Thomas, because you have seen me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen with their physical eyes Jesus Christ and yet believe His promises. his work on the cross on their behalf, his resurrection, his ascension, who believe Jesus Christ without ever having seen anything by way of visible representation, those are the ones who are truly blessed, who do not need to see, who do not need the aids, as it were, the helps, The pictures which are supposed to be a book for the illiterate. No, blessed are those. Who do not see yet believe. In Second Corinthians, chapter five, very interesting passage. Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know him thus no longer. That is, according to the flesh. What is Paul saying? In the next verse, he talks about Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. Old things have passed away. Behold, all things have become new." Paul is saying, we regard no one according to the flesh, that is, according to mere earthly relations, whether Jew or Gentile, whether slave or free, whether male or female, whether beautiful or common in appearance. We regard no one according to the flesh. All those things, Paul says, have been done away with the old things have passed away. The new things have come for those who are in Christ. And Paul says, just as we once knew. Christ, according to the flesh now. Probably Paul's not saying that he himself knew Christ according to the flesh in any personal way. He may have seen Christ while in Jerusalem prior to his conversion since he was trained by Gamaliel who taught in Jerusalem he may have seen Christ and But he's saying here, we once knew Christ according to the flesh, according to earthly relations, according to earthly appearances, we once knew Him that way. But now, we do not know Him so. And we're not encouraged to try to know Him in that way at all. Christ appeared. God made Him incarnate. God brought Him in flesh. But we're not to try to recreate that earthly appearance. We no longer know him in that manner. We now know him by what he has revealed himself to be in the scripture, sitting at the right hand of God, all glorious, reigning as king. In one last passage on this point, 1 Peter 1.8, I'll begin with verse 6. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, Though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom, having not seen, you love. Though now you do not see him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory." Though the apostle Peter had been one of the original disciples, though he was within the inner circle of three, he knew Jesus Christ intimately. But he says to these people, to whom he's writing, the pilgrims of the dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, the elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, he says to them, You've not seen him, and yet you love him. You've not seen him, and yet you believe in him. See, that's true faith. We do not need images to believe and trust in Jesus Christ, because any image is going to corrupt the glory of Christ, who is seated at the right hand of God the Father now in amazing glory and wonder and power You remember at the Mount of Transfiguration, when after Christ was transfigured before his disciples, and Peter fumbled around trying to figure out what to say, and he says, Lord, let us make three tents or tabernacles, one for Elijah, one for Moses, and one for you. Let me construct something, Lord. Let me get involved with my hands here and build you something. Let's build something. But God says to him, hear him. Listen to Christ. Don't try and build something with your hands. Don't have man-made religion. Don't construct something. Simply listen to him as he speaks. As God spoke from Sinai, listen and obey him. That's sufficient. And Jesus. Receives the same attention. At the Mount of Transfiguration, the father says simply hear him listen to him. That means obey him. Well, dear ones, The third argument, then, is the visual argument. The visual argument, how are we to see Christ? Turn with me to John chapter six. We are to see Christ. There's no doubt about it. But how are we to see Christ? John 640. Actually, I'd like to begin with verse 34. Christ has just said that he's the bread of God who's come down from heaven. He gives life to the world. Verse 34, Then they said to him, Lord, give us this bread always. Verse 35, And Jesus said to them, I am the bread of life. He who comes to me shall never hunger, and he who believes in me shall never thirst. Notice verse 36, But I said to you, that you have seen me, and yet you do not believe." In other words, you've seen me with your eyes. Visually, you've seen me, and yet you don't believe. Verse 40. And this is the will of him who sent me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him may have everlasting life, and I will raise him up at the last day. You see the parallelism there? Sees the Son, believes in Him. We see the Son, not as they did in verse 36, with the visual sight, because they did not believe even seeing the visible Christ, but we see genuinely and truly, according to the New Covenant, where we see with the eyes of faith and believe the promises of God. That's true sight according to Jesus Christ. Turn with me again to 2 Corinthians 3.8. How are we to see Christ? 2 Corinthians, I'm sorry, 3.18, not 8. