For years tattoos have been hovering in recognition. At present, 21% of individuals in the USA have a minimum of one tattoo. And people between 18-29 are more likely to have a minimum of one tattoo, about 36% (Tattoo Statistics). Tattoos are actually much less taboo than in many years previous and are roughly socially acceptable.
Nevertheless, amongst Christians there nonetheless stays a variety of debate. Can Christians get tattoos? Is it a sin to get a tattoo? These questions are certain to fire up a variety of heated conversations. And also you in all probability have a reasonably robust opinion both method.
What I wish to do on this submit is check out a number of the widespread arguments after which tackle these questions: Are tattoos sinful? Is getting a tattoo a sin?
However earlier than we are able to reply the query, “are tattoos sinful?”, we first want to have a look at what the Bible says about tattoos.
What Does The Bible Say About Tattoos? (Is getting a tattoo a sin?)
What does the Bible say about tattoos? Buckle up… I’m going to offer you ALL the passages that point out tattoos… Prepared?
Leviticus 19:28… That’s it.
It says: Don’t minimize your our bodies for the lifeless, and don’t mark your pores and skin with tattoos. I’m the Lord. Leviticus 19:28
Are tattoos sinful in keeping with this passage? We must dig somewhat to get there.
This passage is coping with pagan spiritual rituals of individuals residing across the Israelites. Particularly Leviticus 19:19-32 (the place are verse is discovered) is coping with widespread pagan practices of the Canaanites. Dr. Tom Constable addresses this part this fashion:
These included consuming blood (Leviticus 19:26), slicing their hair within the fashion of the pagan monks (Leviticus 19:27), and disfiguring their our bodies that God had created (Leviticus 19:28). They have been to not disfigure the divine likeness in them by scarring their our bodies. These overseas practices additionally included devoting one”s daughter to prostitution (Leviticus 19:29), in search of data of the long run from a medium (Leviticus 19:31), and failing to honor the aged (Leviticus 19:32).
Once we ask are tattoos sinful we have to perceive the context through which it’s written. The drive of Leviticus 19:19-32 is that the Israelites are to not worship different gods. Every of those verses embrace some sort of pagan ritual that was in worship of a pagan god.
That is what Leviticus 19:28 is speaking about, historic pagan worship. The Canaanites would minimize their physique as a part of a ritual in worship of their gods. They’d model themselves as belonging to a pagan god. They’d slash their our bodies for ritualistic functions. This isn’t even in the identical ballpark as modern-day tattooing.
Once we learn the Bible we’ve got to recollect it was written to a selected those that lived throughout a novel time. God was chatting with a really totally different tradition when these phrases have been written. To suggest that the command to not minimize your our bodies (Leviticus 19:28) is identical as getting a contemporary tattoo is a stretch to say the least.
Once we learn this verse in context, we see that it’s not speaking about modern-day tattoos.
However maintain on… Whereas there aren’t any direct verses prohibiting trendy tattoos, there are different arguments used as to why Christians shouldn’t get tattoos. Let’s look somewhat deeper, are tattoos sinful?
Are Tattoos Sinful?
So, are tattoos sinful? Is getting a tattoo a sin? We now know that the Bible is prohibiting the marking of your physique in worship of pagan gods. And this command is available in an extended record of issues the Israelites mustn’t do. In context we see Leviticus 19:28 isn’t speaking about modern-day tattoos.
It’s asinine to cherry decide one verse out of the legislation and declare it must comply with and ignore the remaining. Simply verses earlier than it says don’t minimize your hair and don’t put on clothes woven of two sorts of supplies (Leviticus 19:19 and Leviticus 19:27). No person I do know follows these legal guidelines.
Nonetheless many will argue tattoos are in reality a sin as a result of it’s within the Bible. I discover two arguments mostly used so let’s take a look at what these are.
1. Observe All The Legislation
Many will merely level to Leviticus 19:28 and say that’s ok for me. It’s within the Bible, subsequently tattoos are a sin. As we’ve got seen that fully ignores the context and fails to bear in mind what “slicing of the physique” really means.
However this argument additionally fails to know the Legislation and what Jesus has accomplished.
Within the Outdated Testomony God’s folks lived beneath the Legislation. It was their adherence to this Legislation that they have been to be made proper in God’s sight (holy). That was the Outdated Covenant. Right here’s an oversimplification of the way it labored:
Observe The Legislation = God’s Blessing
Disobey The Legislation = Removing of God’s Blessing
Since God knew that they His folks couldn’t do that completely, He made a approach to atone for his or her sins: sacrifice. If you broke a legislation, one thing, an animal, needed to die to pay the value in your sin. That’s how the legislation in a nutshell labored.
However there was an issue with the Legislation… Humankind couldn’t stay as much as it.
That’s the place Jesus is available in. He fulfilled the necessities of the legislation (Matthew 5:17-20). He did for us what we couldn’t do for ourselves. And now, due to Him, we’re in good standing with God (Romans 10:4-13).
