This is a subject that gets really emotional and confrontational at times. Christians with tattoos tend to defend them. Other Christians, particularly older, more conservative Christians will call them out as being of the devil.
The anti-tattoo crowd will go quickly to Leviticus 19:28 “Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the Lord.” The pro-tattoo crowd will counter with Leviticus 19:28 is the law and Christians are not under the law.
Both sides call, “Checkmate.” Argument over. Both sides claim victory and Christians stay divided on the issue. They both claim checkmate, yet it resembles a stalemate.
So what does the Bible Say about tattoos?
Let us first examine Leviticus 19:28. Is this verse a prohibition on tattoos?
The practice of tattooing and scarring the skin was common among Israel’s neighbors. Pagans would mark their skin to honor their gods.
Deuteronomy 14:1-2 “ Ye are the children of the Lord your God: ye shall not cut yourselves, nor make any baldness between your eyes for the dead. For thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God, and the Lord hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto himself, above all the nations that are upon the earth.”.
When the law was given, the Israelites had left Egypt and were on their way to Canaan. The Israelites would have been very familiar with the Egyptian practice of tattooing their women. Soon in Canaaan, they would be among the heathen who branded themselves to show allegiance to their god or king.
God was making it plain, Israel was not to emulate these pagan practices.“Ye are the children of the Lord your God: ye shall not cut yourselves, nor make any baldness between your eyes for the dead. For thou
“In ancient Egypt, from which we have the earliest evidence of tattooing, it appears to have been reserved almost exclusively for women. Egyptologists generally categorize these tattooed women as “prostitutes,” or at least entertainers of low status, because there are no known examples of high-class tattooed women.
In Libya, tattooing appears to have been prevalent among males. A painting from the tomb of Pharaoh Seti I (early 13th century B.C.E.) depicts Libyan male chiefs as bearing a variety of designs on their legs and arms, among them a rectangle with antennae-like ends, which is the symbol and hieroglyph of the Libyan-Egyptian creation goddess Neith. To bear tattoos of Neith—the virgin mother of the sun—was to designate oneself as a devotee and expect to be under the goddess’ protection.” SOURCE: Nili S. Fox, Ph.D., Director, School of Graduate Studies, and Professor of Bible, from an interview by Reform Judaism magazine for their Summer 2014 issue on Jews and Tattoos.
Cutting of the skin was also common among the heathen cultures. It’s purpose was to appease the gods and was often done for the dead, to secure them a better after-life. When Elijah challenged the prophets of Ba’al, we see where they cut themselves, trying to get Ba’al to act.
It is quite plain from the historical and cultural context that God forbid the israelites from marking their bodies for the dead or with the name of a god and from cutting themselves. lthough we are under the new covenant and not the law of Moses, there is no reason to belive that these practices would be any more acceptable to God today.
We can with all confidence say that no Christian should make cuttings in the flesh or marks upon their bodies to honor other gods. But what of marks that are merely for show, or have a personal meaning? Our modern culture is very accepting of tattoos as they have become more and more common. Is it a sin to get a tattoo for non-religious reasons. Leviticus is certainly referring to religious practices, not personal decoration.
This is where it gets sketchy. As Christians we would not look favorably on demonic looking tattoos. Tattos with skulls or naked ladies, or foul language would be frowned upon. They certainly do not honor God with such markings. We would say gang tattoos are wrong, but what about tattoos that show membership in other groups, such as military branches or fraternal orders?
And if some tattoos are wrong, and we accept others as being acceptable, where do we draw the line? And how many tattoos are acceptable? One, two, one hundred? Should tattoos only be placed where they cannot be seen? What about tattooing the face? It seems, that even when we want to say that the modern practice of tattooing has no relation to the markings of Leviticus 19:28, all of us would want to put a
We can fall back on the old reliable, “all things in moderation,” but what is or isn’t moderate?
I do not believe the answer to “should Christians get tattoos?” or “
The apostle Paul said, “All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient,” 1 Corinthians 6:12. He also went on to say,” Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ?” 1 Corinthians 6:15.
It appears that we are free to do “all things,” since we are not under law, and yet we must make our decisions according to our position in Christ. Our decisions and actions MUST honor God and bring glory to our Lord.
