{"id":53345,"date":"2008-07-23T17:57:13","date_gmt":"2008-07-23T15:57:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/moldovacrestina.md\/what-is-the-difference-between-an-idol-and-an-icon"},"modified":"2017-05-27T08:44:16","modified_gmt":"2017-05-27T06:44:16","slug":"what-is-the-difference-between-an-idol-and-an-icon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/moldovacrestina.md\/en\/what-is-the-difference-between-an-idol-and-an-icon\/","title":{"rendered":"What is the difference between an idol and an icon?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\n

<\/p>\n

I received this question from a reader of the portal Moldova Cre\u0219tin\u0103<\/a><\/span> <\/p>\n

\n

What is the difference between an idol and an icon or a cross?<\/span><\/span> They are the s<\/em>ame thing for me as long as people\u00a0pray to both of them.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0 Especially since there is a tendency to decorate the icons with chains of gold or the icon itself is made of precious metals \u2026<\/span><\/span> <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Orthodox Catechism<\/span> <\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/strong>
<\/strong>The authors of Orthodox Catechism<\/a> explain the significance of the icon and indicate the difference between an icon and an idol.<\/span> <\/p>\n

\n

We honor\u00a0<\/em>the holy icons because they\u00a0rise\u00a0our\u00a0thought to the mystery of the Incarnation of God.<\/span><\/span> Taking a human body, God showed us that we can depict and honor Him in\u00a0an image.<\/span><\/span> We v<\/em>enerate the holy icons because they also help us raise our minds to the saints that\u00a0endured\u00a0and\u00a0suffered for the\u00a0right\u00a0faith, giving us the entirely\u00a0worthy\u00a0to follow example.<\/span><\/span> As a picture does, the icon makes us think of the saint its represents.<\/span><\/span> We also honor the holy icons because by\u00a0prayers before them, addressed to the saints which they\u00a0portray, the\u00a0pious believers are partakers of the rich spiritual gifts.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0Veneration of icons is not idolatry, because we do not honor the wood and the colors, but the saints depicted on wood, as some that are well pleased before\u00a0God, as some who\u00a0were worthy to be in a closer relationship with God and therefore can intercede for us<\/span><\/span>.<\/span><\/span> Before being placed in churches and homes of believers, the icons are sanctified by\u00a0priests, according to the regulation\u00a0established by the Church.<\/span><\/span> <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

God has not left a command or exhortation in the Bible to\u00a0ask people\u00a0worship the icons.<\/span> <\/p>\n

God stated categorically against idols in the Bible<\/span> <\/strong><\/p>\n

The first of the 10 commandments of God sent to people through his servant Moses on Mount Sinai, say:<\/span> <\/p>\n

\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

You shall have no other gods before Me.\u00a0You 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.\u00a0You 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,\u00a0but showing lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments. (Exodus 20:3-6)(NASB)<\/span> <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Let us worship God in spirit and truth.<\/span> <\/p>\n

Translated by Felicia Rotaru<\/em><\/p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I received this question from a reader of the portal Moldova Cre\u0219tin\u0103 What is the difference between an idol and an icon or a cross? They are the same thing for me as long as people\u00a0pray to both of them.\u00a0 Especially since there is a tendency to decorate the icons with chains of gold or […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":46,"featured_media":106501,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","ep_exclude_from_search":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[126],"tags":[7955,9056,9922,12418,18580,19866,24482,942,7961,9121,10083,12438,18950,19872,1101,7969,9178,10248,12712,19273,19880,2330,7998,9182,10372,12829,19439,19885,2524,8482,9268,10394,12860,19596,19905,2911,8497,9279,10427,12895,19620,20121,4151,8604,9504,10619,13557,19629,20202,4842,8639,9648,10723,14649,19630,20217,7737,8673,9668,10757,14723,19631,20222,7796,8771,9683,10789,14824,19712,20236,7797,8799,9726,10844,15688,19724,20318,7798,8834,9847,10899,15704,19737,20375,7853,8845,9848,11168,17163,19766,20456,7859,8864,9849,11212,17560,19772,23221,7876,8998,9857,11439,18059,19789,23265,7934,9027,9862,11497,18347,19852,24172],"class_list":{"0":"post-53345","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-answer-from-the-bible","8":"tag-heaven","9":"tag-rai","10":"tag-o","11":"tag-rom","12":"tag-ny","13":"tag-state","14":"tag-pries","15":"tag-ore","16":"tag-believe","17":"tag-churches","18":"tag-ca","19":"tag-but","20":"tag-i","21":"tag-10-commandments","22":"tag-co","23":"tag-church","24":"tag-spiritual","25":"tag-po","26":"tag-incarnation","27":"tag-eve","28":"tag-cross","29":"tag-faith","30":"tag-crestin","31":"tag-t","32":"tag-pr","33":"tag-sinai","34":"tag-who","35":"tag-kindness","36":"tag-mo","37":"tag-om","38":"tag-pl","39":"tag-priest","40":"tag-gene","41":"tag-si","42":"tag-child","43":"tag-wor","44":"tag-orthodox","45":"tag-bible","46":"tag-l","47":"tag-exod","48":"tag-relations","49":"tag-idols","50":"tag-st","51":"tag-eli","52":"tag-mol","53":"tag-le","54":"tag-like","55":"tag-honor","56":"tag-gold","57":"tag-ins","58":"tag-sin","59":"tag-ion","60":"tag-b","61":"tag-ou","62":"tag-idolatr","63":"tag-father","64":"tag-children","65":"tag-earth","66":"tag-ta","67":"tag-un","68":"tag-ue","69":"tag-veneration","70":"tag-commandment","71":"tag-man","72":"tag-rela","73":"tag-do","74":"tag-relationship-with-god","75":"tag-ong","76":"tag-lie","77":"tag-spiritual-gifts","78":"tag-men","79":"tag-vin","80":"tag-j","81":"tag-the","82":"tag-portal-moldova-crestina","83":"tag-usa","84":"tag-idolatry","85":"tag-people","86":"tag-te","87":"tag-r","88":"tag-rut","89":"tag-la","90":"tag-priests","91":"tag-icon","92":"tag-love","93":"tag-p","94":"tag-prayer","95":"tag-relation","96":"tag-the-church","97":"tag-help","98":"tag-spiritual-gift","99":"tag-god","100":"tag-fa","101":"tag-prayers","102":"tag-saints","103":"tag-believer","104":"tag-example","105":"tag-idol","106":"tag-relationship","107":"tag-vis","108":"tag-pray","109":"tag-human","110":"tag-mind","111":"tag-worship","112":"tag-body","113":"tag-moldova","114":"tag-stat","115":"tag-rich","116":"tag-cor","117":"tag-felicia-rotaru","118":"tag-icons","119":"tag-athe","120":"entry"},"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nWhat is the difference between an idol and an icon? • Moldova Cre\u0219tin\u0103<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"I received this question from a reader of the portal www.moldovacrestina.net What is the difference between an idol and an icon or a cross? 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