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord." Here Paul is using the imagery of a mirror. What is the mirror that he is referring to? Well, we'll find out as we continue reading in chapter four. Therefore, since we have this ministry, As we have received mercy, we do not lose heart. But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth, commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. But even if our gospel is veiled, The Word of God, the Gospel. Previously in chapter 3, it's the Law of Moses. It's the Scripture that he's talking about. Old Testament and New Testament. But even if our Gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. Whose minds the God of this age has blinded. Now, have they been blinded? Their physical sight? Is that what he's talking about? No, their minds are blinded. So they cannot spiritually see. in the gospel and believe the truth of the gospel, whose minds the God of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel, the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them. For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake. For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shown in our hearts, notice, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. You see the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ when you believe and trust the gospel. which is veiled to all of those who are unbelieving, but which is unveiled to those who trust and put their faith in Christ. Two more passages on this point. Galatians chapter 3, verse 1. Galatians 3.1. says, O foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth? Before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you as crucified. How was Christ portrayed, clearly portrayed or displayed before them as crucified? Did they carry around crucifixes? Is that what he's saying? Is there any indication that that was ever something that was done? They made images of Christ. The way in which Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. Was through the proclamation of the truth which they were not obeying. Which they had believed by which they were not obeying. Again, it is through the proclamation of the truth, it is through the sacrament of the Lord's Supper and the sacrament of baptism that we see the Lord Jesus Christ clearly portrayed in those symbols that he himself has given us. Not in something of our own devising and invention, And so it's the job of every preacher to proclaim the truth so clearly to the congregation that they see with the eyes of faith the Lord Jesus Christ as crucified, buried, raised from the dead and ascended into heaven at the right hand of God. And it's the Spirit of God that takes that truth and makes it so real It's more real than something you could see with your eyes. One last passage is Hebrews chapter 12, verse 2. When we're running this race, where we're so easily beset at times by the sin that entangles us and snares us, what are we to do? We are to lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and the finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Look unto Jesus Christ. That doesn't mean look at a picture of Jesus Christ hanging on the wall or hanging around one's neck. But look to Jesus Christ as he has revealed himself in the scripture and that you know to be the truth about him. Well, that's the visual argument. How are we to see Christ with the eyes of faith? The fourth argument is the idolatry argument, which is simply one passage that I would have you look at. 1 John 5. 1 John 5, verse 21. And in the idolatry argument here is a warning against idolatry specifically, I think in the context, an image of Jesus Christ. Beginning with verse 18, we know that whoever is born of God does not sin, but he who has been born of God keeps himself, and the wicked one does not touch him. Verse 19, we know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one. And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding that we may know Him who is true. And we are in Him who is true. In His Son, Jesus Christ, this is the true God and eternal life. Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen. Most scholars believe that the specific false teaching that John is addressing is an incipient form of Gnosticism in 1 John. This idea of a separation of the invisible from the visible, the material from the immaterial, and that the material and that which is visible is actually sinful, that there is sin in that which has been created that is of a material nature. And historically, as we will see in the next argument, that it was in fact the Gnostics who were the first. to frame images of Christ. The heretics, the Gnostics. Is it any wonder that we find here, little children, keep yourselves from idols. Keep yourself from, not simply idolatry, but keep yourself from idols, images. In the context, it would appear images of even Jesus Christ. You see, John says in 1 John 1, notice what he says in 1 John 1. He's speaking of Jesus when he says, Thou which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon and our hands have handled concerning the word of life. John's saying, I've seen the Lord. I've handled him. I've been in his presence. I have beheld him. And yet, at the end of the book, the letter, keep yourselves from idols. Keep yourselves from any images. Because the ascended Christ is the glorified Christ. Form any representation of Christ would be an error and a lie. And finally, let's consider the last point, the historical evidence. The historical evidence. I read for you from Philip Shaw. the noted church historian. He says concerning allegorical representations of Christ, pictures of Christ came into use slowly and gradually as the conceptions concerning his personal appearance changed. The first representations of Christ were purely allegorical. Again, I want you to see, once you begin having images, even allegorical images, where it leads to. One thing leads to another. Ideas have consequences. He appears now as a shepherd who lays down his life for the sheep. That's the first allegorical representation. Or carries the lost sheep on his shoulders. These are all various representations that developed slowly and gradually, even before the actual representations of Christ. Now, as a lamb who bears the sin of the world, more rarely as a ram with reference to the substituted victim in the history of Abraham and Isaac, frequently as a fisherman, The most favorite symbol seems to have been that of the fish. It was the double symbol of the Redeemer and the redeemed. The corresponding Greek ikthus is a pregnant anagram containing the initials of the words Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior. In some pictures, the mysterious fish is swimming in the water with a plate of bread and a cup of wine on his back. See where one thing leads to the next. With evident allusion to the Lord's Supper. First of all, allegorical representations. Then, Schaff continues. Previous to the time of Constantine, we find no trace of an image of Christ, proper speaking. There were allegorical representations, but not any actual representation of Christ before Constantine around 325. Except, this one