The apostle Paul charged his young protégé Timothy to "Preach the Word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine" (2 Timothy. 4:2).

Previously, in the same letter, Paul had written: "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness" (2 Timothy 3:16). The scripture to which Paul refers includes that of the Psalmist when he writes: "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee" (Psalm 119:105, 11).

God's Word is to be applied to all of life. It is the absolute guide and final authority for faith (what we are to believe) and life (how we are to live). As a preacher of that Word, I am compelled, as well as obligated, to address the current film entitled, "The Passion of the Christ."

This film has become not just the talk of the town, but of the nation. It has been the subject of numerous news and talk shows. The fact that it was produced by one of Hollywood's most prominent actors, Mel Gibson, only enhances its appeal. Mr. Gibson has personally appeared on many of these shows to defend himself against false accusations and those who would question his motives. My concerns lie elsewhere.

The major part of the Protestant church, perhaps even more so than the Roman Catholic Church, of which Mr. Gibson is a member, has fully endorsed it and is urging its members to go and see this film. It is being advertised as one of the greatest evangelistic tools ever. I have received various promotional resource materials for such use. In addition, many prominent religious leaders in the evangelical community have endorsed this film.

Thus, I feel pretty much a lone voice when I say (write) why I didn't see "The Passion of the Christ," and why I tell others not to go and see it. Nonetheless, I believe there is abundant Biblical support for such a position, and so, even in the face of tremendous pressure to accept, approve, and view this film, I am compelled to tell you why you shouldn't go and see it.

Let me also state for the record, that I cannot keep anyone from seeing this film. Neither am I condemning those who have seen it. I am sure that there are or will be thousands, perhaps even millions, of professing Christians that have or will see the film. Some will go because they are convinced that finally, here is a Christian movie worthy of support. Others will go out of curiosity to see what, until now, they've only heard of. Still others will watch with a critical eye to see how accurate it is to the Gospels.

No matter what the motivation, the common factor or denominator is sight, the desire to see. It is here that one runs into a conflict with a basic biblical principle: "For we walk by faith, not by sight" (2 Corinthians 5:7). This prompts the question: If you go to this film, who are you going to see? If the answer is, "Christ," the next question is: Will you see Him? If you say, "No," then whom did you see? An actor playing the role of Christ? But, can a mere mortal ever portray the Christ in all His fullness, a true and righteous man who is at the same time true God? "Of course not," you say. But then what is this actor who is portraying the Christ? A human pretending to be like Christ? What the prophet Isaiah says of God the Father is equally true of God the Son:

To whom then will ye liken God? Or what likeness will ye compare to him?Isaiah 40:18

Is not the actor a likeness or image of Christ? "No," you say. "The actor is alive and moving, and not an image." Surely you can't be serious! How can you say he is any different from a painting, a picture, or a statue? I remember well the old designation: the moving picture show. Any way you cut it, you end up with an image of the Christ.

Perhaps you already realize where this is going. I didn't go to see "The Passion of the Christ," and neither should you because it is a violation of the second commandment. Without belaboring the point, let me state in a series of questions and answers, what the second commandment is all about: 96. What does God require in the second commandment? That we in no wise make any image of God, nor worship Him in any other way than He has commanded us in His Word. 97. May we not make any image at all? God may not and cannot be imaged in any way; as for creatures, though they may indeed be imaged, yet God forbids the making or keeping any likeness of them, either to worship them, or to serve God by them. 98. But may not pictures be tolerated in churches as books for the people? No, for we should not be wiser than God, who will not have His people taught by dumb idols, but by the lively preaching of His Word. (Heidelberg Catechism) It should be the Christian's earnest purpose and desire to begin to live according to all of God's commandments, including this second commandment.

