Beauty by Design

How are Christians to create beauty in their works? How can beauty become a practical goal for Christians in their worship and in their work? A brief reminder from the Exodus story helps us set off in the right direction for finding grounded answers to these lofty questions.

BEAUTY—COMMISSIONED BY THE CREATOR

When Moses went up to meet the Lord for forty days atop Mt. Sinai (Exod. 24), the first order of business was the collection of precious gifts for the creation of beautiful instruments of worship (Exod. 25–31). Here we read of a call for items that would be made “for glory and for beauty” (28:2, 40). Glory (kâbôd) and beauty (tiph’ereth) were meant as aims for the garments being described and for their use in worship reflective of God’s own glory and beauty (1 Chron. 16:29). But these aims weren’t merely ideas. The command of God was for things—buildings, tapestry, jewelry, clothing, and more—to be glorious, and be beautiful. In other words, to make glorious, beautiful things.

God selected artisans to put these divine aims into concrete works of artistry. Men such as Bezaleel, Aholiab, and other “wise-hearted” crafters (31:1–6) were given wisdom by God (31:6) and “filled . . . with the Spirit of God” (31:3) to produce all these beautiful works for worship. From architecture to embroidery, sculptures to clothes, these artisans would have the same Spirit who was active in Creation (Gen. 1:2, et al.) guiding them in their creations.

Many observations from this story can aid and inspire Christian artists of any sort. I will make two, the first relating to God’s approval and the second relating to human endeavor in achieving God’s aims. These observations are followed by some practical advice, from one Christian artist to others, on how to pursue beauty in our work for the Lord.

The podcast based on this article:
Interview 25: Jonathan Johnson – Beauty by Design

TWO ENCOURAGEMENTS FROM EXODUS

First, we see in this story God’s pleasure in His people’s works of creativity. While the plan was modelled by God after a heavenly pattern (cf. Exod. 25:9; Heb. 8:5), the execution was left in the hands of human workers. God’s approval extended to all sorts of creativity. Not only were there abstract, geometric patterns in the colorful fabrics, jewelry, and metalworking, but there were also figurative works, including angels, animals, plants, and fruits. Besides the so-called fine arts of sculpting and carving, there were the equally important arts of carpentry, metal-casting, dyeing, sewing, and more. Beyond these set-pieces of the tabernacle, the priests and people were engaged in the dramatic artistry of singing and playing music with instruments and songs that had to be produced and performed.

God condemned idolatrous artistry in many instances (e.g., Exod. 20:4; 32). Such condemnation was in reference to idolatrous worship, not a blanket condemnation of all art, as the story of the brazen serpent clarifies (Num. 21, then 2 Kings 18:4). The tabernacle and temple alike serve as examples of creativity used to worship the Lord with glory and beauty. Christians still must avoid idolatry as well as any other use for art that is displeasing to God. But, clearly, the Bible contains instances of God’s people serving God with their creative works.

Second, we see in the story encouragement that God accepts our human efforts—where they follow His commands— to serve Him with creative works. Engaging both mind (“wisdom,” “understanding,” “knowledge,” “devise,” etc.) and body (“work,” “make,” “cutting,” “carving,” etc.), God called the whole person to the task. Work done for the Lord, including works of artistic creativity, demands intellectual and physical skill. Our biblical example goes against the idea popular in some cultures of an artist’s being totally free of all care and thought. While the exercise of our God-given imagination involves freedom and our craft involves exploration, an honest artist will admit that purposeful effort goes into his works. This aspect of artist endeavor is echoed in the Exodus story.

It is noteworthy that God accepts such works of our hands when they are done in accordance with His will. Our Lord taught us that we must worship God in “spirit and in truth” (John 4:23–24) and that our inner attitude and belief is the source of God’s pleasure with our adoration. But the “fruit” of such inner devotion can produce works of praise and adoration that are seen and heard (Heb. 13:15–16). Yet, sometimes, what we produce—what we say, sing, paint, design—falls short of the high hopes of our heart. Every creative worker knows the feeling of finishing a good work yet wishing it could be better. At some point, we must put down the brush, play the last note, arrange the last flower, and leave it be, hoping that it accomplishes its purpose. I find encouragement in knowing that God entrusted His pattern and plan into the frail hands of human artists and accepted the works which they did on His behalf. The artists of Exodus remind Christian artists that God can be pleased with these labors of love, done according to His standards for His service.

But wait—why mention “standards” in creative works to serve God? Isn’t creativity a “free-for-all” arena where “anything goes” if it is done in the name of Art? No, it is not. Successful art, Christian or otherwise, is never without standards, skill, and discipline. Thinking otherwise is a romantic fantasy. Further, the popular idea of a wild artistic genius, unrestrained by cares of mere mortals, is also a fantasy. Yes, creative people think (and sometimes act) differently than those who are not, but this has never meant they cannot operate without discipline. Not only is it true that a prophet’s spirit was under his control, but we can also say that an artist does not lose his mind—or accountability—when he creates. Christian artists have an additional requirement in their creativity: to serve and please God according to His rules, not theirs alone. Creativity is not an excuse to shirk the standards of expectations God has for our works or to trade the world’s use of beauty for God’s.

