Can we draw pictures of God?

[Base12]

One could never draw a picture of God because it is a technical impossibility.

First, One would have to draw every Word that has ever existed, is existing now, and will ever exist in the future...

Oh and did I mention that many of these said Words are invisible?

Colossians 1:15
"Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature"

1 Timothy 1:17
"Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen"

 

[South_FLA]

I'm a Baptist, and part of our belief system is that we do not worship idols. So we don't put up pictures of Jesus or anyone else. Ok, we usually, but not always have a cross in our churches. But definitely no pictures of Jesus, or representations of the Father. (Occasionally a dove or two, I confess!)

That being said, I am finding some posters here driven to serious legalism. Like it is a sin to look at anything! That a Sunday School lesson with Jesus holding the children, would send both the teacher and the children to hell. Oh yes, and the publisher and the artist.

I do think the whole idea, is not to worship images. So, if God gives you a vision of himself, or even if you imagine it, and you did not worship the imagine, I can't see the harm. I know there are cults that go so far as to say, because we are made in God's image, we should have no pictures of people, period!

I think the OP has a sincere question. But the answer is to tell him to seek and worship God, in Spirit and in truth. And not to worry about externals. In fact, we should all be seeking God and who he is. Sometimes, words help me in that process. They can create an image of the character of God. You know, good and just. Holy and perfect and true, the omnis, etc. Do you think God will smite me, because I can remember in my mind those words, since I have an eidetic memory?

For that matter, images of God are out there. Look at the Sistine Chapel! Everyone has seen that painting on the roof. Even secular people use it as a reference point. So, we are going to retain certain images in our brains whether we want to our not. Just don't worship those images!

Don't worry sis I definitely do not worship images and do not really think about externals. In fact I was even against drawing images until I made this thread. Honestly when I think of God it is actually hard to reduce him to an image in my mind so I just think that what I see is what he sees. Like he views my life through my eyes as well as his own. Hopefully that made some sense lol.

 

[South_FLA]

One could never draw a picture of God because it is a technical impossibility.

First, One would have to draw every Word that has ever existed, is existing now, and will ever exist in the future...

Oh and did I mention that many of these said Words are invisible?

Colossians 1:15
"Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature"

1 Timothy 1:17
"Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen"

When I said "drawing pictures of God" I meant drawing pictures of Jesus. Of course Jesus is human and visible so you technically could draw him, but I'm definitely not saying it would capture all his power/glory.

 

[JesusRules1]

Exodus 20:4 - 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:

Does this mean we can't draw pictures of God? I have seen people on this very website have drawn pictures of God as their profile pic so idk what to think really.

How can you draw a picture of God when He is invisible,and an omnipresent Spirit,for you do not know what He looks like,and can you find an omnipresent piece of paper,for anything less would not be a picture of God.

Jesus is not a picture of God,the Spirit,but an image of Him displaying God's ways,the same as the saints that have the Spirit display the ways of God,or are supposed to which is a great lack.

The Bible says that long hair on a man is a shame to him,and even nature teaches this,and he should have it short,for he is in the image of God,so why do they have a picture of Jesus with long hair,and they show Him white too.

An idol is not God,for He is an invisible Spirit,so do not make anything in heaven,the fowls of the air,or on earth,or in the sea,and bow down to it worshipping God with that idol.

Deu 4:15 Take ye therefore good heed unto yourselves; for ye saw no manner of similitude on the day that the LORD spake unto you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire:
Deu 4:16 Lest ye corrupt yourselves, and make you a graven image, the similitude of any figure, the likeness of male or female,
Deu 4:17 The likeness of any beast that is on the earth, the likeness of any winged fowl that flieth in the air,
Deu 4:18 The likeness of any thing that creepeth on the ground, the likeness of any fish that is in the waters beneath the earth:
Deu 4:19 And lest thou lift up thine eyes unto heaven, and when thou seest the sun, and the moon, and the stars, even all the host of heaven, shouldest be driven to worship them, and serve them, which the LORD thy God hath divided unto all nations under the whole heaven.

We do not know what God looks like,so why would we have a picture of Him,and we do not know what Jesus looks like,so why would we have a picture of Him.

Some people are strange like that,like the heathen that have religious artifacts,and symbols,some Christians are like that,oh Mary sat on this rock,let us preserve it,and rope it off,for it is holy ground,which Catholics are like that a lot,with all their religious items,and trinkets,which is what nature worshippers are in to physical objects thinking there is power to be had.

Jesus said worship God in spirit and in truth,not in pictures of Him,and idols,and physical objects.