Should I get rid of the crucifixes on my wall and my t-shirts with religious slogans?

Question:

Hello,

I am a recent convert. I was baptized for the remission of sins just a few days ago. Now I’m wondering. I have crucifixes hanging on the walls in my home, and I often wear shirts with religious sayings on them. For example, I wear a hat that reads “Jesus is Lord” and t-shirts with this saying as well. I always took it as my way of confessing Jesus is Lord to men (Matthew 10:32). I converted from Roman Catholicism, and this is fine to wear as a Catholic, but now I am wondering as a member of the church of Christ, should I not wear clothing like this? Should I take the crucifixes off my walls?

Thanks.

Answer:

In part, the answer to your question lies in your attitude toward these things as well as the attitude of others. My guess is that as a Roman Catholic, you had hung the crucifixes on your wall as a display of your devotion to God. Those who visited your place would be impressed by how religious you were. But consider Jesus' admonition: "Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven. So when you give to the poor, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be honored by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full" (Matthew 6:1-2). Having religious icons on your walls doesn't make a person religious. It is how you live your life that is important.

Then, there are those who treat these man-made icons as if they were holy in some way. In doing so, they are treating the icons as idols. See Is having a symbol of Christianity idolatry?

If your t-shirts are being worn as a conversation starter, then there is no problem. But if you are wearing them to say, "Look at me! I'm a Christian!" then we are back to the problem of trying to look religious instead of focusing on being religious.

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