Does the Bible forbid tattoos?
We are going to look at Leviticus 19:28:
“Do not cut your bodies for the dead and do not mark on your skin with tattoos, I am the Lord your God.”
I have read a lot of things regarding this topic, and I do believe that it is one that no one really knows exactly how God feels about it, but one thing is clear, it was a big practice with the pagan religions.
I have read that we are the holy temple of God, and we should not deface it, but I am not sure that is very strong argument. It makes out like people who get tattoos are graffiti artists committing a crime, and I am not a fan of that.
It used to be, in ancient Greece, that tattoos were a form of punishment. Yeah, you see, tattoos were tattooed unto criminal’s faces to display the crime they committed. This way, they would be labeled with their crime and they would be able to be caught should they escape. And also, they would still be punished even after they escaped. But then this practice was banned in 330 AD by Emperor Constantine the 1st because he stated that a man’s face was made in God’s image and it was a sacrilege to deface it. He suggested that instead, it should be on the face or calves. However, in 787 AD, the Second Council of Nicaea banned all tattoos as a pagan practice.
In 426 BC, slaves were tattooed by Ancient Greeks, according to historian Herodotus. It was also used as a punishment to Thracian women for the dismemberment and decapitation of Orpheus. And around 500 BC they used tattoos to send secret messages.
This passage 19:28 is only mention of tattoos in the Bible. It is located among many guidelines given to the Israelites to have a good harvest and show their reverence for God. It is the only verse that mentions tattoos. Now, usually when God has something really important to say, it is repeated a lot throughout the Bible. I really believe that God said this to the Israelites because he wanted them to separate themselves from the world and pagan practices. God is not going to forbid someone from entering the Kingdom of God because they have tattoos. Remember John 3:16? It says whoever believes in him shall have eternal life, it doesn’t say, whoever believes in me shall have eternal life, unless they have tattoos, then I’m sorry, you are forbidden. Why would God punish someone like that? Why would he be similar to these ancient Greeks? God is not stuck up and snooty, he loves everyone. It is all about the heart of someone. Let’s say someone has perfect skin and looks beautiful to the world, and someone else is tattooed all over. The human perspective looks at the outside, but God looks at the heart.
So really my conclusion is that because tattoos are a worldly practice accepted by many, it is best to not get a tattoo. However, with that being said, if you have one, be at ease. Focus on your relationship with Christ. If you are at a church where they are treating you badly because you have a tattoo, move on and find a church that doesn’t, because the church that is treating you badly is not a Christ centered church, it is a man centered church.
New song coming this Thanksgiving:
Tamara Chaos will be releasing a new song this Thanksgiving. At the same time, Tamara will also be singing Missing Pages by Seventh Day Slumber and No Hopeless Soul by Stephen Stanley.
Here are the lyrics for In The Darkness
When you're walking through the dark/a path so dark it's hard/ to see where you're going/always stumbling/always falling
Life seems to hopeless/like an arrow without a way/never know when the arrow/will strike a target
But there is one who knows/there is one who cares/
There is one who will help light your path/
He's the one who died for you/so you can live forever/and live with joy in your heart/
Are you looking I'm right here/
Are you watching I'm in fear/
In fear I can't be seen/
All my troubles surround me/my sins piled up so high/ Oh Lord, please rescue, rescue me!
My helper/my Savior
Hear my cries/my whispers/my whispers in the dark/
But there is one who knows/there is one who cares/
There is one who will help light your path/
He's the one who died for you/so you can live forever/and live with joy in your heart/
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MEWE : Tamara Chaos
Blog: https://tamaraChaos.blogspot.com
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