Lord's Day 35

Q. What doth God require in the second commandment?
A. That we in no wise represent God by images,

nor worship Him in any other way than He has commanded in His Word.

Footnotes

• Deut. 4:15. Isa. 40:18. Rom. 1:23ff. Acts 17:29

• 1 Sam. 15:23. Deut. 12:30

Q. Are images then not at all to be made?
A. God neither can nor may be represented by any means.

But as to creatures,

though they may be represented,

yet God forbids to make or have any resemblance of them either in order to worship them or to serve God by them.

Footnotes

• Deut. 4:15, 16. Isa. 46:5. Rom. 1:23

• Ex. 23:24. Ex. 34:13, 14. Num. 33:52. Deut. 7:5

Q. But may not images be tolerated in the churches as books to the laity?
A. No;

for we must not pretend to be wiser than God,

who will have His people taught,

not by dumb images,

but by the lively preaching of His Word.

Footnotes

• Jer. 10:1ff. Hab. 2:18, 19

• 2 Tim. 3:16. 2 Pet. 1:19