Got Questions? Week 10

What Does the Bible Say About Tattoos and Piercings?

Tattoos and various body piercings are growing in popularity in our culture today. No longer are tattoos only associated with biker gangs and rebels, it seems just about everyone either has one or is talking about getting one. The same can be said about body piercings as well.

So this raises the question: Are tattoos wrong or sinful? Are body piercings wrong or sinful? Should a Christian avoid them altogether or do they have the freedom to partake in these things?

Lets find out what the Bible has to say on the subject

I. Does the Bible Even Mention Tattoos or Piercings?

Leviticus 19:28 “Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the Lord.”

This is the only passage in all of Scripture that seems to mention either of these 2 things. So therefore, we need to get the context of what is being said in this verse.

In this passage, and truthfully all throughout Leviticus, God is giving instructions to Israel on how to be holy and separate from the pagan nations around them. God did not want His people to mimic the activities of the pagan nations that surrounded them.

But what are “cuttings in your flesh for the dead”?

the Pagans would literally cut their flesh open and let blood drain out in an attempt to appease the pagan god they worshipped on behalf of the dead relative or friend. This would leave visible and obvious scars.

“Print any marks upon you”

This was a common practice where worshipper of the pagan god would show their devotion and loyalty to their god by putting some sort of print upon their body. Usually the name of the god or some kind of symbol that represented their god. Very similar to a modern day tattoo.

God had made it clear that Israel was to abstain from this activity. God’s people should not be cutting themselves for the dead and should not be printing symbols that show loyalty to another god

If we are honest with ourselves, though, we can say that not everyone that gets a tattoo or piercing is doing it to show loyalty to a pagan god or as some kind of pagan ritual… so is it only about the intent of the heart?

As New Testament Believers, we are not bound under Levitical laws, and the New Testament is silent on this issue. Because of the silence of the New Testament, we cannot definitively say that tattoos or piercings are a sin. So what does this mean? Do believers have a free pass to get as many as they want?

II. Using Principles to Evaluate Purpose

Because the New Testament is silent on this issue, it becomes a “gray area” issue, which we have dealt with before in Romans 14. And truth be told, I encourage you to Read Romans 14 before attempting to cast judgment on a Christian who does or does not have tattoos or piercings.

So what can we look at to evaluate if a Christian should participate in these things? There are some principles that are clearly stated that we can use to develop discernment about this issue

VALUABLE TIP: Whenever something is not expressly stated in Scripture and you are not sure whether or not you should participate in it, always refer to the PRINCIPLES found in Scripture, they can lead you to the wisdom you need

Principle 1 - Obedience to Your Parents. (Ephesians 6:1-2) For a minor to get a tattoo or piercing in defiance of their parents wishes is wrong in every scenario. There are no exceptions to this. Tattoos and piercings born of rebellion are sinful

Principle 2 - Outward appearance is not as important as the inner man and therefore should not be the focus of the Christian (1 Peter 3:3-4). Therefore, tattoos and piercings gotten for the sole purpose of garnering attention or draw admiration has a vain, sinful focus on self attached to it.

Principle 3 - God sees our hearts, and the motivation behind everything we do. 1 Corinthians 10:31 says that our motivation should always be for the glory of God. Getting tattoos or piercings just to “fit in”, “stand out”, etc. fall short of the glory of God. The tattoo or piercing itself may not be a sin, but the motivation behind it might be.

Principle 4 - Our bodies, as well as our souls, belong to God and are temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). How much modification to the Temple is appropriate? Is there a line that should not be crossed? Is there a point when it becomes no longer “body art” and it becomes sinful mutilation of the body? This is something you must pray about and come to your own conclusion about before getting a tattoo or piercing.

Also, be well educated on the risks associated with these things. The possibility of infections, diseases, and even skin cancer.

Principle 5 - We are Ambassadors for Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20) in charge of delivering Christ’s message to the world. What message does the tattoo or piercing send to an unbelieving world? Will it aid or detract from the gospel?

Principle 6 - Whatsoever is not of faith is sin (Romans 14:23). Basically, what this means is, if you are not fully convinced that it is God’s will, then it is sin to do it.

In other words, if you dont have complete peace about it or are unsure/uneasy about it, Dont Do It!

Principle 7 - Remember that what you are doing is permanent. While modern technology can remove tattoos, in most cases it does not get completely removed. The ink often does not completely fade and even if it does, there is often permanent scarring.

Principle 8 - evaluate the consequences of such an action. Keep in mind that there are some jobs you may not be able to get or positions you can hold because of a tattoo or piercing.

Principle 9 - Dont offend your weaker brother. If you know someone that would be tempted to sin because of your choice, then in accordance to Romans 14, you should sacrifice your liberty to do so.

III. Some Final Things to Keep in Mind

As we have discussed before and as Paul so eloquently discusses in Romans 14, let every man be persuaded in his own mind on this topic.

Let us keep in mind that a tattoo or body piercing is not worth breaking fellowship over.

We have no right to condemn where God does not condemn. If God does not explicitly state it as a sin, we cannot say it is either.

A person that does not have tattoos or piercings is not necessarily more spiritual than a person who does. How a spiritual a person is is based on the heart, not on the outward appearance.

In many cases, a person got their tattoos and piercings before they came to know the Lord. Therefore, after they receive Christ, those decisions they made should not be held against them. If Jesus wont bring up their past, neither should you!