What does God require in the Second Commandment?

That  we should not represent Him or worship Him in any other manner than He has commanded in His word. 

Should we, then, not make any images at all?

God cannot and should not be pictured in any way.  As for creatures, although they may indeed be portrayed, God forbids making or having any likeness of them in order to worship them, or to use them to serve Him. 

But may not pictures be tolerated in churches in place of books for unlearned people?

No, for we must not try to be wiser than God Who does not want His people to be taught by means of lifeless idols, but through the living preaching of His Word. 

I. How Should People Worship God?

A. God teaches believers to find the answers to their questions about Him and how to approach Him in the Bible.  All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.  (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

B. Since the Bible is even more reliable than direct personal revelation, the directions in Scripture overrule all other ideas.  We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:  (2 Peter 1:19)

C. Examine the implications of inventing your own ways to worship God.  What profiteth the graven image that the maker thereof hath graven it; the molten image, and a teacher of lies, that the maker of his work trusteth therein, to make dumb idols?    Woe unto him that saith to the wood, Awake; to the dumb stone, Arise, it shall teach! Behold, it is laid over with gold and silver, and there is no breath at all in the midst of it.    But the LORD is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him.  (Habakkuk 2:18-20)

D. Jeremiah=s era helps believers focus on basic truths C reformation follows pairing away the pleasant accretions of the world.   But they are altogether brutish and foolish: the stock is a doctrine of vanities.  (Jeremiah 10:8)

C. Why would Worship C which is so personally close to God C be different from the other area=s of Christ=s lordship?  And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the LORD; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.  (Isaiah 25:9)   For the LORD is our judge, the LORD is our lawgiver, the LORD is our king; he will save us.  (Isaiah 33:22)

When someone proposes a particular way to worship God, measure it by the Puritan Principle.

II. How Narrow-minded Is God about Worship?

A. God treats any likeness of Him which people can produce from their energy and effort as a misrepresentation by definition.  Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device.  (Acts 17:29)

B. If there were some latitude on the issue wouldn=t it show up in Deuteronomy where God outlined His Law?  Take ye therefore good heed unto yourselves; for ye saw no manner of similitude on the day that the LORD spake unto you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire: Lest ye corrupt yourselves, and make you a graven image, the similitude of any figure, the likeness of male or female, The likeness of any beast that is on the earth, the likeness of any winged fowl that flieth in the air, The likeness of any thing that creepeth on the ground, the likeness of any fish that is in the waters beneath the earth: And lest thou lift up thine eyes unto heaven, and when thou seest the sun, and the moon, and the stars, even all the host of heaven, shouldest be driven to worship them, and serve them, which the LORD thy God hath divided unto all nations under the whole heaven.  (Deuteronomy 4:15-19 )

Instead, God warns against things which even might tempt us to false worship.

C. The pathetic state of contemporary society relates directly to the violation of the second commandment.  For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;    Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.    For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:    Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,    And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;  (Romans 1:18-28)

III. Ambiguous Worship Is Dangerous