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S. Michael Houdmann
Supporter
The Old Testament law commanded the Israelites, "Do not cut your bodies for the dead or put tattoo marks on yourselves. I am the LORD" (Leviticus 19:28). So, even though believers today are not und...
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chris woodall
Supporter
Most people are not happy with the way they look so they seek ways that will cause others to accept them. Outward appearance can represent vanity, rejection, fear, pride, and even racial discrimination. Does our Heavenly Father still love us with tattoos? One of the most wonderfully amazing things about receiving Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour is that He wants to deliver us from the outward things that we think we need to feel good about ourselves (society/world view) (John 7:24). When we are in sin, we do not feel worthy or acceptable, but through Christ we are. Jesus represents the boundless, limitless, committed through genuine, unselfish sacrificing love we should all be exercising through faith. When we can fully walk in the knowledge (prayerful study of His Word) that we are acceptable before God through Jesus (John 4, Luke 15), we are then free to be the person God made us to be without having to create a different image- conform to what society/ other people tell you is right/accepted. Many people are consumed with exhausting themselves in a failing effort to be different or become acceptable not only by getting tattoos, but by other means as well (drugs, sex). God is more concerned with how we are living our lives. God loves us and even when we make mistakes in poor judgement, He doesn’t condemn us, but rather He tries to help us overcome the consequences of those mistakes. God takes us as we are- where we are- and uses us if we will honestly yield to His will. God will use any of us when we come out of the world and start trusting Him with our whole hearts to do His will. Our past will not hinder our God in us serving Him. Our right standing before God comes from placing our trust in Jesus’s sacrificial death on the cross to pay for ALL our sins not on following Old Testament regulations, especially misapplied (Gal. 3:24,25). God’s Word is intended to be prayerfully studied as a whole meaning consideration for all His thoughts, words, feelings and actions that our Father has poured out His heart into the Bible. We do not take any part of His Word out of context and misapply to “satisfy our agenda”. If we can not compare/relate to any other part of His Word and it not be in agreement, then we have either misinterpreted or misapplied His Word. Commonly misused scripture to judge those of us with tattoos are Leviticus 19:23-28, Isaiah 15:2, Jeremiah 16:6, 41:5. Upon prayerful study of His Word, you can clearly see that the people were using customs and religious practices to worship something other than God. Tattoos do not in any way exclude you from a relationship with Jesus Christ. Jesus rejects no one. Unfortunately, some “proclaiming Christians” reject,exclude, judge, deny, unfairly mistreat others and are very poor representatives for God. Tragically, this turns people away from the love of Jesus. Not only are these “proclaiming Christians” condemning others but out of total lack of understanding what God clearly describes as a Christian- they are going to Hell themselves. Luke 17:2 clearly illustrates God’s feelings on us being a stumbling block which is not acting fully out of sincere love in unwavering faith in God’s will. We may be ALL the Jesus someone will ever know. I would not want to be accountable for someone not having an deeply intimate personal relationship with the most caring, loving Person they will ever know- Jesus Christ. The heart of God will not stop pursuing a rewarding, deeply intimate relationship with each of us. God is not content to leave us alone. His everlasting, unconditional love for us compels Him. He hurts and suffers intensely longing to draw close to us (Hosea 11:8). Being a true Christian is totally, unconditionally about love (1 Corinthians 13:4-7): to all people, in all places, at all times just as Jesus demonstrated throughout His entire life.
Singapore Moses
Supporter
►Commands for the children of God NOT to practice following pagan practices: ✿ Tattoo Connected with mourning of loved ones, tattooing was first practised in various pagan nations from the earliest times, as well as markings with paint and cutting the flesh. Any dis-figuration of the body was an outrage to God and an insult to Him who designed the body. (Lev 19:28) ✿ Body piercings Hindu devotees all over the world get their pierced all over their body with hooks to carry a furniture called Kavadi for pilgrims to their demonic idol god in India and South East Asia. It is forbidden Biblically(Dt. 14:1; Jer. 48:37, Lev. 19: 28; 21: 5) ✿ Tongue piercing - Not studs, but long and sharp needles are used to pierce the tongue. The needles – usually made from wood or steel – can be so long that the tongue is forced to stick out of the mouth permanently, unable to retract. The piercing is common during Hindu festivals where young boys and girls take part in the ritual piercing in oriental Asia. It is forbidden Biblically(Dt. 14:1; Jer. 48:37, Lev. 19: 28; 21: 5) ✿ Extreme Body piercing It entails "hanging the human body from (or partially from) hooks pierced through the flesh in various places around the body." It is one form of body modification, which includes piercing, scarification, gauging (expanding holes in the earlobes to acommodate increasingly larger.It is forbidden in Bible (Dt. 14:1; Jer. 48:37, Lev. 19: 28; 21: 5).
Lynn Sander
Supporter
As I was reading through the responses to this question, I kept wondering...what if I did not know Jesus as Saviour and I had tattoos and/or piercings and was reading theses responses...how would I feel? Or if I was a Christian with tattoos/piercings. I think I would feel condemned or judged. The New Testament does not forbid tattoos or piercings. It does say that the body is the temple of the Holy Spirit and that it is sacred. It also says that a godly woman should not be consumned with outward beauty but should concentrate on her inner self, a gentle and quiet spirit. This principle can also be used to point out that tattoos and piercings are outward adornment and not as important as the persons heart. What about piercing the ears for earrings? Is that ok but nose piercing is not? 1 Sam 16:7 The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart. Gal 2:6 As for those who seemed to be important - whatever they were makes no difference to me; God does not judge by external appearance... 2 Cor 5:12 We are not trying to commend ourselves to you again, but are giving you an opportunity to take pride in us, so that you can answer those who take pride in what is seen rather than in what is in the heart. 2 Cor 5: 11-12 And He died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for Him who died for them and was raised again. So from now on WE REGARD NO ONE FROM A WORLDLY PIONT OF VIEW. In our culture today, tattoos and piercings or no longer associated with pagan rituals. When the New Testament does not forbid and it is a cultural issue, it is an individual freedom issue and we should not be condemning or judgemental.
Larry Hall
Supporter
The Holy Scriptures says,19 Or know ye not that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you, which ye have from God? And ye are not your own; 20 for ye were bought with a price: glorify God therefore in your body. {1 Cor. 6:19-20 ASV}
We as Christians belong to God; in body; soul; and spirit. He should decide what we do with; unto His temple. What we have done to it before we become believers was done in ignorance and unbelief. Christ has already died for all sins; past, present and future; but that is not to say we won't have to pay the price of sin; physical death but that we are set free from the ultimate consequences of our sins which is spiritual death.
When we become believers and know what God has commanded us (through the study of His Word) we should know better and we should never blatantly defile the things that are God's. I believe it is a serious thing to defile the temple of the Holy Spirit and I personally would think long and hard about defiling my Father's temple. As He has said, He bought me with a great price and I am not my own; so I will glorify Him first with my spirit; then my mind and lastly but not least with my body; which is His. Ask Him (the Father) what you should do with His temple before you disfigure it or defile it.
I personally, could never conform to the things of this world and defile my Father's temple with tattoos; piercings and the like; after studying these verses, I don't know about you but these verses would convict me beyond belief; so I would never let the things of this world defile His body; if I could help it...Amen?
Kathy King
Supporter
What is the definition of a tattoo in relation to the body? Dictionary ap says: tattoo2 —noun, plural tat·toos. the act or practice of marking the skin with indelible patterns, pictures, legends, etc., by making punctures in it and inserting pigments. a pattern, picture, legend, etc., so made. to mark (the skin) with tattoos. to put (tattoos) on the skin And pierce —verb (used with object), pierced, pierc·ing. to penetrate into or run through (something), as a sharp, pointed dagger, object, or instrument does. to make a hole or opening in. to bore into or through; tunnel. to perforate. to make (a hole, opening, etc.) by or as by boring or perforating. Now I go to another “mark”. Revelation 13:16-17 KJVS [16] And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: [17] And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. I am absolutely not saying tattoos or piercings are the mark of the devil. What I’m bringing to question is that one is being physically marked for life (until it can be removed) with something they do believe in that they wish to be reminded of every day of that thing. And piercing the body gives me a fright. The all knowing God probably was speaking from knowledge several millennia down the road with HIS “piercing” on his mind. If these things were laws and were warned about in OT days, and if people today of faiths other than Christian faith, choose to honor other gods with them, or if anyone wants a Christian symbol or a nature symbol because they’re beautiful, what are they saying? Think about God wanting us to carry his words in our hearts so that when we interact with people, these words of God bring out godly actions/deeds, words and thoughts to this person. This, to me, is how God