You can say they represent the Saints, yet they are still of wood or stone or metal, and people come and worship them no matter how it is called. Now what does scripture say, does God allow even the idol of a 'saint' or anything made as a idol, lets see...
"Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD;
Repent, and turn yourselves from your idols;
and turn away your faces from all your abominations."
-Ezekiel 14:6
So how as history shows us can a church declare its ok to embrace and the many statues, medals, relics, and artifacts to themselves as a sign of holiness unto God. However, the Creator specifically states...
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:"
Deuteronomy 29:17, "And ye have seen their abominations, and their idols, wood and stone, silver and gold, which were among them"
How can a church teach it's followers to bow down before these 'saints' when in prayer. I went to Rome and saw kneelers before every statue that were within the center of what some call the Christian church. However, as we read scripture is specifically states...
Exodus 20:5, "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;"
Leviticus 26:1, "Ye shall make you no idols nor graven image, neither rear you up a standing image, neither shall ye set up any image of stone in your land, to bow down unto it: for I am the LORD your God."
Anything whether a graven image, or tall pole or obelisks as we find in front of many high places and temples turned to churches, nor image of stone, should not be bowed down to or 'venerated' or shown any type of worship or set up for that which belongs only to God.
"Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD;
Repent, and turn yourselves from your idols;
and turn away your faces from all your abominations."
-Ezekiel 14:6
So how as history shows us can a church declare its ok to embrace and the many statues, medals, relics, and artifacts to themselves as a sign of holiness unto God. However, the Creator specifically states...
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:"
Deuteronomy 29:17, "And ye have seen their abominations, and their idols, wood and stone, silver and gold, which were among them"
How can a church teach it's followers to bow down before these 'saints' when in prayer. I went to Rome and saw kneelers before every statue that were within the center of what some call the Christian church. However, as we read scripture is specifically states...
Exodus 20:5, "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;"
Leviticus 26:1, "Ye shall make you no idols nor graven image, neither rear you up a standing image, neither shall ye set up any image of stone in your land, to bow down unto it: for I am the LORD your God."
Anything whether a graven image, or tall pole or obelisks as we find in front of many high places and temples turned to churches, nor image of stone, should not be bowed down to or 'venerated' or shown any type of worship or set up for that which belongs only to God.
