Tattoos. Whats the deal?
Tattoos
“qa aqa” in Hebrew, appearing only once in the bible it has much debate...
Leviticus 19:28, "Do not cut your bodies for the dead, and do not mark your skin with tattoos. I am the Lord." (NLT) How much clearer can that be?
It's important, however, to look at the verse in context. This passage in Leviticus, including the surrounding text, is specifically dealing with the pagan religious rituals of the people living around the Israelites. God’s desire is to set his people apart from other cultures.
In the midst of this context we find the word translated “tattoo marks” in verse 28. It is important to note here that the context of this passage is not one of body décor but one of marking one's self in connection with cultic religious worship. Bible commentaries tell us much about the eastern religious practices that God was warning His people to shun.
It's interesting to observe verse 26,
"Do not eat meat that has not been drained of its blood,"
and verse 27,
"Do not trim off the hair on your temples or trim your beards."
Well, certainly many Christians today eat non-kosher meats and get haircuts without participating in the forbidden worship of pagans. Back then these customs were associated with pagan rites and rituals. Today they are not. Yet so many folks want to hammer me when they see me. "your a Christian? really?" My wife gets it too. The sneers and skinned eyes jsut conveying all kinds of "love". haha. Christi even had a pastors wife come to her and say something along the lines of "when you first came here i didnt like you but now that i got to know you, your a good person....." wow, so all those months you were just lying to her?
Today tattoo is a decorative means of self expression and personal decoration. In our current culture people modify their appearance for beauty in many ways such as clothing choice, makeup, plastic surgery, haircutting and coloring, weight loss, body-building, and ear piercing. Some of these practices have a history in ancient ritual and false religion, but in our cultural context they do not denote a connection with evil or false faith. In the same way tattoos today do not link the wearer to cultic worship and is not generally practiced for religious purposes either. But how can you take something thats once pagan and use it for good? you say. I say research Christmas on that one... then to reverse it, look up the inqusition.
Some also feel that modifying the body somehow defiles God's creation, but if this was true would it be right to pierce ears?, correct a club foot?, get a tan or go to a tanning bed? or use braces? Each of those modifies the way we were originally created, some permanently.
what about surgery? or circumcision? jews in old testament was doing it....its a cut in the skin...
Unity should not be based on outward appearance,but on spiritual matters (Philippians 2:2).
Instead of asking, "Is it okay for a Christian to get a tattoo," perhaps a better question might be, "Is it okay for me to get a tattoo?"
These questions will help you decide whether or not getting a tattoo is a sin for you:
1 CORINTHIANS 6:19-20 — "Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's."
and lastly......
the body will stay on earth it wont be in heavan..itll be dust...
“qa aqa” in Hebrew, appearing only once in the bible it has much debate...
Leviticus 19:28, "Do not cut your bodies for the dead, and do not mark your skin with tattoos. I am the Lord." (NLT) How much clearer can that be?
It's important, however, to look at the verse in context. This passage in Leviticus, including the surrounding text, is specifically dealing with the pagan religious rituals of the people living around the Israelites. God’s desire is to set his people apart from other cultures.
In the midst of this context we find the word translated “tattoo marks” in verse 28. It is important to note here that the context of this passage is not one of body décor but one of marking one's self in connection with cultic religious worship. Bible commentaries tell us much about the eastern religious practices that God was warning His people to shun.
It's interesting to observe verse 26,
"Do not eat meat that has not been drained of its blood,"
and verse 27,
"Do not trim off the hair on your temples or trim your beards."
Well, certainly many Christians today eat non-kosher meats and get haircuts without participating in the forbidden worship of pagans. Back then these customs were associated with pagan rites and rituals. Today they are not. Yet so many folks want to hammer me when they see me. "your a Christian? really?" My wife gets it too. The sneers and skinned eyes jsut conveying all kinds of "love". haha. Christi even had a pastors wife come to her and say something along the lines of "when you first came here i didnt like you but now that i got to know you, your a good person....." wow, so all those months you were just lying to her?
Today tattoo is a decorative means of self expression and personal decoration. In our current culture people modify their appearance for beauty in many ways such as clothing choice, makeup, plastic surgery, haircutting and coloring, weight loss, body-building, and ear piercing. Some of these practices have a history in ancient ritual and false religion, but in our cultural context they do not denote a connection with evil or false faith. In the same way tattoos today do not link the wearer to cultic worship and is not generally practiced for religious purposes either. But how can you take something thats once pagan and use it for good? you say. I say research Christmas on that one... then to reverse it, look up the inqusition.
Some also feel that modifying the body somehow defiles God's creation, but if this was true would it be right to pierce ears?, correct a club foot?, get a tan or go to a tanning bed? or use braces? Each of those modifies the way we were originally created, some permanently.
what about surgery? or circumcision? jews in old testament was doing it....its a cut in the skin...
- my questions is the body heals? am i really destroying my temple? Folks may say="Tattoos mutilate the body which is supposed to be nurtured and sustained, and make it vulnerable to infection."
- dosent eating at macdonalds do worse to the temple? a tattoo is healed in 2 weeks. if taken care of no heatlh issues will arrive..what about breathing polution? what about drnking our tap water filled with clorine? what about radon gas in our basements? what about the dirty airfilter in your house.
- Or they may say=“many people – especially those belonging to nonconformist groups(gangs) – get tattoos to demonstrate their defiance of traditional authority…"
- so i have to be a conformist to get into heavan? i have a dress code now? so am i wasting my time helping homless who are dirty case they aint dressed right they aint going to heavan by what your telling me.?
Unity should not be based on outward appearance,but on spiritual matters (Philippians 2:2).
Instead of asking, "Is it okay for a Christian to get a tattoo," perhaps a better question might be, "Is it okay for me to get a tattoo?"
These questions will help you decide whether or not getting a tattoo is a sin for you:
- What are my motives for wanting a tattoo?
- Am I passing judgment on a brother or sister because I don't have freedom in Christ to receive a tattoo?
- Will I still want this tattoo years from now?
- Will my parents and family approve, and/or will my future spouse want me to have this tattoo?
- Will I cause a weaker brother to stumble if I receive a tattoo?
- Am I seeking to glorify God or draw attention to myself?
- Would this tattoo be in an area of my body that would be plainly visible? – Many people do unfairly judge people with tattoo
- Would this image bring God glory?
- Tattoo is not for everyone, and is certainly not for a Christian who feels unconvinced that getting a tattoo is completely Biblical. In this and many areas of the Christian life there are many truly excellent believers who have varying degrees of agreement and disagreement about Christians with tattoos. In whatever you believe about this issue I hope that you will leave gracious space for others who might feel differently.
- Do I feel fully convinced that tattoos are allowable for Christians?
1 CORINTHIANS 6:19-20 — "Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's."
and lastly......
the body will stay on earth it wont be in heavan..itll be dust...