23 “For while I was passing through and examining the objects of your worship, I also found an altar with this inscription, ‘TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.’ Therefore what you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you.
24 “The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands;
25 nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things;
26 and He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation,
27 that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us;
28 for in Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we also are His children.’
29 “Being then the children of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and thought of man.” Acts 17:16 and 22-29.
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“You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth. You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.” Exodus 20:4-6. (One of the Ten Commandments).
We may rationalize: “But, my image glorifies God!” or “This picture displays a Biblical truth.” No! It is still forbidden! No matter how innocent the painting, sculpture, or other art may seem to be, it is a forbidden idol if it is intended to be an image of God.
We can speculate as to reasons why such images are forbidden. Here are two possible reasons; there may be other reasons or more reasons. First, people tend to worship such images. Worship of images can be curtailed by the elimination of the images. Second, such images are incomplete and distorted images of God. God wants our understanding of Him and His nature formed by Scripture, not be random arts or thoughts of man. In any event, regardless of the validity of these reasons or the total number of reasons. such images of God are forbidden.
And, forbidden idols are not limited to the arts. Verse 29 shows that we can make for ourselves idols formed by the thoughts of our mind. We can form an image of God in our own mind based on our own desires of what we want God to be like.
We should not think that only these Athenians and a few other primitive people are subject to this temptation.
How many of us kept, even for a little while during our lives, a picture of a smiling long-haired handsome young man embracing children or a picture of a hopeful pleading man knocking on a door or a picture of a profile of a man with hands folded in solemn prayer, images of Jesus? We see these images in emails; do we forward them? We even see these pictures in churches, do we complain about them or do we tolerate them?
How many of us formed our own thoughts of who we want God to be like? We may want a “God” who only loves, not punishes sin. We may want a “God” who loves everyone. Rather than let Scriptures determine our understanding and beliefs of God, we allow our desires and mind to form our own image of God.
But, there is hope!
“12 Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.
13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
14 Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry.” 1 Corinthians 10:12-14.
In conclusion, delight in Scripture. Meditate on Scripture. Also regularly read the Reformed creeds, so that your understanding of Scripture will stay in line with sound doctrine. Let Scriptures form your understanding and beliefs of God. Sola Scriptura!
Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions 