EZINE 6, August 2012
KNOWING THE CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSE
By Otto Engelberth

Recently, I was asked about my thoughts on religious symbols such as icons, crosses, statues, paintings and pictures. This is not an easy question because religious symbols mean different things to different people.

To most people, they are reminders of religious individuals and events from the distant past. For others, they are a reminder of experiences that they have had. And finally, they can be identified with a particular group or organization, functioning like their logo.

While the Bible does not comment on these specific symbols used as reminders, it does have a lot to say about symbols and images that people worship. It strongly condemns the worship of anything that is a representation of The Creator.

Why is that? It's because there is nothing that we could create that picture or describes the Creator. And even if we could, it would be an insult to the Creator to worship it because He is into relationships. The Creator wants to know us as individuals and it is not possible to know someone by looking at their picture or reading their biography.

The Bible says that the Creator is a spirit who always has existed and always will exist. The Creator not only created everything but also sustains everything. The Creator knows everything; past, present and future. It's as if He has seen the movie of His total existence but is still able to function in our real time.

The Creator has character, emotions, and personality. The Creator has a plan and we are part of His plan. (See the two earlier EZINE postings titled,"So God, What's it all about?"). He knows all about us, even the number of hairs on our head as well as all of our thoughts. He desires that we get to know Him as well. The Creator makes this possible by sending His Spirit to dwell 24/7 in those who choose to believe in Him and His Son Jesus.

In my view, knowing and having a relationship with the Creator and sustainer of everything is much more preferable to worshiping an object that the Creator created.

What do you think?