I've been intrigued by the discussions we've had on Iconoclasm. I understand why many wanted to destroy the icons of the Middle Ages; like everything else that GOD gave us as good, Satan can use as a distraction and distort true worship of GOD to the worship of our ideas, descriptions, or beliefs of Who He is. We haven't changed much in the last thousand years - in our technology, education, and culture, yes - but not in our "idolotry." We still have our own icons...
But is it wrong to attempt to depict JESUS in artistic form? If you worship that form, that image, than yes, I believe so. But if that image is nothing else but an act of worship, then is it not pleasing to GOD? Telling the artist who loves GOD not to portray JESUS is like telling the musician not to write a song about Him, or the writer not to try to put Him into words. If He is the essence of who we are, then He must love when we use the gifts He has given us to glorify Him. But He must hate when we bow down to the "graven images," to the gifts or results of the gifts instead of their Giver.
While thinking about this, I searched the internet for pictures of JESUS, just to see how people depict Him differently today than in the Romanesque or Byzantine periods. I came across drawings of JESUS that caused me to imagine what it must have been like to see Him, touch Him, walk with Him...that make me want to love Him more. These are just a few images of an artist's worship.
But is it wrong to attempt to depict JESUS in artistic form? If you worship that form, that image, than yes, I believe so. But if that image is nothing else but an act of worship, then is it not pleasing to GOD? Telling the artist who loves GOD not to portray JESUS is like telling the musician not to write a song about Him, or the writer not to try to put Him into words. If He is the essence of who we are, then He must love when we use the gifts He has given us to glorify Him. But He must hate when we bow down to the "graven images," to the gifts or results of the gifts instead of their Giver.
While thinking about this, I searched the internet for pictures of JESUS, just to see how people depict Him differently today than in the Romanesque or Byzantine periods. I came across drawings of JESUS that caused me to imagine what it must have been like to see Him, touch Him, walk with Him...that make me want to love Him more. These are just a few images of an artist's worship.
No comments:
Post a Comment