Should Christians get tattoo. You hear a lot of debate about this. I even talked to one person who is a Christian and is also a tattoo artist. He told me it is okay as long as you don’t tattoo the dead on you. I have had plans to work on a blog post about tattooing and that helped spike this blog post.
I use to want a tattoo. At that time, I wanted to get an eagle and a dream catcher all in one. I really like eagles. Then, I started get really active in church and started to feel convicted. I gave it some prayerful thought and now I have no desire for one.
I see where the tattoo artist points out about tattoo the dead on you. In Leviticus 19:28 it says not to tattoo the dead on you, but it also says not to tattoo any marks on you. It goes beyond just tattooing the dead, it includes ANY MARKS.
You shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor tattoo any marks on you: I am theLord. 1
Back in the Bible times according to my study notes of my Bible it says they tattooed to word off evil spirits. But we know now that Christ is the one that defeated the evil spirits. Christ has the victory.
The Bible tells us our Bodies are the temp of Christ. Tattoo to me is damaging the temple. We are to take care of the temple. I believe tattoo is just like graffiti on a wall. Our skin is the wall and the tattoo is the graffiti. Yes, I know a lot of people have Christian related tattoos.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 tells us our body is the temple of Christ. That we do not own our bodies, that our body was paid for by a price. A price that Christ paid for. We are to glorify God with our bodies. This includes fleeing from sexual impurities. This includes sex outside of marriage or even sex before marriage.
19 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? 20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.2
I do know that some people get tattooed before they were saved or even after. Christ forgives us no matter what we do, we just cannot continue living in sin.
This has been some food for thought. I hope that if you are a Christian and thinking about getting a tattoo that you give it some prayerful consideration as to not do it.
- Leviticus 19:28
- 1 Corinthians 6:18-20
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What does the Holy Spirit say you should do, if you pray and ask He is faithful in guiding you in the right direction…. If you are convicted of it don’t do it and if you are given a green light do it and if He doesn’t answer right away than wait on the Lord for He just might have better things in store for you…Amen
So the same could be said about people who don’t take care of their bodies in other ways too then. Not eating right, exercising, too much sun exposure, etc.
I have one on my back ; 2 dolphins shape of a heart ; its for the love of my husband ; i’m a christain ; i love my Lord & i know he loves me
Perhaps some see it as decorating the walls… what is graffiti to you may be art to others…
Bible is clear about marking your bodies including marking the dead. Plus our bodies are temple of God. Lid you read it does say to prayerfully consider.
It’s the inner man that God so desires to be clean and holy this body is a shell I believe he’s more concerned about our soul and spirit than mere markings on a corruptible flesh for it is written they that believe shall receive a new body when the resurrection comes and our flesh continuosly fails us everyday
Yes God does look at our inner being, the heart and we will get a new glorious body as well.
Good post Steve. I think people who enjoy their sin will disagree with you because no one likes to be wrong or convicted. They like their ears “tickled” and don’t want to repent. They will argue all day long to stay in their sin. I once considered a tattoo and got the same message – don’t!! Whether we agree or understand why God says not to get a tattoo isn’t important. Obedience is what matters. We have to trust him in everything whether we agree or understand or not. Gluttony is a sin too. If the bible doesn’t specify an action I think it is up to the individual to pray for guidance. The bible says not to be concerned with what others say to eat or drink. Bottom line is taking care of our bodies as God and the word specify. Good post!
Hey thanks for sharing Becky Blanton You are right there. People would rather stay in the dark, then the light. Light exposes.
I am a.Christian and I have 3
My uncle is a minister, he has tats. So that’s bad? I have to disagree. My aunt his wife also has the m too. So don’t tell me they are bad people. They love the Lord Jesus Christ.
Myriah, I don’t think he means they’re bad people. We’re all sinners. God just has a reason for us not getting tattoos. According to some verses in the bible, and to other information about why, some people believe that demons enter through tattoos. It’s not whether we think it’s okay or not. It’s a matter of reading the bible and seeing what God says. I think Steve did a good job of pointing to scripture for that. Having tattoos isn’t going to keep you out of heaven and doesn’t mean you’re bad. Not getting tattoos is a way of pleasing God, according to scripture.
