The Use of Symbols and True Worship

By Mark W. Christy

In Roman Catholicism, prayers to the Virgin Mary, saints, and even angels are often lifted up on behalf of the worshipper. Frequently, icons or images are employed whereby worshippers will bow to these images, light candles to them, and even burn incense to them. In response, many protestants since the time of Luther’s Reformation have charged Catholics as being idolatrous.

In response to this charge, many Catholics would argue that the image is not God, even while admitting that the Bible itself never instructs people to employ images in worship. In his defense of the veneration of images, John of Damascus (676-749 AD) agreed that this practice is an “unwritten tradition.”[i] This concern, though worthy of consideration, can by no means be the grounds to reject a particular aspect of worship simply because the Bible fails to speak to it in any particular way.

It is almost a certainty that any given church will have some aspects of worship which are not particularly mentioned in Scripture. These could include issues of order and time such as the timing of the service, the length of the service, the order of the service, the particular songs (and their arrangement) sung in the service, the timing of the Lord’s Supper, etc. They could also involve the type of furnishings in the sanctuary, the types of bread and wine for the Lord’s Supper, and various aspects related to performing baptism.

With all of this in view, much of worship is purely ornamental and finds no definitive sanction in Holy Writ. Even so, the Bible does offer precepts whereby Christians can make informed decisions on such matters. First, the thrust of the Word of God is the revelation of Jesus Christ, the call unto salvation, and the expectation of Christlikeness amongst those who faithfully respond. Paul, as the Apostle to the Gentiles, gave himself fully to this gospel to the extent that he sought to be an ambassador for Jesus Christ (Eph 6:20), an imitator of Christ (1 Cor 11:1), a prisoner of Jesus Christ (Eph 3:1), and a slave of Jesus Christ (Rom 1:1). Likewise, the Word of God calls upon Christians to be ambassadors, imitators, fellow sufferers, and slaves of Christ (Rom 8:17; 1 Cor 7:22; 2 Cor 5:20; Eph 5:1).

In all matters and in every caveat of his experience, Paul gives glory to Christ to such an extent that he could resolutely declare, “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain” (Phil 1:21).[ii] Some might respond by saying that even Jesus himself deflected the glory that was due Him while He was living His earthly life before the cross. At first glance, this argument seems to have merit when one observes Paul’s word to the Philippians: “Jesus…, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant” (Phil 2:5-7).

While Christ Himself possessed perfect humility, He nevertheless accepted worship in regard to Himself. For example, He identified Himself as God when he said, “Before Abraham was born, I am” (John 8:58). Throughout His public ministry, Christ commonly found Himself being worshipped and always accepted it without condemnation (Matt 14:33; 15:25; 20:20; John 9:38). Christ’s acceptance of worship continued even after His resurrection (Matt 28:17; John 9:38).

From all of this, it should be abundantly clear that the glorification of Christ is at the center of New Testament worship. Since this is a definitive biblical precept, one must make certain that Christ remains at the center of anything labelled Christian worship and likewise excise any practice that would take away from Christ-centered devotion. When one venerates the saints and honors them for their saintliness, one is by default ascribing to them that which should be due to Christ alone.

Christ alone receives all glory because it is in His name alone than sinful people can be redeemed and sealed by the Holy Spirit. Paul is quite to the point when he discusses the total depravity of fallen humanity and their inability to save themselves by their own merits (Rom 3:10-23). He then continues and says the righteousness of the saints is due to their “being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus” (Rom 3:24).

Any saint who has received such grace could only follow Paul’s example and render all glory and praise for their salvation and saintliness to God. For this reason, Paul says, “whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Cor 10:31). In the last two thousand years of Church history, many saints have arisen who have followed Paul’s directive. Some have had their names strewn across the pages of history, and others have been completely forgotten with the passage of time. All gave glory to God while they lived, and all continue to give glory to the Lord in heaven.

While the veneration of saints may possess various symbols and rituals (like iconography, the lighting of candles, and the burning of incense), which are not intrinsically wrong in and of themselves, one must consider whether or not these practices symbolize the glorification of the saints as opposed to the God who made the saint a saint. If such practices symbolize the glorification of anything or anyone in any way and not the exclusive glorification of God, then such activities are blasphemous and idolatrous.

So far, it has been shown that the Bible clearly mandates exclusive worship of God alone. This precept governs all worship and ensures the absence of idolatry if it is resolutely adhered to. The second precept is related to the first: Any worship of God that seeks to glory only God must not ascribe qualities which are exclusive to God to any other entity other than God Himself.

In the Bible, God presents Himself as the only God and Jesus as His only Son. Likewise, Jesus declared Himself to be the only way to God: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.” Paul clarifies (if for some reason one is not able to understand Christ’s clear wording), “For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Tim 2:5; cf. Heb 9:15; 12:24).

As both the way to God and God Himself, Jesus can receive prayers according to Scripture (1 Cor 1:1-2; 2 Cor 12:8; 2 Thess 2:16-17). In the whole of Scripture, God presents Himself as the only one to whom prayers must be rendered, and such prayers must never be forwarded to or through any other entity, whether they be angels or saints. From this, the responsible and biblically astute worshipper finds ample encouragement to approach God (the Father and the Son) in prayer directly. In conclusion, true worshipers worship God alone and seek Him directly as He alone deserves all of the glory and adoration. They do not ascribe any of His glory to those who are no more than vessels of His glory. While believers may employ symbols and perform various activities in their worship, the whole of their worship, including their prayers, should always be directed toward the only One who is worthy to receive it.

[i]John of Damascus, Exposition of the Orthodox Faith, Book 4, Chapter 16.

[ii]All Scripture references are taken from NASB1995.