As stated earlier, God's Word says we are to walk or live by faith. 21. What is true faith? True faith is not only a certain knowledge whereby I hold for truth all that God has revealed to us in His Word; but also a hearty trust, which the Holy Ghost works in me by the Gospel, that not only to others, but to me also, forgiveness of sins, everlasting righteousness and salvation are freely given by God, merely of grace, only for the sake of Christ's merits (Heidelberg Catechism). How does this faith come? It is, first of all, the gift of God worked in our hearts by the Holy Spirit. The means by which the Holy Spirit works this grace or faith in our hearts is by the Gospel which does not consist only of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, but which "God Himself revealed first in Paradise, afterwards proclaimed by the holy Patriarchs and Prophets, and foreshadowed by the sacrifices and other ceremonies of the law; and finally fulfilled by His well-beloved Son" (Heidelberg Catechism #19). In other words, the Gospel is all of God's truth, the entire Bible.

The apostle Paul tells us that "faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" (Romans 10:17). In his first letter to the Corinthian church, Paul makes quite clear how the Word of God is to be heard and delivered:

For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect. For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God ... For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness.1 Corinthians 1:17, 18, 21-23

God will not have His people taught by images, still or moving, but by the vigorous preaching of His Word. That is and always will be the purest form by which God makes himself known to us.

Paul wrote to Timothy: "From a child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus" (2 Timothy 3:15). In Romans 1:16 Paul says he was not ashamed of the gospel that he preached, for it was "the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth." Jesus says in John 5:39: "Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me"

The heart of the issue before us is the sufficiency of the Word of God. There are numerous passages that address this:

Jesus teaches us in Matthew 12:38-41: Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee. But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of Jonah: For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the whale's belly: so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and, behold, a greater than Jonah is here.

Jesus was constantly confronted with sign-seekers as to the authenticity of His person, i.e., that He was who He said He was. They wanted, they needed convincing or confirmation by something they could see. For them seeing was believing. Jesus rebukes them soundly, and tells them they have sufficient revelation, the lesson of Jonah. He reminds them that Nineveh repented at the preaching of Jonah. Why were they not content with His preaching and teaching? He was far greater than Jonah!

Jesus teaches still more pointedly in the story of the Rich Man and Lazarus:

There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores. And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried. And in hell he lifted up his eyes, being in torments and seeth Abraham afar off and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. But Abraham said, Son remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou are tormented. And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence. Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house: For I have five brothers: that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. Abraham sith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. And the rich man said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. And [Abraham] said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.Luke 16:19-31

The rich man wanted something spectacular and dramatic to convince his brothers: "if one went unto them from the dead," if you vividly spread the suffering of Jesus across the big screen, people will repent and believe! But hear again what Jesus says: "If they hear not Moses and the prophets (the Holy Scriptures), neither will they be persuaded by one from the dead," or the giant screen!

The apostle Peter teaches us this about faith and our salvation:

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incor­ruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto the praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and fill of glory: Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls. Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.1 Peter 1:3-12

Like the prophets, we love, believe, and follow Christ even though we have not seen him. The prophets were content with the revelation of Christ, His sufferings and resurrection, received by faith and resulting in their salvation; the very things they have also reported to us through the preaching that is by the operation of the Holy Spirit.

Finally, the apostle John, speaking of the Father's love and the sonship of believers, says this:

Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now we are the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.1 John 3:1-2

"But we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is." Christ is coming again, some day, and every eye shall see him (cf. Revelation 1:7). With that we must be content. I, for one, do not wish to mar and dishonor Christ's person with some human likeness or image.

Returning to the Biblical principle that we walk by faith and not by sight, we read in the context:

For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens ... Therefore we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord ... but confident and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.2 Corinthians 5:6-8

Until then let us honor our Lord and walk by faith, not by sight. Until then we can go on singing:

What a day that will be, when my Savior I shall see;
When I look upon His face, the One who saved me by His grace.
What a day, glorious day, that will be!

Until then, this beautiful old hymn can and will keep its meaning:

Tell me the story of Jesus, Write on my heart every word,
Tell me the story most precious, Sweetest that every was heard.

And that, dear reader, is why I didn't go and see "The Passion of the Christ."