marks us. satan is mocking our precious Creator/Savior/Redeemer/King by creating his own mark in Rev. 13. Even in the tribulation God will mark the 144,000 who will be out there preaching his word to save his chosen. Rev. 14:1. Since so many quote “the body is a temple” verse, I will agree with that. I can’t even imagine doing any of those things to my body. But someone was right above when they said we do other physical things to our bodies and they show like overeating, drugs, smoking, alcohol, etc. By the same token, doing good things show on our bodies like eating right, exercising, not smoking, not doing alcohol or drugs. We have physical bodies here on earth. God knows already we fail every day. Is he forgiving? Yes, way more than humans are of each other. But when we accept Christ Jesus as the one who saves us from “these things that are killing our bodies”, do we continue to do them? It’s up to us. We can’t seem to agree on this subject. It is a personal preference. But then again, if it’s personal, then it’s not God’s will, is it? When I look at anything we do or don’t do to or with our bodies, I see we aren’t quite perfect. Anything can be a “mark” so to say. If one has a beautiful nature picture, are they thinking so highly of that nature item above God that they just had to have it on God’s temple? Same with Christian symbols - it’s the Christ Jesus that died for us, his resurrection, not the symbols that should be engraved in our hearts. We don’t need tattoos to do that. And do we need the name of a deceased loved one on our temple that God owns? God knows we miss our loved ones. That’s why he says choose life - we’ll see them again! We’ll have a new name in heaven anyway. Rev. 2:17. Just some thoughts. Do what you believe. A “mark” shows. Anything that shows, shows possibly where your heart is. You decide. I’m quite sure we won’t have any personal preference marks on our new bodies - only the word of God continually.
Greg Kelly
Supporter
Jesus amplified the Ten Commandments, he raised them from a bunch of "rules" (the way we see them in the flesh) and the Second Commandment (Remember The Commandmemts are a mirror) shows us the attitude God has toward tattoos.
Should we comdemn, no, this is for each person seeking in their personal relationship growing with our Lord, the Risen Christ, but the second commandment answers this question. Are we seeking "What can I get away with and still get to heaven? Are we seeking to glorify Gid in all we do?
Jesus loves you even with a tattoo, but what does that tattoo mean to you?
Jesus left us some symbols of reverence, Himself mainly, but the Lord's supper, perhaps foot washing ("Do this in rememberence of me") I'm not even sure "the actual cross" is all that compared to the fact Jesus was crucified.
Love the Lord, love your neighbor. Would you tattoo your neighbor without their permission? (Silly right?) So do you have Your Owner's permission?
What does the Bible say about outward adoring?
Personally, life has enough scars, guess some want to make purposeful ones, but the one transformation "maneuver" I see is Jesus transforming our hearts, once He lives within, would we really want a tattoo? That's question for each precious soul of God. I see neautiful people, with a canvass beautiful enough, why mess it up with something so superficial, so artificial, as if the symbol actually ismas important as what it is suppossed tp represent and the anger that arises if you question it.
I have spoken to a lot of people and they will tell you tattoos are "addicting".
Older, aged people,will tell you they are a mistake. (exceptions like anything).
I think however, most Christians know,the truth on this.
Tony Flores
Supporter
Yes, having tattoos would be a sin, because your body is not yours, but God's. Your body is loan to you as the house for your spirit and is a Temple to the Holy Spirit to teach you all Godly things. Romans 1:17-28. Your body is an amazing creation by God from the Dust of the earth, in which your Spirit was blown in to function on this earth environment. It is also used for the relationship between a man and a women and to keep the earth populated in accordance with God's Will. If you don't know Jesus Christ, then you don't know God, for by knowing Jesus Christ you know God, for Jesus Christ, along with the Father and Holy Spirit is God, the Creator of all things seen and unseen. God has a purpose for your life and we strive to know His perfect purpose for our lives here on earth, so we can accomplish His Mission for us. God will judge us for what we do to our bodies and tattoos and using your bodies for evil things (like adultery), (prostitution) which are not in His Will and is sin. If you want to know God, read the Bible (His Word) and His Word is Jesus Christ, who is the Way, the Truth and the Life. The Bible says that only through Jesus Christ is the Way to Eternal Life. Honor God with what you do with your body, for it is written in His Word.
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