I have been challenged lately about the commandment from the Decalogue about having no graven image of God. The easy and obvious exposition is that we should not have any statue idols or pagan representations of God that are in any way contrary to the God of the Bible. Reading "Knowing God" (JI Packer) has challenged me to broaden my view of this commandment to include pictures of Jesus or other members of the Trinity. In other words, Sunday School material. I did not come to this conclusion easily (I used to make Sunday School drawings for my wife) but reading this from Packer was the final nudge. He says that Aaron certainly meant well when he fashioned the calf. He wanted some way to show the strength of El Shaddai. But by portraying His strength he was denigrating His grace, mercy, etc. All of God's attributes are in perfect balance. So much so that "balance" seems even to be a wrong word. Everything God is and does is in perfect accord with everything else He is and does. For instance, His mercy and lovingkindness isn't eclipsed when His jealousy brings Him to judge at a certain point in history. By this token, representations of Jesus of necessity show Him likewise limited. Since God is a Spirit, those who worship Him must worship in Spirit and in truth. As we grow in Christ the Spirit Himself teaches us the image of Christ and we are conformed more and more to that image as we continue to look into that Law of Liberty. I believe that the picture on the Sunday School wall can only get in the way of this work of the Spirit.

Related article: Mel Gibson's "Passion of Christ".