What Would Jesus Tattoo??Is this for real?
This is all done in the name of Christian freedom of expression. How many people each and every day get a tattoo on their body because they want to "express" or "show" the world that they are christians? They want to use their body as an opportunity to get people to come up to them to ask them about their tattoo's so they can ultimately tell the people about Jesus Christ! The sad thing is this...
there are so called pastors who will tell their people that God says it is okay to mark your body (the Holy Temple of God)!
Our prayers are needed for them. They are a lost bunch that needs a renewing of the mind and the heart, that only God can give them. I pray that their eyes be opened soon!
16 comments:
if we are to think that tattooing our body is defiling the temple of God then should we also not eat pork? Or not shave our face? Those scriptures are all together in the Bible. Do more research and read your Bible before claiming your brothers are in sin.
I'm asking this out of sincerity, not to be rude: why shouldn't Christians get tattoos? Because I am a Christian who wants tattoos, and did some research a while ago. The Bible does say not to "ornament" or "adorn" your body (I can't find the specific verse anymore but I promise it's in there haha!), which would also technically include make-up and piercings of any kind, including ears. Also, that verse that says specifically not to tattoo (or cut) one's body (Leviticus 19:28) is often taken out of context... by that logic, people also should not cut their beards or the sides of their hair (leviticus 19:27) or wear clothing made of two kinds of material (Leviticus 19:19). Would you be able to explain using scripture why we shouldn't get tattoos, if I missed any verses, as well as the context? However, I completely agree with your point of how pastors and the like say they get tattoos to witness or something. I really don't think anyone actually goes up to them and says, "Hey, that's a sweet tattoo of a cross. WHat's that all about?" I basically think that's sort of a cop-out excuse to justify getting body art because of the negative connotations it seems to have. I really don't think it should, but that's just my opinion and what I've learned through research, mostly Biblical.
in Leviticus you have to understand who is being talked to. Do some research and find out who the people are. Let me ask you this? WHY do you want a tattoo? We are not to be like the world and yet that is so much a part of the world as to show that you agree with them and not with God. Here is another point to consider. When you pay your money to get the tattoo done, you do realize that the man doing the tattooing will most likely tattoo something of the devil before you get in there and after you leave. Your money will help support him to do the devil's work. Does that bring glory to God? No. Our body is the temple of God. Why in the world would we want to mess it up? It only makes the body ugly to anyone looking at it and like I said, it does not bring glory to God and we were created for His good pleasure and for His glory! Cain was marked! want to be like him? Israelites were marked as a way of protecting them from Judgment, but that is a marking that God said to do. Jesus was marked on his thigh in Revelation, but again, that is God doing that one. Satan will mark bodies. Want a part of that one too? I hope not. The mark is used to set someone apart. If you go to a person yourself to get a mark, you set yourself apart alright, apart from christians. You know very well it will offend the other true christians in the church. We are not to do anything that gives the appearance of evil. Just remember that your money will be used to support someone who will promote the devil. Plain and simple, I would not do that if I were you!
anonymous, you need to read the bible more. Sure you might find some things together in one of the books of the bible. But what you are missing is that if it is found elsewhere, then we need to look at scripture as a whole and see what God is telling us. God is not the author of confusion. It is just a matter of doing more research on the subject. Don't worry, the Holy Spirit can open your eyes.
Pastor Brian, the bible does say that our body is a temple of God: 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 "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." But in this sense how does a tattoo such as a cross or any other symbol that the church uses within it's walls in honoring God, not also honor God when it is on our body, a temple of Christ? And you do make a very valid point about the tattoo artist taking the money, and using it for the devil's work, but again, if this prevents us from using the tattooist, then anything within our own church walls must be manufactured by God fearing men. I will not pass judgement, but I can only assume that many christian churches of all denominations are filled with products made in china, which is for the majority non-christian. Is this practice then also not in accordance with honoring our Father? Therefore, although the argument seems valid, I do have reservations.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 "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."
Steven, you make some interesting comments here. There is one thing (at the very least) that you are missing.
