What does the Bible say about tatoos? The truth is that this is a very controversial question today. More than ever before, young Christian people are going out and getting tatoos. Many pastors and priests are getting tatoos. In fact, some very high profile Christian ministers have gotten a lot of attention for their tatoos. Tatoos have been a very hot topic on Christian radio and Christian television. Tatoos have become extremely fashionable both inside and outside the church. There has never been a time when we have seen more tatoos in the Christian community. In fact, many Christians have used tatoos as a way to express their faith. But what does the Bible say? Is God pleased with these tatoos? The answer to this question might surprise you.
In Leviticus 19:28, God gave the people of Israel a direct commandment not to get tatoos.....
Do not cut your bodies for the dead or put tattoo marks on yourselves. I am the LORD.
But wasn't that just for Old Testament times?
Is it possible that God has changed His mind?
Unfortunately for those of you who wish to run out and get a tatoo, the truth is that God does not change as we read in Malachi 3:6.....
For I am the LORD, I do not change
In fact, Hebrews 13:8 tells us that Jesus Christ is the same from the very beginning of time until the very end of time.....
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
The truth is that God told us that getting a tatoo is a sin and He expects us to continue to follow that commandment today.
In 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 we read that the body of a Christian is a temple of the Holy Spirit and that we are to honor God with our bodies.....
Do you not know that your body is a temple 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 body.
If you are a Christian, you are to honor God with your body. God does not want you to damage your body or to pollute it with a message which you might want to get rid of a year from now. If you insist on getting a tatoo you are in rebellion against God.
While you might not like that fact, that is what the Bible says.
It is your choice whether you will obey God's commandments or not.
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My girlfriend and I are both serious about our relationship with Christ. She has gone through a tough time in her past. Before we started dating. She wants to get a tatoo under her arm that symbolizes what God has brought her thru. My first reaction is to support her. Any comments?
Scott it is great that your girlfriend wants to honor what God has brought her through.
Unfortunately, as the article above explains, God does not want us doing that to our bodies.
There are many other great ways that she can express her gratitude to God however.
I know that it is tough to hear that getting a tatoo is not right, but God’s ways are higher than our ways. We have been so indoctrinated by our culture to think a certain way that it can be really hard to see things from God’s perspective sometimes.
But that is what we need to start to do.
the law also says we cant eat lobsters or crawfish.
Lobsters and Crawfish are forbidden in the old testament for the jewish people only
so what do you do if u already have tattoos and never realized before that doing so was sinful?
You are not judged by the things you did before you were born again of the water, { JESUS NAME BAPTISM } and the SPIRIT, { The HOLY SPIRIT of GOD }. The Apostle Paul was persecuting Christians before his conversion and he was a chosen vessel.
I got a tattoo back when things in my life were going bad, I was on drugs and alcohol really bad and even though I was a christian I still did it. Do I need to get the tattoo removed I really wished I would have never got the tattoo.
I am 16 an by no means the wisest of people an I have just recently renewed my faith in Christ actually. I have read the above article. I know getting a tattoo is a sin. I still plan on getting one. God gives us the chance to repent an be forgiven. I openly acknowledge that getting a tattoo as being a sin an know I will have to pay for it. So I have 2 questions. Is getting one in ignorance of it being a sin any worse than getting one with the knowledge it is? An so we can be forgiven for getting one…right?
Hey just a question why don’t Christians get circumcised ? Why do we eat pork ? Yes god doesn’t change his mind but the old and new testaments do not mix . And why don’t we avenge eye for eye why did god laws change ? Shouldnt we as Christians refermore to Peter and Paul instate o the old testament . It’s really confusing
For the answer of this confusion, read the book of Romans. Not all of it, or perhaps if you read all of it you would understand. Many of God’s laws point to a greater thing in the future. For circumsion was a requirement of the Law, where as NT the Law was fulfilled with Christ and circumsion of the heart is more important (Romans 2:28-29). With pork/unclean foods, God used those as an example that there are unclean things in the world and how to stay away from them. Paul’s story in Acts 10:9-16 is how God opens up food, but definitely more that. With the last one, the “eye for an eye” is the law of equilvency. So what you do you get equal… Kinda like our sin equals hell… So! God is unchanging and He uses his Law to point out future stuff, not that it is literal. Long answer I know, but hope it blesses you!
So what about the verses in the entire chapter you base your writing on? You are also not to trim the ends of your beard or cut your sideburns. You are also to wear clothing made from one fabric not mixed fabrics. How silly to pick and choose what you are to do and not to do and call one sin and not even mention the other. Think about it. I don’t like tatoos either, but to give that short verse (by itself) …without taking it in the culture it was written, is shallow.
Seth,
In the Book of Leviticus in the Old Testament there were sacrificial offerings for intentional & unintentional sins. Jesus fulfilled the law, died for our sins. When we sin willfully even though we know God says not to that is offensive
to Him and rebellious. Obedience to God is better than sacrifice. Please don’t tattoo, imagine what happens when one keeps willfully sinning & die before repenting.