Here you go. Tattooing has its roots in witchcraft: http://bibleresources.org/tattoos/
I never said they are bad people. I was only pointing out the law according to Bible. I also said in blog post that some people do get tats before being saved.
Yes that’s right thank you Becky Blanton … Good thing about Christ is if we sin we ask forgiveness or repent to turn away He will be just and forgive but that’s not a license to sin or continue to live in sin or break Gods law. There are more commands given to us than standard 10 commandments.
Leviticus 19:27 states not to trim your beard… so do you therefore think a clean shaven face is unpleasing to God?
Actually that particular law was only for priests. If you’re not a priest, not a problem. God’s otherwise pretty open to anything we want to do, other than having women shave their head or for men or women to adopt hairstyles of the opposite sex. He asks that our bodies, what we wear, how we wear it etc. glorify him.
When someone uses scripture to inform, educate or enlighten brothers and sisters in Christ about something, like the tattoo issue, it’s not, as least not how Steve wrote it, an attempt to attack anyone. If people take offense at the biblical truth, that’s a sign they feel insecure, or uncomfortable with their stance on the subject. Rather than get defensive and attack Steve, why not stop and read the verses, pray and ask God yourself about what he wants you to do? Being a Christian means having a relationship with someone we supposedly love. If a friend of yours told you that your boyfriend, girlfriend or spouse – who you were madly in love with – didn’t like something, would you say, “Oh! I didn’t know that!” and then change your behavior or ask them about it….or would you say, “Screw that. I like doing what I’m doing that makes them upset.” When you have a relationship with someone you WANT to please them (if you love them). All Steve is doing is searching the scriptures, finding things that make him know Jesus/God better and then sharing that the rest of us. I appreciate it. I know if you have a tattoo, and if you like them, that you didn’t know about this. I didn’t know until I mentioned getting a tattoo and a friend of mine explained it to me too. I doubted her but searched the scripture and online and prayed about it just as Steve has. I was glad that someone told me before I got the tattoo. Many Christians have tattoos, and I don’t think they knew this before they got them. You have to make your own decisions about whether you want to please God or not. Up to you. Please don’t shoot the messenger though.
So here is my question and is seriously not to attack or defend anything just wondering. Why is it all these scriptures so heavily relied on are ot.i was. Raised in church attended Christian schools have read the bible 2 times in my life and seen every kind of Christianity that exists from fanatical and user literal to middle of the road all the way to barely there. I have tattoos I plan to get more. I do not feel in anyway this is a problem for me. I am not religious as an adult because I can not reconcile what I was taught with real life or with how I feel. I never felt that strong charismatic pull so many of you have. I am glad you have it if it make you happy. Steven I’ve know you for years you’re a great guy. But I feel this idea of having to constantly struggle against my humanity to be ridiculous. I said I am not religious I did not say I am an atheist. I believe God knew exactly what he was doing when he put me in this body and I feel my human nature is partly divine simply because it came from him. I know you will disagree because I know how southern Baptist thinkers are as I spent much of my life surrounded by them. But my nature is not sinful I do not feel I was born so. And I have never felt tattoo makes me less in the eyes of God. I can not agree with you here but I do respect your desire to teach what you believe. I would ask you to remember though no one can ever claim the only right way and be taken seriously. By definition that is cult mentality. There is gray in life and I don’t need a book to see it I live it. Relaying people to Christ is best done by being able to relate examples to real life. Quoting scripture may have scared people 100 years ago but now days not so much. I know the words of God doesn’t change but people do and you have to find ways to relate it to modern times. The book of leviticus is quite possibly the worst to use in relation to any out reach. It is quite ridiculous if you read it front to back. And as the other guy said and many more if you wear blended fabric. Trim your hair or beard don’t have the right amount of tassels or eat four legged birds yea look that one up . You’re doomed anyway. I won’t post here again and you can remove this it will not bother me. I love you and your mom and I respect what you are tying to do but as with most fundamentals you are loosing your intended audience by having a point of view that quotes scripture as the only answer and completely avoids humanity. Humanity which he the way came from God not the bible or Satan.