Well, hello there, folks. This is like one of those simple Bible studies – devotional, we love to share together. You know, here at bornagainchristians.org we just want to teach the Word of God chapter by chapter, verse by verse from the Bible, the way the Lord has led us.

Today, I came across some news that caught my attention. An IDF soldier in Lebanon took a hammer to a statue of Jesus. The video went around the world, and right away Israeli leaders, including Prime Minister Netanyahu, spoke up strongly. They said it was wrong, they were saddened by it, and they apologised to Christians who were hurt. It was an insensitive thing,  probably a young guy acting without thinking in a tough situation. We’re glad they addressed it quickly.

But that incident brings up an important question we need to look at in the light of Scripture. Many of us don’t feel comfortable with statues or images of “Jesus” or Mary in worship. Why is that?

The Bible is very clear on this. Look at the Second Commandment in Exodus 20:4:

“You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath…”

The heart of the matter isn’t that art is bad or that we can’t have simple reminders. The problem comes when these things start to pull our hearts away from the living God and we begin to bow down, pray to, or put our trust in something made by human hands.

The New Testament tells us to worship the Father “in spirit and in truth” (John 4:23-24). Our Lord Jesus is alive today, the risen, glorified Son of God at the right hand of the Father. He doesn’t need a statue for us to know Him. As Paul said in Acts 17:29, we shouldn’t think the Divine Nature is like gold, silver, or stone shaped by man’s art.

The Free Presbyterian folks that my family members belonged to have a strong statement on this. They talk about the Regulative Principle of Worship, that God has told us in His Word exactly how He wants to be worshiped, and we shouldn’t add things that aren’t commanded. We’re not strictly Reformed or Calvinist here, but we sure agree that we need to guard our worship and keep it pure, staying close to the Scriptures so nothing crowds out simple faith in Christ and His finished work on the cross.

Now, here’s where it gets practical, and I think this is important for many of you. We live in a world where a lot of folks struggle to read, maybe because of dyslexia or dyspraxia like myself, or just because life is busy and they can’t get to church easily.

For them, a good Christian film or dramatised Gospel can be a real help. It’s like painting a picture with the stories so they can hear the Word and begin to understand it.

But we have to be careful, beloved. Not every movie that calls itself Christian is safe.

We don’t recommend The Chosen. It has some nice moments, but it adds a lot of extra dialogue and stories that aren’t in the Bible, and there are real concerns about Mormon influence in how it was made and distributed. We don’t want anything that might mix the pure gospel with other ideas.

Instead, let me point you to some tools that stay much closer to the actual Word of God:

• The Lumo Project Gospels, These are beautiful. They take the full text of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John straight from the Bible and put it on the screen with the scenes. No made-up lines, just the Scripture itself. Many people watch and then open their NKJV and say, “That’s exactly what it says!” It’s a wonderful help for visual learners.
• The classic Jesus Film, It sticks close to the Gospels and has been used by the Lord to reach millions around the world.
• The word-for-word Gospel of John film, Simple and faithful to the text.

These are good servants to the Bible, not replacements. Watch them if they help you see the stories, but then always go back to the Bible and let the Holy Spirit speak to your heart through the written Word. “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17).

You see, whether we’re talking about statues or helpful films, the same principle holds nothing should come between us and the living Christ.

We don’t need images made by hands. We have the inspired Scriptures, the power of the Holy Spirit, and the real Jesus who saves us by grace through faith.

So, let’s keep it simple here at bornagainchristians.org. Stay Bible strong. Use tools with wisdom and love, especially for those who find reading difficult, but always point people back to the pages of God’s Word where they can meet the Lord for themselves.

If you’re struggling with reading or just want to grow in the Lord, try one of these recommended films and then open your Bible alongside it.

The Lord will meet you there, I’ve seen Him do it time and time again.

We’d love to hear from you. Drop us a note, share what the Lord is doing in your life, or let us know how we can pray for you.

Peter