Many believers may think that it is impossible for a work of art to ever be intrinsically sinful. Reasoning from clear biblical teaching about intrinsically sinful human conduct, however, shows that this view is wrong.
Forbidden Interactions between Humans and Animals
God created all living beings, including humans and all animals. God made them to be what they are and pronounced all that He had made very good (Gen. 1:31).
God nevertheless explicitly prohibits humans from having intimate relations with animals. All such conduct by humans and animals is intrinsically sinful:
Exodus 22:19 Whosoever lieth with a beast shall surely be put to death.
Leviticus 18:23 Neither shalt thou lie with any beast to defile thyself therewith: neither shall any woman stand before a beast to lie down thereto: it is confusion.
Leviticus 20:16 And if a woman approach unto any beast, and lie down thereto, thou shalt kill the woman, and the beast: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.
Deuteronomy 27:21 Cursed be he that lieth with any manner of beast. And all the people shall say, Amen.
How these passages would apply to certain potential works of art is made plain by considering what certain humans are capable of doing in making sculptures.
Making Intrinsically Sinful Sculptures
Many humans in world history have excelled in making highly detailed sculptures of humans and animals. If such sculptors, however, were to make sculptures that plainly depict humans and animals having the intimate interactions forbidden by God, they would make works of art that are intrinsically sinful.1
No righteous believer would ever have any legitimate justification for ever even looking at any such sculptures. Any believer who would intentionally look at any such sculptures would sin with his eyes and mind.
Conclusion
By considering in the manner explained above that certain evil humans are capable of making sculptures that are intrinsically sinful, we can know with certainty that it is false to believe that it is impossible for humans to ever make a work of art that is intrinsically sinful.2
Moreover, believers must reject the false notion that God is the Creator of all things artistic that sinful humans have ever made because God made them in His image and has bestowed upon them common grace—God has never made, invented, or created any such intrinsically wicked things such as the sculptures discussed above.
Application
Because it is true that evil humans can make works of art that are intrinsically sinful, consecrated believers must not accept any false notions about what humans supposedly cannot do in the realm of artistic endeavors, such as the wrong notion that inventing kinds of instrumental music that are intrinsically unacceptable to God is not possible.3
- Some may object to this line of reasoning by saying that they have never even heard of any such sculptures even existing. Whether such sculptures have existed, however, is irrelevant to the truth that if any such sculptures have ever been made (or were to be made), those sculptures have been (or would be) works of art that have been (or would be) intrinsically sinful. ↩︎
- Consider for example the following hypothetical scenario. A sculptor is an ardent atheist who wholeheartedly believes in evolution. He believes that humans are animals just as all other animals are animals. He even believes that the intimate interactions between humans and animals that Scripture reveals are forbidden by God are perfectly legitimate. For such an atheistic sculptor, creating a sculpture that depicts such sinful activity in great detail would be fully in keeping with his beliefs and capabilities. ↩︎
- For a treatment of this important matter, see my posts, Can Music (without Lyrics) or a Photograph Ever Be Inherently Sinful?, How “Inventors of Evil Things” (Rom. 1:30) Applies to Our Assessment of Certain Musical Styles, “Why Human Skull Drums Matter”, and Is There Earthly, Sensual, and Demonic Wisdom about Musical Instruments and Instrumental Music? ↩︎
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