No, I believe that it would not be right (i.e, biblical) to use it to
represent the Christian religion. The center of the Christian
religion is Christ, and any representation of the Christian religion
would be representing Christ though perhaps indirectly. There is no
avoiding visibly representing the Christian religion without
representing Christ. Also, most importantly, it goes back to the
Regulative Principle and hence the sufficiency of Scripture as rule
of faith and worship. If we can use the cross to represent the
Christian religion (and Christ) to the world, then there must be
warrant in Scripture either explicitly or by necessary inference.
In Scripture, the only elements to represent the Christian religion
(and Christ) are the visible Sacraments: Baptism and the Lord
Supper, which are the Gospel set before our eyes. For that, we have
Scriptural warrant; however, Scripture again sets forth how those
Sacraments (and the signs/emblems in those Sacraments) are to be
adminstered (when, by whom, and how). We don't have Scripture
warrant apart from the administration of the Sacraments (by lawful
ministers of God) to display such representative emblems willy-nilly
to the world. Further we, are exhorted by Scripture to set our
mines on things above, not on finite, corruptible things (eg,
crosses, worldly treasure, etc.) below regardless of how "holy" or
spiritiually significant they are. The word of the Gospel, its
visible signs of the Sacraments, and its outward effect in our lives
are the alone sufficent and alone biblicaly warranted means to
represent the Chrisitian religion. We need no other means.

Although the Reformers and their teaching are fallible and
subordinate to Scripture, I don't think that in their godly lives or
their congregation's lives one could find an example of their
teaching or condoning the display of the Cross to represent the
Christian religion.

When I visited land of the Covenanters (the original Presbyterians)
in 2006, I saw Glasgow Cathedral and other places where they tore
down such symbols of Christ and Christianity to reform the Lord's
Church back to pure, simple, Scriptural worship. I am sure that
before such destruction of idols, there were both kinds of crosses
(even the pagan celtic cross of my Papist and pagan Irish ancestors,
the Papist non-empty cross, and the empty cross). They tore them
down because it was not in accordance with or warranted by Scripture.

To add to what Scripture warrants smacks of false religions (and
especially the pride of sinful seeking to find positive signifance in
his sinful state) especially Popery and Mormonism that always want to
have a visible means apart from the Gospel and the Sacraments to
represent Christ and Him Crucified.

Therefore, my summary reason for not using the Cross for representing
Christanity is that there is primarily no warrant in Scripture to do
so and subordinate to Scripture, no evidence in the Reformers lives
or teaching to condone such unwarranted practice. In other words,
there is no evidence explicitly or by necessary inference to give
warrant to such representative practice.

If you think that there is Scriptural warrant to have the cross
represent Chrstianity (and also therewith and inseparably, Christ),
then please show us how Scripture would provide warrant.

FCC&C,
Whit _____
Free Church of Scotland (Continuing), Communicant Member
Washington Metropolis, DC

Do you have the guts to answer these Q's and re-post as The Controversial Survey? YES

Would you do meth if it was legalized? NO

Abortion: for or against? CATEGORICALLY AGAINST

Would our country fall with a woman president? NO.  THOUGH I AM AGAINST THE IDEA OF A FEMALE PUBLIC SERVANT/OFFICER, OUR NATION MORE THAN LIKELY WOULD NOT FALL BECAUSE OF A SINGLE FEMALE PRESIDENT

Do you believe in the death penalty? YES

Do you wish marijuana would be legalized already? YES BUT ONLY FOR MEDICAL PRESCRIPTIONS

Do you believe in God? YES AS EXPLAINED BY THE ORIGINAL WESTMINSTER STANDARDS

Do you think same sex marriages should be legalized? NO

Do you think its wrong that so many Hispanics are moving to the USA? NO AS LONG AS THEY ARE LEGAL IMMIGRANTS/TRANSPLANTS

A 12 year old girl has a baby..should she keep it? YES BUT ONLY UNDER THE CLOSE SUPERVISION OF A MATURE ADULT

Should the alcohol age be lowered to 18? YES

Should the war in Iraq be called off? NO

Assisted suicide is illegal...do you agree? YES (IT IS ALSO NON-BIBLICAL.)

Do you believe in spanking your children? I DON'T HAVE CHILDREN YET, BUT YES, I WILL SPANK THEM IF CIRCUMSTANCES WARRANT.

Would you burn an American flag for a million dollars? NO UNLESS IT WAS A DIGNIFIED, SOLEMN, PRIVATE DISPOSAL OF A WORN, TATTERED FLAG

A mother is declared innocent after murdering her 5 children in a temporary insanity case? NO. I BELIEVE THIS PARTICULAR CASE WARRANTS THE DEATH PENALTY. IN ANY CASE, THE PERSON (JUST AS THE REST OF US) WILL EVENTUALLY HAVE TO APPEAR BEFORE THE PERFECT, SUPREME JUDGE OF THE UNIVERSE (GOD) WHO CANNOT BE DECIEVED AND WHO WILL JUDGE RIGHTEOUSLY AND WITH PERFECT JUSTICE.

Are you afraid others will judge you from reading some of your answers? NOT REALLY. I FEAR GOD MORE THAN MAN.

A man put his very soul on web auction:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080702/ap_on_fe_st/odd_soul_auction

Thankfully, the auction site cancelled the auction.  However, it among people actually selling their lives and now souls to other humans who can't save them is quite unbiblical.    If you want to sell your soul, sell it to Jesus Christ who is God, who is the Lamb without blemish, who already paid the enormous debt for your sin, and who alone can ransom your soul from Hell (Rom. 6:23, Rom. 5, Eph. 2:1-8).