By Pastor Olumide Akinrinlola
For a very long time, there has been a growing trend among some Christian communities to erect statues of Jesus Christ, a practice that I firmly believe is misguided and contrary to biblical teachings.
Worshipping any image in the name of a statue of Jesus constitutes idolatry. When Jesus walked the earth in flesh and blood, none of His disciples or family members recorded what He looked like. There is no evidence detailing His facial features, such as the shape of His head, the colour of His hair, the colour of His eyes, or even His height and stature.
The scriptures, inspired by the Holy Spirit and penned by forty individuals over a span of 1,600 years in three languages—Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic across three continents of Asia, Africa, and Europe convey a singular message: the salvation of God through Jesus Christ.
Remarkably, these writers did not know one another, nor did they live in the same time or place. My assertion is that the Bible stands as the most perfect religious book on earth, presenting one clear message—the salvation of God through Jesus Christ. This fundamental truth is unique to Christianity.
Throughout the scriptures, there is no record of anyone erecting a statue of Jesus or artistically depicting His image. Thus, I am left to wonder how some Christians, along with prominent churches around the globe, can justify the construction of statues of Jesus Christ despite the absence of biblical evidence regarding His appearance, colour, or stature.
The messages contained within both the Old and New Testaments focus on His death, resurrection, and the salvation offered to the world through Jesus Christ, rather than on His physical appearance.
Moreover, both the Old and New Testaments explicitly warn believers against the erection and worship of images, which are categorically labelled as idolatry. The scriptures emphasise the dangers associated with such practices. In Exodus 20:4-5, we are commanded: “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything… you shall not bow down to them or serve them.”
This directive forms part of the second commandment of God. In the New Testament, Apostle Paul taught the people of Athens that “we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, that is, an image formed by the art and imagination of man” (Acts 17:29).
The scriptures further advise believers to “flee from idolatry” (1 Corinthians 10:14), while Apostle John first letter gave a strong warning against this similar practice when it says: “Little children, keep yourselves from idols” (1 John 5:21).
I assert that the erection of a statue in the image of Christ is unscriptural and disapproved by God because it has no foundational traces to the word of God as contained in the Bible. Such practices are described as idolatry, which God jealously hates.
The consequences of idolatry are severe; the book of Revelation 21:8 warns us that “the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”
Christians who engage in this practice should repent. Churches that partake in similar practices should cease immediately and worship God in accordance with the doctrinal teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ. Heaven and earth bear witness; I warn you all and deliver this message.
Pastor Olumide Akinrinlola is an end-time preacher of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
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