“What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s,” 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
We are not our own. Contrary to the rebellious claim of so many that, “it’s my body,” when you receive Christ you give up your claim on your body. As a Christian we cannot and must not treat our body as our own, but rather recognize it as the Lord’s.
Whether we get a tattoo or a piercing, what we say, what we drink, what we eat, what we wear, where we go all need to be framed in the context of “does this honor God and does this edify the body of Christ, (the church)?”
“All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not,” 1 Corinthians 10:23. “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God,” 1 Corinthians 10:31.
Knowing these things though, we still have the debate as to whether certain tattoos are acceptable. Do we dishonor God when we get a Bible verse tatted on our arm or a teardrop on our face? There still seems to be a lot of room for personal discernment and judgment.
I, however, want to focus on one very important question concerning our decision on whether to mark our skin or partake in other activities. Does it edify?
Paul makes it clear, “all things edify not.” As Christians we are members of the body of Christ. We are to bear each other’s burdens, lift each other up, encourage one another in the faith. Depending on our personal experiences, background and associations, we all have different views and convictions. We must be careful, very careful, not to step on one another’s convictions.
We have not all come to the same level of spiritual maturity. It is so important we do no harm to a new believer’s faith by our words or deeds.
Paul addresses this in Romans and 1 Corinthians.
Romans 14:1-8 “Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations. For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs. Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him.
Who art thou that judgest another man’s servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.
One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks. For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s.”
You my believe that in your spiritual maturity, that tattoos are not a sin, but we need to be mindful of the brother who is weak in the faith. We do not live to ourselves, we are the Lord’s as is the weaker in faith.
1 Corinthians 8:4-13 “As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one. For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,) But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.
Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge: for some with conscience of the idol unto this hour eat it as a thing offered unto an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled. But meat commendeth us not to God: for neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse.
But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak. For if any man see thee which hast knowledge sit at meat in the idol’s temple, shall not the conscience of him which is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols; And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died? But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ. Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend.”
Paul says that he knows he can eat meat that has been offered to idols. But he recognizes that some do not have that freedom. Some have come out of religions where such meat had significant meaning and they would in no way touch or eat it. Their conscience ruls against it. Paul says that he would in noway want to offend that brother’s conscience and would abstain from meat for the brother’s sake.
Romans 14:21 “It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.”
Romans 15:1-3 “We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification. For even Christ pleased not himself.”
There are Christians, especially older Christians, who really believe tattoos are of the devil. Certainly the devil has used them in pagan religions. There are young people who do not know if tattoos are right or wrong, but if a Christian they respect, particularly a leader, has tattos, they my see it as desirable. It may however not be in keeping with their parents’ wishes for them. This could cause conflict in the home.
Personally, I am against tattoos. I associate them with prison inmates, (I do prison ministry), gang members and hooligans. I cannot see one good reason for any person to mark their skin. But, our culture has changed. The associations I make with tattoos are not made by younger people today. Today, tattoos are seen as hip, cool and common. Many of the younger pastors openly sport tattoos.
Certainly, as a prison minister, I have ministered to many inmates with tattoos. Men who I have come to see as brothers in Christ. I have never made tattoos an issue in my ministry. I realize many come to Christ after already having received tattoos and others, because of their liberty in Christ have no conviction against getting them after they are saved. Who am I to judge another’s servant?
However, “We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification. For even Christ pleased not himself,” Romans 15:1. We must not let our liberty to get tattoos become a stumbling block to others. If getting a tattoo is going to be an offense to your parents, your neighbors or your church family, then you should not get a tattoo.
The Bible teaches that those of us that are strong in our faith, those of us that have wisdom and maturity, need to set aside our liberty for the sake of the weaker brother. It is not the weaker brother that has to be willing to accept our practicing our freedom in Christ. No, it is we who are strong in the faith that bear the burdens of the weaker. We must respect their conscience.
Despite my personal convictions, I will not tell you it is a sin to get a tattoo. But I will tell you, that as Christians we must respect the conscience and convictions of others. If a little
As with so many things in the Christian life, the decisions we make are not made based on rules, but on how our
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