qualification, except amongst the Gnostic Carpucratians, a Gnostic heretical group, there were images of Christ amongst them. And in the case of the heathen emperor Alexander Severus, who adorned his domestic chapel as a sort of syncretic pantheon with representatives of all religions. We've got to have someone for Christianity, got to have an image of Christ in his pantheon. The above-mentioned idea of the uncomely personal appearance of Christ, the entire silence of the Gospels about it, and the Old Testament prohibition of images restrained the Church from making either pictures or statues of Christ until, in the Nicene Age, a great change took place, though not without energetic and long-continued opposition. We find also, very clearly taught in our Confession of Faith, or actually Larger Catechism, Westminster Larger Catechism, question 109 and the answer. What are the sins forbidden in the Second Commandment? The sins forbidden in the second commandment are all devising, counseling, commanding, using, and anywise approving any religious worship not instituted by God himself. Tolerating a false religion, the making any representation of God, of all or of any of the three persons, either inwardly in our mind or outwardly in any kind of image or likeness of any creature whatsoever. Dear ones, man by nature wants a God he can see and feel and touch, because our whole way of thinking is that seeing is believing. Man serves the God of materialism. Like Doubting Thomas, mankind declares about God, unless I see him with my eyes, I will not believe him. And so man creates a God, a form of God, a representation of God from his own imagination. But dear ones, the Christ of Christianity declares, blessed are those who have not seen me with their eyes and yet have believed. People of God, the glorious incarnation of Jesus Christ was not to satisfy your curiosity, to satisfy your longing to see God, or to give you visible proof of the fact that God exists. See, here he is! That wasn't the reason for the incarnation, or to give you a visible image of God for you to use as an aid in worship. The Father sent his only begotten Son, dear ones, in order to reveal and make himself known as the God of justice and mercy. God became man and suffered the ridicule, the rejection of men whom he created. He suffered the cruelty and shame of beatings and spitting, a lashing, a crown of thorns, and the agonizing death of crucifixion upon a cross. He suffered the very wrath of the eternal God. The sinless Son of God, dear ones, became a curse. Why? So that you might be redeemed from the curse. That's why he came. That's why he took on human flesh. Not to satisfy your curiosity, but to die in your place. It was the only way God could rescue you from sin and Satan and hell. This Jesus, the Son of God, dear ones, is not believed and worshiped by beholding human pictures or images. In fact, the more pictures and images that are used, the further we depart from the biblical way of believing and beholding Christ through faith. Through the preached word, the more our religion becomes visible the more our faith becomes invisible. When the Church resorts to visible pictures of Christ, the power of the Gospel has ceased to be preached. Pictures and images of God, whether the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, will not revive the fallen Church today. It was the Reformation which tore down the images in which true religion was revived. It's the Word of God, dear ones. It's the Word of God that's faithfully proclaimed and preached that will give us a true knowledge of the image of Christ. And so, dear ones, I give to you what God the Father said to the disciples on the Mount of Transfiguration. Don't try to create an image of your own imagination. simply hear him. Let's pray. Our Father in heaven, we bow before you. We humble ourselves as your people for you have revealed yourself through your Son in the Word of God. And you have applied to our blind eyes an ointment to heal so that we can see him with the eyes of faith, so that we can believe him, whom, having not seen, we love, whom, having not seen, we believe and rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory. O Father, bless your people and revive your church, O God. that we may turn from our sin and our wickedness in following the paths of human ingenuity rather than according to the commandment of the eternal, incomprehensible and infinite God. Forgive us, Lord, of our own idolatry in mind and with our hands. Remember not the sins of our youth against us, O Father. We pray, Father, that you would bless your people for Jesus' sake. Amen. SWRB makes thousands of classic Reformation resources available, free and for sale, in audio, video, and printed formats. 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And remember that John Calvin, in defending the Reformation's regulative principle of worship, or what is sometimes called the scriptural law of worship, commenting on the words of God, which I commanded them not, neither came into my heart, from his commentary on Jeremiah 731, writes, God here cuts off from men every occasion for making evasions, since he condemns by this one phrase, I have not commanded them, whatever the Jews devised. There is then no other argument needed to condemn superstitions than that they are not commanded by God. For when men allow themselves to worship God according to their own fancies, and attend not to His commands, they pervert true religion. And if this principle was adopted by the Papists, all those fictitious modes of worship in which they absurdly exercise themselves would fall to the ground. It is indeed a horrible thing for the Papists to seek to discharge their duties towards God by performing their own superstitions. There is an immense number of them, as it is well known, and as it manifestly appears. Were they to admit this principle, that we cannot rightly worship God except by obeying His word, they would be delivered from their deep abyss of error. The prophet's words, then, are very important, when he says that God had commanded no such thing, and that it never came to his mind, as though he had said that men assume too much wisdom when they devise what he never required, nay, what he never knew.