As I researched this subject I realized that it would be harder than I thought. This disputable matter , just goes on forever, and people are very sensitive about this issue. So as you read this please pay close attention and do further research to make sure I didn't miss anything. In this blog I wanted to start off a little different and give some brief background on the passages, which will be discussed in following videos below, that discuss tattoo's and the culture in that time.
In Leviticus 19:28, "Do not cut your bodies for the dead, and do not mark your skin with tattoos. I am the Lord." How much clearer can that be, right? However, this passage is referring to pagan religious rituals of the people living around the Israelites. God’s desire is to set his people apart from other cultures. The focus here is prohibiting worldly, heathen worship and witchcraft. God forbids his holy people to engage in idolatrous, pagan worship and sorcery which imitates the heathens. God was doing this to protect the Israelites, so they would not stray away from the one and only true God. In this way, we could ask is getting a tattoo a form of paganism today? However, before we answer that question it is very important to look at context because believe it or not verse 19:26 states, "Do not eat meat with the blood still in it. Do not practice divination or sorcery," and verse 19:27, "Do not cut the hair at the sides of your head or clip off the edges of your beard." 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, but today they are not.
But there is one more verse that people use to justify why tattoo's are a sin. In Corinthians 6:19 states, "Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body. Now the context in this verse is examined differently from believers. This verse is talking about sexual sin,but can it also be talking about your body as a whole?
Now that we know a little bit about the Israelites history and Gods commands lets take a look at all sides of this issue. Like I mentioned I have posted four videos that examine tattoos within scriptures. However, within these videos, the pastors and youth ministers have also included some other verses that allow you to see if tattoo's are a sin or not, so make sure to carefully listen to what they saying.
Jeffery Bethke, famous You tuber for spoken word, skims through all the verses people use to justify why tattoos are a sin and uses the same interpretation I did, and many other use, in my paragraphs above to prove how they are taking the verses out of context. However, I would like to point out that when he brings up 1 Corinthians 6:19 he does not agree that the bible is talking about the outside appearance, but only sexual immorality. Basically, when you join another person, sexually, and you're not married your defaming, dishonoring, and is a form of graffiti to your body . "Its not an external issue," said Bethke. "But an internal one."
Now Curtis, a believer in Christ, began to research tattoos after he encountered many pastors and youth ministers, he looked up too, getting tattoo's. Curtis was so shocked and decided to take a deeper look into the issue. Again, Curtis also brings up all the verses that justify why getting a tattoo is a sin, which again are out of context, but he too also points out very interesting verses within this video. In 1 Corinthians 6:12-20. "“I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but I will not be mastered by anything. Therefore, none of Paul's freedoms will be master over him. In the old testament the Israelites had to uphold to certain laws, but because Christ died on the cross, we now have freedoms.
However, and Curtis explains this very well, we should not let our freedoms gain control over us. He also talks about another verse which is a passage I also brought up in my last blog post called "Exercise your freedom...???". In 1Corinthians 8:9-13 "Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block to the weak. So this weak brother or sister, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge. When you sin against them in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother or sister to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause them to fall." Curtis explains that this is something he has found challenging because he does not want to cause his brother s in church to sin, but at the same time his reason for getting a tattoo is to glorify God. "Tattoo's are sinful if they worship something other than God. If I tattoo myself as a mark to remember anything other than God than ist sinful," said Curtis. "But if tattoos are pointed to God and are to glorify God then it is not sinful."
In another video "Why I desire to get a tattoos" he explains that tattoo's are a form of art and can be a form of worship to God.
But lets flip the script. David Johnson, has a website called Nothing but The Truth , and helps Christians see and respond to life situations, but from Gods point of view. In his latest video called, "What does the bible say about tattoos" he brings the scriptures into another light concerning the tattoo issue. Same Scriptures, but different tone.
Again, in 1Corinthians 6:19 "Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body." "This is not your body to do what you please, but to be a temple for God," said Johnson. "Your body is not a garage, not a shack and not a graffiti board." In Leviticus 19:28, "Do not cut your bodies for the dead, and do not mark your skin with tattoos. I am the Lord." Instead, Romans 12:1-2 states, "Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. "Keep your body holy, keep your body acceptable to God, and do not be conformed to the world," said Johnson.
Now that we have examined many areas of this issue lets ask ourselves some questions. What are my motives for wanting a tattoo? Am I seeking to glorify God or draw attention to myself? Will my tattoo be a source of contention for my loved ones? Will getting a tattoo cause me to disobey my parents? Will my tattoo cause someone who is weak in the faith to stumble?
Mary Fairchild, a Christian blogger for About.com wrote an article, "What to Do When the Bible is Not Clear," and we discover that God has given us a means to judge our motives and weigh our decisions. In Romans 14:23 states, "...everything that does not come from faith is sin.." So obviously, that's pretty clear. "Instead of asking, "Is it okay for a Christian to get a tattoo," said Fairchild. "Perhaps a better question might be, 'Is it okay for me to get a tattoo?' Since tattooing is such a controversial issue today, I think it's important to examine your heart and your motives before you make the decision."
Here is one last video that really complements Mary Fairfield discernment about tattoo's.
There's 1 side, there's the other, and then there's the TRUTH.
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