It’s easy to think, “Well, I’ve never bowed before a golden calf. I’ve never kneeled before a shrine.” But idolatry isn’t just about tangible images; it’s about worshiping God in ways He hasn’t commanded. Every time we sit through a sermon and let our minds wander, playing with our phones during worship, or when we’re treating His holy Word as just another TED Talk. When we neglect the reading of Scripture, we are choosing our own version of Christianity. And in doing so, we’re crafting an idol—not with our hands, but with our hearts.

4 “You shall not make for yourself an idol or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth. 5 “You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, 6 but showing lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments. – Exodus 20:4-6

When the Lord commands, “You shall not make for yourself a carved image,” He is not being unclear, vague, or slippery with His words (Exodus 20:4). There is no fine print. No hidden loophole. No invitation to play interpretive gymnastics. He speaks plainly and directly because He wants us to understand Him without confusion. When God says we are to make no image of Him—Father, Son, or Spirit—He means exactly what He says. It’s straightforward. No carved image. No painting. No representation.

And if that wasn’t clear enough, God Himself practices what He commands. Nowhere in the Bible do we find Him sanctioning or providing an image of the divine nature. No portraits of the Father. No etchings of the Spirit. Not even an artist’s sketch of the Son while He walked this earth. Think about that: the same God who crafted the universe, who filled the heavens with stars, who formed man out of dust, and who conquered death itself—if He wanted an image of Himself, He could have easily given us one. He could have had a perfect, holy rendering commissioned for every age and eye. And yet, He did not.

Even in the first century, when Jesus lived in a world full of portraits and sculptures made to honor emperors, philosophers, and generals, we have not a single depiction of Him from life. The God-man, the most important person in human history, chose to live without leaving us a visual representation. Why? Because God does not want us to worship Him according to what we think is best. He wants us to worship Him according to what He has commanded.

Jesus Himself made it clear: “Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed” (John 20:29). He is the same God who withholds visual depictions so that we might learn to trust His Word alone. And yet, some of us might still think we can improve on God’s design.

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