WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT TATTOOS? pt. 4
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT TATTOOS? PT. 4
Glorify God with Your Body
Some may counter that their tattoo is a great conversation starter and provides an opportunity to share the gospel. But what if I told you it’s acceptable for a man to dress in drag because it provides an opportunity to share the gospel with transgender people? Would it then be acceptable in God’s eyes? No! When God forbids something, we cannot attempt to “Christianize” and excuse it by claiming it is a tool for the gospel. Heaven forbid!
Even though tattooing has gained wider acceptance in society and even among many who attend church, is that proof of acceptance in God’s eyes? Consider 1 Corinthians 6:19-20:
“Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit … and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.”
Our bodies are priceless gifts from God, formed in God’s own image. Let us not take our cues from the world as some in the church seem to. As Christians, our bodies don’t even belong to us anymore; they are God’s property. We should therefore show honor and respect to God’s creation by refraining from unnecessary cuttings or markings.
In all questions centered around life in Christ, one must probe one’s own heart for the underlying motive in everything. And the motives of one’s heart is difficult to discern, as Jeremiah 17:9 tells us that the human heart is dark and twisted beyond knowing. Without the guidance of God’s Word and His Holy Spirit, we can’t ever discover the depths to which our hearts are given over to selfishness and sin.
However, the Scriptures provide some guidance to help us in this regard.
Notice that the passage in 1 Corinthians 6 says we are to glorify God in our bodies. If in doubt, one must weigh the motive and ask the question, “Who do I wish to glorify with this decision; God, or myself?” And the answer to even this question isn’t always easy to discern, since even some decisions we make which we feel are for the glory of God are often nevertheless subtly tainted with prideful, self-serving motives and self-glorification. This is a form of idolatry, which we are to shun as believers.
In 1 Corinthians 6, Paul also declares,
Everything is permissible for me, but not everything is beneficial. Everything is permissible for me, but I will not be mastered by anything. (v. 12)
In other words, if there is a gray area, things that are not clearly described in the Word of God as being sinful are to be weighed by the following:
1) The underlying motives
2) Whether it is beneficial to me and to others
3) Whether or not it glorifies God
Engraving something on the skin is advertising something. What is it that is being advertised? What is one glorifying with the tattoo? And why is it being glorified? What is the underlying motive? Is it the pride of life the Apostle John speaks of?
For everything in the world–the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life–comes not from the Father but from the world. -1 John 2:16
It’s easy to say, “I’m glorifying God with this act,” but is that really true? If one’s heart were deeply probed and the hidden motives revealed, what would be found? Would it be a desire for the glory of God and Him alone, or would it be a desire to glorify one’s self in some way?
For example, a pastor friend of mine once ran into a situation in his church where there was no one to lead the worship and singing. After some time, a man came forward and offered to help. Surprisingly, the pastor declined the offer. When the man asked why, the pastor replied, “Because you need it too much” (meaning the platform). What this perceptive pastor had caught on to was an underlying motive for self-glorification in this man. Bravely, this pastor who truly needed someone to lead the worship would rather go on without a worship leader than to allow someone on stage who did not have the proper motives. In this man’s mind it would be very easy in that situation to congratulate himself for his “godly” motives, perhaps not even realizing himself the real underlying motives of pride and self-glorification. The human heart is indeed sick and twisted, and only the most discerning will ever recognize that through a genuine desire to glorify God and Him alone.
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In the next post we will discuss the Bible’s command to not be conformed to the world and how that relates to tattoos, as well as related psychological and social factors.