Matthew chapter Seven verse one says, “Do not judge, lest ye be judged”. Hence, I’m a bit confused about how to go about this article on tattoos.
What are the criteria for someone to make it into heaven?
There are several schools of thought to answer this, some say all you need is the acceptance of Jesus as your lord and personal saviour while others think you only adhere to a holy life. Either way, is tattooing capable of stopping you from entering heaven?
That in turn means either a refusal to accept the saviour or live a holy life is tantamount to a one-way ticket to hell. So would something so supposedly insignificant as a tattoo trouble God?
These are tough questions to answer and can only be verified with some help from above. Alright, I’m getting into my groove.
God is all-knowing and wouldn’t place us on earth without guidance. What did he give us then? His word! He gave us his word to refer to in times of confusion. If you are still wondering what word, I’m talking about the Bible.
In light of this new evidence, I will base all my premises on Bible verses. You are probably yearning to know what I think.
I’ll tell you, only after we have run through the various verses that will help us answer the question. Remember, also, that we have a right to free speech. The reason for the article is to arrive at a consensual conclusion. No individual is the sole body that decides right or wrong.
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Bible verses about Tattoos
Leviticus 19:28
“Do not cut your bodies for the dead or put tattoo marks on yourselves. I am the LORD.”
No message could be any clearer. As clear as day. It instructs us not to put tattoo marks on ourselves or the dead.
We can trace the history of tattoos to ancient Egypt, where they cut or marked the bodies of mummies. It’s safe to say one of the biggest rivalries in the Bible is between Israel and Egypt, and the latter is accused of core witchcraft.
…….. ……. ……. Are you connecting the dots?
If tattoos are traced back to Egypt and Egypt can be traced to witchcraft, then tattoo has a rooting in witchcraft.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20
“Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.”
What does God mean by honoring me with your bodies? Honor can be defined as high respect or great respect for someone or something. That means treating our bodies with care and respect is honoring God.
Can you call tattoos honor? I’m not sure you can. The Bible says our body is synonymous with a temple. A temple is a building for religious worship, would you try to do graffiti on church walls with the intent of making it more beautiful?
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1 Corinthians 3:16
“Don’t you know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst?”
Can you see what the scripture is saying? There are different types of truths in my opinion.
- Bare truths
- Implied truths
There are a lot of implied truths and messages in the Bible that many of us choose to skip because it is not bare. This verse is a continuity of the previous verse. It reiterates that you are the temple of God’s spirit.
A temple is characterized by one special adjective: consecration. Therefore, according to this verse, it would be sinful and unethical to treat your body with such a contemptuous act as tattooing.
Is there a middle ground to justify tattooing?
Several acts have been considered a sin in the past, but we as humans have evolved, grown, and developed. We have successfully lessened the gravity of some sins or completely eradicated the thought of such acts as sins.
Can we add tattooing to the list of modern-day “not-sin”?
Probably not. No matter how the times change, these laws exist to curb our exuberances. In the bid to create a law-free or lawless Christianity, we have decided to incorrectly translate God’s word and his laws to enter into his Kingdom.
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Revelation 3:16 says, “So because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold. I am about to spit you out of my mouth”.
In Christianity, there is no middle ground. It is either white or black, this or that, sinful or not, etc.
Can my reason justify my action?
Many people would often try to justify their actions with a noble reason. There are various reasons Christians would give to justify their decision to get a tattoo.
- I am trying to spread the word of God with my body.
- It represents a symbol of God’s grace towards me.
- It is a public show of my Faith.
- It is symbolic (maybe the death of a loved one)
Whatever your reason is, it does not change the word of God concerning tattooing. As long as tattooing does not in any way glorify God, the bible confirms its self-glorifying nature (I see you trying to add glorifying God to your reasons).
In no subtle tone, the Bible has enforced to stir our attention from ourselves, encouraging selflessness and love. Tattoos are for personal glory and not God’s. I’ll back up my premise with a verse from the Bible.
I Corinthians 10:31 says, “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God”.
Conclusion
Okay here’s my view. I would not encourage tattoos from a religious standpoint. If you try looking from a spiritual angle also, the bible has blurred any prospect of affirmation or positivity. Now before you stone me like Steven, know that this is my opinion.
I have reviewed several Bible verses and several of them have nulled the validation of tattooing as an acceptable spiritual act. The spiritual supersedes the physical in heavenly matters.
