As a Christian school Art teacher, I taught my students not just about Art in the sense of how to paint, draw, sculpt, or who the important artists are; they also learned how creativity and artistic skill are divinely given gifts from God, granted when He created us in His image. To teach older elementary and middle school kids what the Bible says about Art, I developed a simple worksheet taken directly from scripture. Students would fill in the blanks (the underlined areas) during our class discussion.
What the Bible Says About God’s Creativity –
1.) Creation is God’s artwork. The first book of Genesis says God created: mankind, animals, the heavens and the earth, flowers, trees, and much more.
2.) God thought about and judged His creations when they were finished (Gen. 1:31): “God looked at everything He had made and He found it very good.”
3.) God created man with the ability to produce and appreciate beauty. He gave us a variety of specialized talents, which are creative in nature. Because God is a creative person, we are too. (Gen 1:27): “God created man in His image.”
What the Bible Says about Man’s Creativity –
1.) Man’s creativity is more limited than God’s. We can only work with what God has already created, and we cannot create something out of nothing.
2.) Man’s varied creative abilities demonstrate the uniqueness of each person.
What the Bible Says about Man’s Artistic Responsibility –
1.) We are meant to think on beautiful things and to recognize the beauty God has provided.
2.) We should use our talents for the glory of God out of enjoyment and appreciation for those gifts; also because we have a responsibility to use what He has blessed us with. (Romans 12:6): “We have different gifts, according to the grace given us.”
What the Bible Says about the Arts –
1.) God likes a variety of beauty. Trees, flowers, sunsets and fruits are all natural objects that display a variety of colors, textures and forms. What else?
2.) God is interested in the artistic details. He specifically instructs the tabernacle builders in Exodus 26 to decorate the temple in gold, curtains dyed in red, blue and purple, embroidered with angel designs, and sculptures cast in bronze.
3.) God is pleased with art that includes both religious and non-religious subjects. Every artwork does not have to illustrate a Bible story to please Him. He is pleased when we use our creative gifts in any way that can glorify Him!
4.) God gave a variety of artistic abilities, like painting, sculpting, printing, sewing, and more.
5.) Works of art may portray a variety of messages, and may be used for both good and evil. The fact that a work of art is well-made and beautifully-crafted does not guarantee the truth of its message or the worthiness of its use – in fact, it may be deceiving in its message. Give an example of a work of art that is well-made, but sends a deceiving message.
6.) No object created by man or God is to become an object of worship.
As a Christian parent or teacher at a Christian school, it is important to explain this information to children – kids need to know that God is interested in their lives in every aspect, from their hearts, to their minds, and to their talents – even Art. You can use the topics above in a classroom worksheet, or simply as points of discussion around the dinner table, or when you visit a museum or view a beautiful sunset!
