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"Take
Heed" Ministries
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Cecil Andrews, PO BOX 13, Ballynahinch, BT24 8AL, Northern Ireland. Telephone/Fax 028 9756 5511. E-MAIL - takeheed@aol.com WEB-SITE - http://www.takeheed.net |
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THE PROBLEM
WITH ‘THE PASSION’ |
In Deuteronomy
The dictionary definition of
“similitude” is ‘likeness…sometimes
a person that is like or the counterpart of another’ [Collins English
Dictionary and Thesaurus: 21st century Edition: page 1107]. In Deuteronomy
4:12 God is reminding His people that they heard His words but saw no “similitude” [‘likeness’ including any
‘person like’ the speaker Who was of course “the Lord”]. Then in
verses 15-16 and 23-24 God again reminds His people that there was no “similitude” [‘likeness’ when
they heard His words].
Why was God so insistent on
reminding His people of this truth? His reason for reminding His people was so
that they would not make any “similitude”
[‘likeness’ including any ‘person like’] of the
God Who had spoken to them. This prohibition included not only “a graven image” – an “image” that people might be tempted
to worship but the prohibition included making FOR ANY REASON
[not necessarily worship] a “similitude”
[‘likeness’
including
any ‘person like’] “of
anything, which the Lord thy God hath forbidden thee”.
It is clear from the context
in which these prohibitions are given that God had the making of a “similitude” [‘likeness’ including any
‘person like’] of Himself in mind for He says in verse 24 that He is
“a jealous God”. The incarnate
Lord Jesus Christ was “Emmanuel…God
with us” [Matthew
Cecil Andrews – ‘Take Heed’ Ministries – 1 March 2004
After this article was posted to the web site I received the following emails and my replies are also posted herewith –
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Evidently
you do not own a camera C. L.
S
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Dear Mr S
I did receive your email and assume that it is in response to my short article
entitled 'The Problem with The Passion'.
Obviously you have taken from it that I do not approve of any 'images' -
hence your brief comment. If that has been your deduction then I do apologise
for conveying this mistaken impression to you and I shall attempt to clarify
exactly what I meant.
The passage from Deuteronomy 4 that I referred to shows clearly that man
is not to make either a 'graven image' or a 'similitude' [which
could be either male or female] to represent God.
This prohibition applies not only to the 'invisible God' but also to
making a 'similitude' [by dressing an actor up to portray Him] of the
Lord Jesus who although being described in the Bible as 'the image of God'
[2 Corinthians 4:4], as 'the image of the invisible God' [Colossians
1:15] and as 'the express image of his {God's} person' [Hebrews
1:3] was, as I said in my article, "God manifest in the flesh"
[1 Timothy 3:16].
Any 'image' that we make of 'someone' is not
actually that 'someone' but the Lord Jesus, although described as
an 'image', was at all times God for we read that "in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily"
[Colossians 2:9] and the Lord could say to Philip "He that hath
seen me hath seen the Father" [John 14:9].
I am certainly not against taking photographs ['images'] and also
not against watching [suitable] movies, even based on Bible stories, provided
that they do not attempt to portray either the 'invisible God' or the 'incarnate
God - Jesus Christ' in some visible form.
I hope this is helpful.
Your servant for Christ
Cecil Andrews
'Take Heed' Ministries
www.takeheed.net
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Dear
Sir,
After
reading your reviews of the Passion Film ... my heart is heavy!
Could
you tell me if you are ever positive? This is a Hollywood film - a film that
God can use to advance his kingdom. Please wake up, grow up and start to
advance the kingdom rather than ALWAYS ridiculing everything & everybody!
Regards,
D
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Dear D,
Thank you for your email and for your response to items posted on our web site
concerning the Mel Gibson movie 'The Passion of The Christ'.
Like
you, as I investigated the whole issue of this movie, my heart was 'heavy' as
I read of those who would claim to be submissive to the Word of God eagerly
rushing to ignore what that same Word says on this subject. You ask if I am
ever 'positive'? Well, if you have read the updated article on our web
site called 'The Problem with The Passion' you will see that I am very
'positive' about what God has to say in Deuteronomy 4 in relation to
the making of 'similitudes' [either male {as in the case of the movie}
or female] of God.
Christians must never forget that the Lord Jesus was 'God manifest in the
flesh' so that rules out any 'likenesses' of Him being made
for any purpose, no matter how laudable we in our fallen state may think the
purpose is. God 's thinking and teaching on this issue is quite clear - 'don't
do it' - what believers must decide is whether they are going to obey
God or disobey God - it's really as simple as that.
I also made this 'positive' statement that you can find in the
article by Richard Bennett and Virgil Dunbar and that includes a few comments
by myself near the end 'We must also of course use any openings
provided to us by those who do watch the film to FULLY explain the truth of The
Gospel'.
You believe that this film, [despite the 55 unscriptural errors that are
listed in the Chuck Swindoll article also on our web
site - that's a ratio of about 1 error for every 2 minutes of the movie] which
in the light of all these errors cannot possibly be viewed as either good 'seed'
[Luke 8:11] or a 'good tree' [Matthew 7:18], that it is still
going to somehow 'advance' God's kingdom - that belief flies in the face
of what God's Word teaches.
God's kingdom is only advanced when God's Word [good 'seed'] is preached
to people and God Himself opens their understanding - we learn that lesson very
clearly through the details of Luke 24:13-35. There you have the story
of 2 people who had witnessed THE REAL Passion of Christ and they didn't have a
clue what it was all about. Only when Christ Himself took them to the
Scriptures and taught them [just as the Holy Spirit does today when God's Word
is preached] and gave them understanding did they realise the significance of
what happened at Calvary [the real events - not the mystical fabrications of
Mel Gibson's movie]. God's ordained way for advancing His kingdom is through 'preaching'
[1 Corinthians 1:21] - not through Hollywood movies.
You tell me to 'wake up' and 'grow up' - would you
have issued these same instructions to that wonderful man of God, A W Tozer, in the light of his article that is posted to our
web site? Let me assure you that I am certainly 'awake' and by the help
of God's Holy Spirit as I study His Word I am seeking daily to 'grow' in
both 'knowledge and judgment' [see Philippians 1:9].
I commend these thoughts to you.
Your watchful servant for Christ
Cecil Andrews
'Take Heed' Ministries
www.takeheed.net