A Cross Is a Graven Image
Exodus 20:4–5 King James Version
4 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.
5 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 them that hate me;
Christians Wear Their Graven Image with Pride
The Lord God explicitly commanded that we are not to make graven images in the likeness of anything in the heavens above, on the earth beneath, or in the waters under the earth.
The direct disobedience of this commandment has led many Christians into provoking the Lord God to jealousy. The Christian religion condones the violation of the Second Commandment and encourages practices that God expressly forbade.
Some Christians kiss their crosses. Others kneel before them. Many wear them around their necks, while others place them in prominent positions on the walls of their homes or churches. According to the commandment, those who make, exalt, or venerate such images are acting contrary to the word of God.
The Cross and Its Use as a Religious Symbol
Crucifixion was used by the Romans to humiliate and torture their victims. Crosses served as instruments of execution and as reminders of the consequences awaiting those who defied Roman authority.
The cross was never presented by the Apostles or the early church as a symbol to be worn, displayed, or venerated. After the Roman Empire invented Christianity, the cross gradually became established as a religious symbol. Wherever the crucifix is displayed, it can be seen as a reminder of the Roman instrument of execution upon which many people suffered and died.
Many individuals were crucified throughout history. To believe that the cross is connected exclusively to Yeshua (Jesus) is one of the greatest deceptions introduced by Roman Christianity.
There is no passage in Scripture that describes believers making crosses from wood or metal, wearing them around their necks, or hanging them on their walls. The cross was the murder weapon used in the execution of the Lord of Glory. When people wear crosses around their necks and display them throughout their homes and churches, the question must be asked: Who is truly being glorified?
The Origin of the Cross as a Religious Symbol
The cross became a Christian religious symbol as early as the second century C.E., but it did not become a widespread public emblem until the fourth century. Early Christians generally avoided it because of its association with Rome’s brutal method of execution, often preferring symbols such as the fish (alternative graven image).
While cross-shaped symbols existed in ancient civilizations long before Christianity, (such as the Egyptian ankh), its adoption by Christians evolved in distinct stages:
– Second Century C.E.
Limited use of cross imagery began to appear. Some Christians used it as a symbolic seal or made the sign of the cross as an act of blessing. Early forms such as the staurogram (a combination of the Greek letters Tau and Rho) appeared around 200 C.E.
– Fourth Century C.E.
Public adoption increased dramatically after the conversion of the Roman Emperor Constantine. Following his reported vision of a cross in the sky in 312 C.E., he incorporated the symbol into military standards and shields. After crucifixion was abolished around 320 C.E., the cross became widely embraced as a symbol of victory and faith.
– Fifth Century C.E. and Beyond
The public display of crosses and crucifixes in churches, religious art, and personal jewelry became firmly established and eventually spread throughout the Christian world.
All Christians Who Promote the Cross Will Face Judgment
You will face judgment for your idolatry; none shall escape. Your blatant wickedness will not go unpunished. This is what the Christian religion has done to many: it claims to offer salvation while leading countless people into practices that bring judgment and destruction.
The hour of truth has come. You have been judged by the truth.
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