Eddie
The Old Testament provides historical background knowledge to understand the New Testament.
There isn’t a need for an eye for an eye due to Jesus dying for our sins. When He died we were reconciled with The Lord. The revelation of Jesus Christ can also be found in The Book of Isaiah in the old testament. Peter & Paul focus was to reach out and preach the Word. Ask Jesus to help you when you read the Bible. Jesus is the mediator between the Father and man. We must repent, as well as forgiving one another.
Cultural context please. That verse does not apply to all people at all places. If we are to treat this verse as universally applicable, should we not also treat the verse before with like reverence? “You shall not round of the hair on your temples or mar the edges of your beard.” Surely we do not accept this as a universal statement.
The Bible is not specific on tatoos, and that is ok.
I am not going to get into a theological debate about this subject, I am going to simply state that the Bible says to not mark your bodies to commemorate the dead. The people of those times would take the ashes and mark themselves to remember and honor the dead….it does not even address HOW they marked their bodies, it very well could have been just superficially by making a paste and painting themselves. The only other mention is in Revelation where it states that Christ will have our names written on his thigh. The whole temple of God argument gets skewed to fit agendas. The purpose of this scripture is to tell us to have us not defile our bodies with alcohol, drugs, sexual impurities, etc. The subject of tattoos being good or bad comes down to personal taste and should stay that way…..I really do not think that God cares (except if it is to honor the dead or is an evil image that can hinder furthering His kingdom). If you really want to split hairs that much, getting braces or any other “corrective” alterations is altering how He made you and therefore is defiling the “temple”. Just my thoughts…oh, and I have 3 tattoos….. All of them to honor God!
Just think of all the time…and I mean all the time put into Tatoos, from thinking of getting one to what if I don’t like it to what others will think, what it will be of, where it will go, how many should I get, covering an entire body, the time it would take to remove, all of the time people spend learning how to become a Tatoo artist, learning of the process, what tatoo joints are the best, all the designs and photos of Tatoos, seminars, workshops Tatoo competitions, Magazines, all the conversations of and about Tatoos… we could go on for ever with this…Basically, could you imagine if all the time ever envolved with tatoos was used to truly worship God………………………….
I believe the Bible has a lot in scripture that can support tattoos. I personally do not have any tattoos nor do i intend getting one, i love this site and a lot of the info/scripture that is puts out. This article only uses one verse that may be verry well taken out of context. I found myself on a website called religioustattoos.net that expounds and gives multiple verses in the correct context that may support tattoos.
http://www.religioustattoos.net/index.php
I am not a member nor do i support everything that this site releases. But, it does provide a lot of scripture and context, that very well supports tattoos. I hate to use this as a comparison but it somewhat resembles the idea of drinking alcohol in the bible. Only reason i say that is i do believe it can both be wrong to a certain extent and it could also be rite. I personally cant draw that definite line as to wether its 100% ok or 100% wrong. As always God has given us our own discernment, If you have prayed about it and God gives you peace by all means get a tattoo. On second hand, again after praying about it, if you have any second thoughts about it do not do it!
If you know what god truly wants/expects from you while you are on earth, material objects would hold no value or importance. righteousness must be from the heart and not outwardly. So it does not matter what you do as long as you are righteous. Once you commit your life in being faithful to our heavenly father, you will feel your needs and cravings disappear. Anything that gives pleasure to the flesh over the holy spirit in you, with your knowledge, IS A SIN. Jesus came to us to tell us to forget the ‘law’. The old testament talks about high priests memorizing the laws(which were so ridiculously many)that they forgot to be righteous from their hearts. There came a point when the more laws u could follow, the more holy you were. Jesus came to tell us to discard this blind habit and follow just the 2 commandments – love your god with all your heart ; love your neighbor as you love yourself. By truly loving god, we will understand that he has important and blessed plans for each of us, which goes beyond tattoos, food and other things attached to the body. God wants you to be happy and peaceful and not pressurize your holy spirit with laws.
Why do people ib thw church always have something to say about everyone. This guy I know he attends church he’s gay (trying to get delivered ) ???? He talks about everyone in the church. Is this because deep down inside he still has a problem. Crazy or what?
I just want to Love as Christ Loves. With no Questions about it. When it’s my time to go before God I don’t want home to say, Who Are You? I never knew You!
Would this include earrings in the ears of young girls? Is that considered defiling your body? Having someone interpret God’s word for you is asking to be controlled and informed with an agenda, not the truth. In order to make a decision about this, read the Word yourself.
if your going to obey that verse then men also need to obey the one right above it “Do not cut the hair at the sides of your head or clip off the edges of your beard.” Leviticus 19:27 You cannot pick and choose the verses you follow in the bible. and not only that but every other verse in leviticus. Leviticus was all of the rules that the ISRAELITES needed to follow. My pastor preached a full sermon on this last year.
Amen!! Kristin