Cross Idolatry – Yes the cross is an Idol

Cross Idolatry – False Insistence: The Cross is a Symbol Not An Idol

Countless churches today claim the cross is not an idol but merely a symbol of the church. This does not go hand-in-hand with the teachings of the Bible. Today many churches commit cross idolatry. God teaches us clearly how to identify an idol.

Exodus 20:4-5  You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me,

God taught us that we should not make an image in the form of anything. Is the cross not in the form of anything? The cross is a piece of wood or metal shaped into a T. Then, let us understand how Christians today are committing idolatry in the church with the cross.

Leviticus 26:1  Do not make idols or set up an image or a sacred stone for yourselves, and do not place a carved stone in your land to bow down before it. I am the Lord your God.

An idol is an image, a sacred stone or carved stone. What is idolatry? It is the act of bowing down and worshiping this image. Today many Christians bow down to the cross, committing the heinous act of idolatry knowingly and unknowingly.

The History of The Cross

The use of the cross dates back to the ancient time of Babylonia. The T form stands for the name Tammuz, a god that was worshiped in Chaldea and it later spread to many neighboring countries.  This custom of worshiping the cross was so popular that it was even practiced during the time of the Roman Empire.

The cross was first introduced into the Christian church at the time of Emperor Constantine, when he authorized Christianity in AD 313. It was nowhere in the church during the time of Jesus and the apostles. Why? This is because the cross was a tool used to execute those under the Roman rule. It was used to execute Jesus (who was considered a heinous criminal by the Jews and later handed over to the Roman government) and saints like apostle Peter (who were considered heretics for preaching Christ the Messiah). Looking at the cross itself brought back painful memories for the saints at that time. How then can they put that ugly tool of death in the church they worshiped their beloved Messiah? It never make sense. How then did Christians come to accept this idol in the church? As stated, it was during the reign of Constantine, by then the church had become more and more secularized. Loving material and worldly power over God, it was inevitable that they would compromise with the world for a comfort.

Hell Fire and The Worship of The Cross

What will happen to the people who continuously worship the cross despite God’s stern warnings?

Deuteronomy 27:15 “Cursed is anyone who makes an idol—a thing detestable to the Lord, the work of skilled hands—and sets it up in secret.” Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”

Jeremiah 2:27-28 They say to wood, ‘You are my father,’ and to stone, ‘You gave me birth.’ They have turned their backs to me and not their faces; yet when they are in trouble, they say, ‘Come and save us!’ Where then are the gods you made for yourselves… you, Judah, have as many gods as you have towns.

God detests the worship of idols the most and considers those who turn to idols as those who turn their backs towards God. Thus, they receive a severe punishment from God and live under God’s curse. Can those who are cursed by God receive salvation? No! If we stubbornly continue worshiping the cross or setting it up in secret, God will condemn our souls to Hell forever. The cross is not a symbol of the church but a detestable idol.

Make the right choice, reject the cross and live! Be at peace with God, for your own good. This is the message our loving Creator teaches us today too.