God is HOLY and we need to be Christ-like in all we do, wouldn't you agree? One thing that we cannot do is sit in church and compare ourselves to another person sitting in church and say something to the effect that "I am not as bad a sinner as he is." We should not compare ourselves to any person other than Jesus Christ. If we are to have HIS characteristics then we MUST not do the things of the world because Jesus was not of the world. To compare ourselves to buildings masquerading as churches is completely the wrong thing to do. Just because a building has a cross, a baptismal font, an altar, ect, it does not make it a true church. Just because it has a pastor preaching a message does not mean that the pastor is a true child of God. There are many false teachers in the churches (buildings) today and people follow them blindly which is the worst thing a person can do because it will only bring about eternal damnation.
Tattoo's are worldly. We are NOT to be like the world, unless of course a person does not feel it is necessary to be holy and without blemish before they face a holy and just God.
We are to be separated from the world and too many people who call themselves Christian, want to be just like the world with no thought whatsoever of being pure, holy and without blame.
Our bodies are not our own! We are not free (I guess we are in the sense that we can do whatever we want to do) but we are to understand that the body we have BELONGS to the Lord. In much the same way, the bible says a little wine is good for the stomach, but the problem is, many people take it too far and it destroys the body that the Lord has given us. Marking your body does not bring glory to God at all. Who gets the glory? Man! When people get a tattoo, it is all about being seen by man. "Look at me! Look at my tattoo that I got!" That is not how we are to give God glory. We are to be humble, we are to be holy just as He is holy. We are to be righteous just as He is righteous.
The American church has fallen so far from being biblical that the people within the church walls are not living a life worthy of Christ. They are finding excuses to live like the world lives all in the name of Christ.
It is blasphemous to call ourselves Christians and yet do the things of the world. Be ye separate! Separate yourself from the world. Separate yourself from the world. I can't say it enough because the people in the churches are not listening. The gospel message has been watered down so much that people take the term christian liberty to mean they can do whatever they want to do.
I agree that many churches and Christians have fallen far from what Christ had intended for us as his followers. I am not perfect. But God's word says in Ephesians 6:11 "Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes" because like 2 Timothy 2:3-4 says "Join with me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer." In the time of Christ many soldiers would tattoo the crest of their generals on their arms as to show allegiance. Why shall we not also do this as a soldier of Christ? Paul wore a badge and displayed his scars as being a true servant of the lord in saying "Henceforth, let no man trouble me; for I bear on my body the brand marks of Jesus" Galatians 6:17.
I think that many times the tattoo discussion of whether it is to the glory of God or not has missed the mark entirely. In everything you do, do it to the glory of God, and do not judge. Two simple guidelines. If someone gets a tattoo with a righteous conscience in doing it towards the glory of God, so that he can profess his faith, and not so that he can go around bragging about his latest cool looking cross tattoo, I will not judge.
And yes we must be humble to him. We should not compare ourselves to the rest of the world or set ourselves on a pedestal, but admit our own faults as in the parable of the tax collector and the pharisee. Jesus said "for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted".
In the time of Christ many soldiers would tattoo the crest of their generals on their arms as to show allegiance. Why shall we not also do this as a soldier of Christ? Paul wore a badge and displayed his scars as being a true servant of the lord in saying "Henceforth, let no man trouble me; for I bear on my body the brand marks of Jesus" Galatians 6:17.
Why shall we not do this???? Because it comes from a pagan practice and that is why God says, DON'T DO AS THE PAGANS DO. BE YE SEPARATE. The marks on Pauls body were nothing at all like a tattoo. Come on now, that is ridiculous to insinuate the two are the same. He bore the stripes of being whipped and beaten. Not just some pansy wearing a little tattoo. The two are NOT the same.
In everything you do, do it to the glory of God, and do not judge.
Now, let's get biblical here. Don't throw the "do not judge" scripture out there and think that this is what it is talking about. As Christians we are told, commanded that we are to judge those within the church. We are to keep false teachers out of the church and EXPOSE them for their blasphemous teachings.
I'm not sure if you saw the last part about the parable?
Luke 18:9-14:
To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable: "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men--robbers, evildoers, adulterers--or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.' "But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.' "I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."
