• Hi Guest!

    Please share Talk Jesus community on every platform you have to give conservatives an outlet and safe community to be apart of.

    Support This Community

    Thank You

  • Welcome to Talk Jesus

    A true bible based, Jesus centered online community. Join over 12,500 members today

    Register Log In

Some clarification please

Member
When I was younger I use to want a tattoo but never got one because it is forbidden in the bible. There are several things that we are told not to do in Leviticus IE Lev 19 Don't plant your fields with two kinds of seed. Don't wear clothes woven of two kinds of material. and 27 Don't cut the hair on the sides of your head or trim your beard ..just to name a couple. Why are certain things in Leviticus still obeyed, while other things seem to be ignored. Im not trying to make tattooing right. But Im new to really studying the Word. Im studying Leviticus right now and I guess I just never really understood that. Any comments would be appreciated.
 
Member
Here's my quick 2 cents:

All of the law was fulfilled in Jesus - we are not bound by the law in any way, including trimming our beards and getting tatoos. We are saved by Christ, it is grace, and we cannot do anything to deserve or earn it, nor can we do anything to keep or lose it.

Now we need to look at the heart of the issue. The Bible does not seem to forbid alcohol, yet it is clear on drunkenness being a sin. This issue for me looks like this:

In the OT, the Nazarites (people who took a special vow and consecrated themselves to God) were forbidden to touch any alcohol, grapes, their seeds or even the skins of the grapes - anything that could ferment. As I was meditating on this, it seemed that one of the reasons could be that if they were known for "dipping into the sauce" now and again, and they get this big revelation from God, it could be dismissed as "It looks like John was drinking too much communion wine again..."

The call of God was one of separation from the things that were acceptable for the majority, and a setting ones self toward God in a way that was also greater than the majority. It required sharp senses - anything that would dull the spirit was no longer acceptable, today it would look like getting rid of the things that waste your time and distract you from Jesus. It is on that basis that I will not drink alcohol - not because there is some "law" or rule against it, but rather it impedes my relationship and sensitivity to God. I am not content with an average or common spirituality - I need and want more, so I voluntarily lay down what is permissible to help me know Jesus in an increasingly more intimate way.

My perception on things like tatoos, whether certain types of music are inherintly evil, whether the theatre is an evil place and if it is ok to play cards (things that are not clearly set out in the Bible as sin, and in the case of tatoos, if you are going to follow that part of the law, you must follow the other rules regarding shaving etc.) comes down to this quote:

"This is how Susannah Wesley defined "sin" to her young son John Wesley:
Whatever weakens your reason, impairs the tenderness of your conscience, obscures your sense of God and takes off the relish of spiritual things, that to you is sin!"

There are other things to bear in mind with tatoos though.

I believe that when you allow someone to mark your body in a permanent fashion, you really need to be aware of the spiritual cleanliness of the one doing the tatooing. You do not want to come out of the tatoo parlour with a bunch of spiritual baggage that you will need to be delivered of later.
My wife wants to get a nose ring, but we only have really perverted slime ball piercing/tatooing places here, so we will need to go to another town to find a salon that will do it.

Hope that helps and raises some discussion...
 
Member
I've just one thing to add. As a Christian, remember your body is not your own - it is a temple of the Holy Spirit.
1 Corinthians 6:19 "Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?"
 
Member
Great responses Richard and Sunshine. BlssdInTheCity, I think that you should ask yourself why you want a tattoo. Ask God to help you to identify the motive. I used to minister in the prisons, both adult and youth detention facilities. I asked many of them why they got tattoos and piercings. There were generally one of two answers. Rebellion and recongnition. So please ask God to reveal the motive before you act.
 
Member
Some tatoos that I have seen and liked:

A girl I know has a toe ring made up of the fish symbol, indicating that she belongs to Christ

Another had the fish on the back of her shoulder, and finally,

A pastor with Jehu tatooed on the back of his shoulder. Jehu was the one who killed Jezebel, which has a strong spiritual significance for him as he leads a young church into freedom from that spirit into purity and holiness...
 
Member
I think it's a good question asked and the responses are really good. May we all be set free in Christ.

We are so judgemental of others outward apperance. We forget to look at the heart of the person, Jesus will judge the heart of the person. Many who have many tatteo's and piercings are very hurting people. Hurt beyond what we can see. We just see the hard outer shell. I agree the tatteo's and piercings come as a form of rebellion and wanting to be noticed. Because they have been so deeply hurt.

Others are just making a fashion statement.

Your sister in Christ,
 
Member
Thanks

Thankyou all for your comments. You all have been very helpful. The tattoo wasnt necessarily anything I was considering getting, Im just studying Leviticus and I got to that particular verse and never fully understood why tattooing was banned because of that one verse in the bible. I am pretty clear on what was said and Richard you pretty much made the statement that summed it up for me.
Richard said:
Here's my quick 2 cents:
All of the law was fulfilled in Jesus - we are not bound by the law in any way, including trimming our beards and getting tatoos.
My only other question is however, [and forgive me if this is obvious to all of you, but I am new to studying and trying to really understand all aspects of the Bible] I just want to know, why is it a given that we are not bound by the law anymore? Where in the Bible does it say Jesus fulfilled the law? Im not questioning you. Just want to know so that I can make a note of it. Thanks again, All of you
 
Member
My only other question is however, [and forgive me if this is obvious to all of you, but I am new to studying and trying to really understand all aspects of the Bible] I just want to know, why is it a given that we are not bound by the law anymore? Where in the Bible does it say Jesus fulfilled the law? Im not questioning you. Just want to know so that I can make a note of it. Thanks again, All of you

Matthew 5: 17-20
17*Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. 18*For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. 19*Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20*For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

To get a good understanding of the Law being fulfilled and walking in Grace, read the book of Galatians. You can also check out this thread- http://www.talkjesus.com/showthread.php?t=5684
 
Top