But how do we seek to display beauty for God’s sake, according to God’s standards? Here are a few practical tips I can offer as an artist, aesthetic philosopher, and pastor. Two are general artistic truths and three are specifically for Christian artists.

BEAUTY—SIMPLE AND PROFOUND

First, what do we mean by “beauty” in the arts? At its simplest, beauty is a quality in a thing or experience that is aesthetically pleasing or correct. It is exactly as it ought to be, fulfilling or exceeding the expectation of our discerning senses. We can say it of a sunset, a person, a song, an animal, and many other things. Ecclesiastes 3:11 explains that God created a world of beautiful experiences and put into our hearts the capacity to experience them as beautiful. Beauty carries tremendous weight and significance to our hearts and minds; formal beauty can convey significance of content or expression that speaks to us with a resonance that echoes with ourselves as spiritual and physical beings. So, at its simplest, creating something beautiful is creating something that is formally fitting—it is ‘just right’ and delights us as it appears to our senses. When matched with a message of significance, it can be powerfully moving.

FORM AND CONTENT—THE MEDIUM AND THE MESSAGE

As we saw in the Exodus story and as we see throughout our daily lives, works of art are often a blending of an idea, emotion, or expression with the physical, material, or sensible. The classic way to refer to these two sides of the artistic coin is form and content. “Form” is the tangible, audible, viewable—the work itself, while “content” is the message it communicates or expresses. Sometimes form is the focus, as in pure designs and abstractions; sometimes content comes to the fore, as in prose or speech. Most often, the arts are a blending of the two. For works of great beauty, our effort is often directed to both the sensible form and the content it communicates or expresses. When a message is being conveyed in creative media, attention must be given to the quality of the idea as well as that of the medium in which it is communicated. In seeking to create beauty in works of artistry and design, keep in mind the general need to harmonize form and content, medium and message.

APPROPRIATENESS—BEAUTY THAT IS FITTING AND BEFITTING

Spiritually, the Bible exhorts us to live a life that fits the character of a Christian and that is “becoming,” or worthy of, the name of Christ. Artistically, we have a similar connection and principle: form should match content, and the medium should match the message. Further, a work of art should be appropriate to the occasion, end, or use. We know it is inappropriate to giggle at a funeral or wail at a wedding. We can use that same discernment to decide what is appropriate for a work of art. Is the message solemn and sobering? Let the form be as well. Is it cheerful and glad? Let the medium express that. Some of our sense of the appropriate is intuitive, but it is also essential to know where artistic styles and mediums originate and what they mean—just because you might not be aware of the context of a style or medium doesn’t mean others aren’t aware. Educate yourself in what formal styles and genres are and where they come from to help decide if they are appropriate vessels for a Christian message.

AUTHENTICITY—BEAUTY THAT IS SKILLFUL AND SINCERE

King David was recognized for his ability in music (1 Sam.16:16–18), and the Psalms testify to his spiritual devotion. He was a godly artist who wedded formal beauty with beauty of message. Even further, our reading of Psalms 23 and 51 give us a deep sense of David’s life experience. Such songs resonate not only in their appropriateness but also in their authenticity—they are not mock-messages, play-acting, or posturing imitations. These were heartfelt works born out of sincerity. As Christian artists, we should be humble and self-critical, asking ourselves if our skill is honed for the task at hand. If not, we should work on our skill. We should likewise ask ourselves if we are merely aping or mimicking a custom, craft, or culture that we don’t actually understand or haven’t inhabited. I have ministered overseas for a third of my life, yet I tread carefully when using artistic forms that are not of my home culture. It can be done, but good artistry seeks to be authentic in skill and sincerity. As Christians, we add to this carefulness the question of whether the artform can authentically express Christian values and messages. Again, we must educate ourselves. Just because something catches your ear or your eye does not mean you can or should do it yourself.

ACCEPTABLE—BEAUTY THAT IS HOLY AND HARMLESS

As Christian creators, we must labor for our works to be acceptable to the Lord and to those we serve. Romans 14:7 says, “For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself.” We do not simply make public works of art and design for ourselves (cf. Rom. 14:8). I say “public” because, of course, there will be hours of private practice for the Christian creative; but as we bring our works to a watching world, we take up the responsibility of representing the Lord—not just our personal pleasures. I must add that even in the studio, in the privacy of our workshops, we strive to please the Lord. Educating ourselves in the arts is not an excuse to expose ourselves to what displeases the Lord (see Ezek. 8:12). If you have the worldly expectation that an artist is free from the rules that govern the rest of society, you must reject this false notion. First Corinthians 10:31 includes works of art. We are called to be holy, harmless, blameless—even in works of art. A sign of Christian maturity is to move beyond “What am I allowed to do by God?” and to move on to “What ought I to do for God?” As a Christian creative, look for ways that you can serve God, not just yourself, with your God-given creativity. In ways that please the Lord, create works of beauty and glory that will bring honor to our beautiful, glorious Lord.

---

Dr. Jonathan Johnson lives and ministers in Hong Kong, China, with his wife, Catherine, and his three children. Jonathan pastors Island Baptist Church on Hong Kong Island, an international, English-speaking church with members and attendees from over a dozen nations and many different ethnicities.

The podcast based on this article:
Interview 25: Jonathan Johnson – Beauty by Design

(Originally published in FrontLine • November/December 2023. Click here to subscribe to the magazine.)