Christians now stay beneath the New Covenant. Our holiness is not decided by adherence to the Legislation, as an alternative it’s decided by what Jesus has accomplished for us.
These guidelines that used to find out our righteousness not maintain weight towards us. You’ll be able to eat a bloody steak, get a haircut, and put on no matter garments you need. Jesus has fulfilled the aim of the Legislation.
Earlier than you lose it, hear me on this… I do certainly consider that homicide is fallacious, relaxation is required, jealousy destroys us, and we needs to be beneficiant. A lot of the legislation has good ideas to stay our life by. However our name is not to stick to those legal guidelines. Reasonably Jesus changed it with a brand new legislation (John 13:31-35). This isn’t along with, however rather than. It says, Love God, Love Others. The entire legislation is summed up in that. The world ought to know us by that one legislation. All the pieces else within the New Testomony is commentary on how we must always stay in mild of the New Covenant we stay beneath.
For extra on that try: What’s The Level Of The Outdated Testomony Legislation?
To say that tattoos are sinful as a result of they’re within the Bible ignores the context and fails to see what Jesus did on the cross. We not stay beneath the legislation.
2. Physique Is A Temple
The opposite go-to argument towards Christians getting tattoos is that our our bodies are God’s temple. Thus if we get a tattoo we’re inflicting injury to one thing sacred.
Most individuals who use this argument will level to 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 claiming that tattooing is damaging our physique which is God’s temple.
For extra try: The Highly effective 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 Which means (your our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit)
At first look that may make sense. Our our bodies are a temple and we must always look after it. However what about all the opposite issues we do this injury our physique? Sugar is unhealthy for you. Driving may cause harm. Sitting too lengthy can kill. However then once more you would possibly harm your self exercising. Ought to we keep away from all that too? Ought to we simply keep away from every thing that might injury our physique? That’s the logic of this argument.
However the greatest drawback with this argument is that it ignores the context of Paul’s phrases. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 is speaking about sexual immorality. It has NOTHING to do with tattoos or something of the kind. Paul isn’t asking the query, are tattoos sinful? Reasonably, he’s warning Christians to flee from sexual immorality.
On the root, this can be a actually hole argument and as soon as once more takes the Bible out of context. It’s legalism. It’s including to what the Bible says and making it tougher for some to come back to Jesus.
To say that tattoos are sinful as a result of our our bodies are God’s temple ignores the context of what 1 Corinthians 6:18-20 is written in.
Now earlier than you run out and get a tattoo maintain on. Simply because one thing isn’t a sin doesn’t imply that we must always immediately do it. We must always first think about what’s the smart factor for us to do.
So, Ought to Christians Get Tattoos?
Are tattoos sinful? Is getting a tattoo a sin? No, getting a tattoos isn’t a sin. However that doesn’t make it a black and white situation. It means it’s as much as every individual to determine how they will greatest stay out their religion within the gray.
There are some that don’t like tattoos, and that’s okay. Others really feel {that a} tattoo would hinder their relationship with God or harm their witness, that’s positive for them to really feel that and keep away from them. It’s a gray space. Should you suppose tattoos aren’t smart, then don’t get one.
Nevertheless don’t pressure your desire on these round you. Creating guidelines that aren’t within the Bible is a harmful follow. And for those who suppose it’s okay to get tattoos, don’t pressure your private freedom on those that suppose it’s not okay. Select grace within the gray.
If you’re struggling via the best way to navigate the gray of getting a tattoo or not, let me finish by providing you two questions.
Right here’s two questions that will help you discern not simply getting a tattoo, however all gray areas of life:
- What’s the wisest and most loving factor for me to do?
- How will this have an effect on these round me?
A tough lesson for us to study is that whereas I could have the liberty to do one thing, it nonetheless has a consequence. I could lose affect due to the alternatives I make. On some stage you can’t assist it. Should you select to get a tattoo some will discredit you. However then again for those who select to get a tattoo you might really acquire credibility with some.
You can not please everybody, nor do you have to attempt. However this query continues to be legitimate. There are folks in your life that you’ve the chance to positively affect. There are relationships value holding onto. How will your resolution in these gray areas have an effect on folks in these circles?
I do know we just like the minimize and dry solutions. We merely wish to know, what does the Bible say about tattoos? And are tattoos sinful? We wish it black and white. However the Bible doesn’t do this. As an alternative it asks us what love requires of us.
You’ll by no means go away an affect on anybody for those who simply maintain onto your freedoms and do what you need. Generally it’s important to surrender one thing so as to acquire affect in somebody’s life to assist them see the change they should make. That’s why Paul mentioned, “I’ll turn out to be all issues to all folks in order that I could win just a few.” (1 Corinthians 9:19-23)
Every individual is in a novel scenario and must decide this themselves. Who’s round you which you can affect? And in mild of them what’s the wisest and most loving factor so that you can do? We’d have the liberty to do one thing, however that doesn’t all the time make it the very best factor for us to do.
BA in Biblical Research – Ozark Christian Faculty (2012)
MA in Theology – Regent College (2019)
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