Maybe we should judge ourselves before we do that of the other members of the body of Christ?
of course I saw that last part, you seem to be hung up on ignoring what the bible says in favor of not offending anyone with what God's Word says. I stand by my comment of expecting a Christian to seek after holiness and righteousness in favor of allowing someone to be just like the world. If you feel I am judging you incorrectly, then realize that God will judge righteously and HE expects us to be holy just as He is holy, and to be righteous just as He is righteous. I do not fear because I know I am following God's guidelines for how a Christian should live.
I take no offense, as do I not mind someone else taking offense to what I speak, when I can quote the word of God to support that. And I have quoted numerous scriptures throughout our discussion. Again, for the third time I bring up the parable. I am not perfect. I am not righteous. No one on this earth is perfect. I can cry out to God, Lord have mercy. And yet you seem to be as the Pharisee and continually judging others, separating yourself from the rest of the world. Yet you too were born of your mothers womb and are a sinner. And yes, you are correct that God expects us to be righteous. I live my life through Christ, but I know that I will never be truly righteous as Christ was, because again, like the Tax Collector, I know that I will never be perfect or holy as is Christ. I am humble, and justified before God.
But, back to the original context of the discussion, are tattoos against God's word? You said that they are a Pagan ritual and we should separate ourselves from these. But the ritual was Pagan because the tattoos were for Pagan idols, not a symbol of God done in worshiping him. You have been trying to discredit my interpretations of his word, but I don't believe that you have cited any direct scripture to uphold your own views?
you said,
"when I can quote the word of God to support that"
quoting scripture is not a sure fire way of being right. You MUST quote accurately and in context to the situation.
you said,
"Again, for the third time I bring up the parable. I am not perfect. I am not righteous. No one on this earth is perfect. I can cry out to God, Lord have mercy. And yet you seem to be as the Pharisee and continually judging others,"
AGAIN, I will tell you, that as Christians, we are called to judge those within the church, those people who "claim" to be christians. Do you feel you should NOT do that even though Scripture is perfectly clear that you ARE to do that?
you said,
"Pharisee and continually judging others, separating yourself from the rest of the world"
this comment right here just exposed you for who you are. You are like Joel Osteen in that you will use scripture to mean what YOU want it to mean. Look again at what you said, "Separating yourself from the rest of the world." You say that like that is a bad thing. Now, look at what scripture says about this. II Corinthians 6:17-18, "Wherefore come out from among them and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and he shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty."
The separate believer is to be in the world, but not a part of it. When you separate yourself you draw nigh unto God and away from the evils of this world. As a Christian, the closer you draw to God the more you despise the ways of the world. You do not want any adulterous attitudes to permeate the church. You attitude is such that "who cares if this is going on within the church, you should not judge us for bringing it into the church."
you said,
"And yes, you are correct that God expects us to be righteous."
then don't do as the world does. PERIOD! Why make excuses that says, "oh well, I am a sinner, don't judge me." NO, strive to the finish line, endure to the end by living a life that is pleasing to God! Don't seek to please SELF, but please God instead!
you said,
"But, back to the original context of the discussion, are tattoos against God's word? You said that they are a Pagan ritual and we should separate ourselves from these. But the ritual was Pagan because the tattoos were for Pagan idols, not a symbol of God done in worshiping him. You have been trying to discredit my interpretations of his word, but I don't believe that you have cited any direct scripture to uphold your own views?"
Because you are blind to the truth. You would rather please yourself than God. Again, you said, "But the ritual was Pagan because the tattoos were for Pagan idols," Now look at what scripture has to say about this. 1 Thessalonians 5:22 says, "abstain from all appearance of evil"
You acknowledge yourself that it was done for pagan rituals. This is exactly the kind of attitude one should take concerning this. God's Word says ABSTAIN from ALL appearance of EVIL. And yet, you, as a Christians, do not care that some people might be confused as to whether something is done in a pagan ritual or as a spiritual ritual. God says we are to ABSTAIN from ALL APPEARANCES OF EVIL. How much clearer can I get. We are to be holy just as He is holy, we are to be righteous just as He is righteous. Why in the world would you want to do something that pagans do and think you are calling it a spiritual act towards God?
you said, "You have been trying to discredit my interpretations of his word, but I don't believe that you have cited any direct scripture to uphold your own views?"
BLIND to the truth of God is what many professing Christians are. To be like a pharisee is not to honor Godly behavior according to His Word, it is to honor self above God and I am clearly not doing that. It is amazing how many self professing Christians seem to think they know what a pharisee is. They need to concern themselves more with what it means to be a Christian and to live a life that glorifies Him and not to glorify ourselves. If putting a mark on your body makes you feel like a Christian then by all means, go ahead and do it. But don't be surprised if on that fateful day when you see Jesus face to face that He says to you, Depart from me you worker of iniquity, I never knew you!
you said,
"And yes, you are correct that God expects us to be righteous."
then don't do as the world does. PERIOD! Why make excuses that says, "oh well, I am a sinner, don't judge me." NO, strive to the finish line, endure to the end by living a life that is pleasing to God! Don't seek to please SELF, but please God instead!
you said,
"But, back to the original context of the discussion, are tattoos against God's word? You said that they are a Pagan ritual and we should separate ourselves from these. But the ritual was Pagan because the tattoos were for Pagan idols, not a symbol of God done in worshiping him. You have been trying to discredit my interpretations of his word, but I don't believe that you have cited any direct scripture to uphold your own views?"
Because you are blind to the truth. You would rather please yourself than God. Again, you said, "But the ritual was Pagan because the tattoos were for Pagan idols," Now look at what scripture has to say about this. 1 Thessalonians 5:22 says, "abstain from all appearance of evil"
You acknowledge yourself that it was done for pagan rituals. This is exactly the kind of attitude one should take concerning this. God's Word says ABSTAIN from ALL appearance of EVIL. And yet, you, as a Christians, do not care that some people might be confused as to whether something is done in a pagan ritual or as a spiritual ritual. God says we are to ABSTAIN from ALL APPEARANCES OF EVIL. How much clearer can I get. We are to be holy just as He is holy, we are to be righteous just as He is righteous. Why in the world would you want to do something that pagans do and think you are calling it a spiritual act towards God?
you said, "You have been trying to discredit my interpretations of his word, but I don't believe that you have cited any direct scripture to uphold your own views?"
BLIND to the truth of God is what many professing Christians are. To be like a pharisee is not to honor Godly behavior according to His Word, it is to honor self above God and I am clearly not doing that. It is amazing how many self professing Christians seem to think they know what a pharisee is. They need to concern themselves more with what it means to be a Christian and to live a life that glorifies Him and not to glorify ourselves. If putting a mark on your body makes you feel like a Christian then by all means, go ahead and do it. But don't be surprised if on that fateful day when you see Jesus face to face that He says to you, Depart from me you worker of iniquity, I never knew you!
You said,
"You acknowledge yourself that it was done for pagan rituals. This is exactly the kind of attitude one should take concerning this. God's Word says ABSTAIN from ALL appearance of EVIL. And yet, you, as a Christians, do not care that some people might be confused as to whether something is done in a pagan ritual or as a spiritual ritual. God says we are to ABSTAIN from ALL APPEARANCES OF EVIL. How much clearer can I get. We are to be holy just as He is holy, we are to be righteous just as He is righteous. Why in the world would you want to do something that pagans do and think you are calling it a spiritual act towards God?"
So with that logic, piercings would also be an appearance of a pagan act correct? So should women also abstain from getting their ears pierced? There is nothing but worldly benefits from piercings. If I understand that your interpretations of the bible are true for tattoos, then I can only conclude that piercings are also a pagan ritual that have an appearance of evil. Right?
Steven, it still amazes me that you are so concerned with this that the very thought of doing something for your own self as opposed to doing it for God is offensive to you. ABSTAIN from ALL appearances of evil. The difference is when it comes to earrings, there is no confusion that the people doing them are not all doing the work of the devil. Also, are the earrings put in for the purpose of drawing attention to them and away from God? Go ahead and bring up the hair cutting scripture. You are still missing the entire point of this article. The devil is at work in this world. He can be found in false teachers like Benny Hinn, Joel Osteen, Rick Warren, Bill Hybels and many many others. People are more concerned with pleasing self than they are in pleasing God. What it all comes down to is this...God is God and you are not. God's Word says how we should live our lives and what the BEST things are for us. Man has chosen for himself what he thinks is best for himself. Be like Christ is what we are called to be. The money you spend giving to others to do the devils work is NOT HONORING GOD AT ALL.
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