tattoos and piercings

"That's just wrong!"

If not for wanting to emphasize my point in this what I believe is a very needful essay, I would not otherwise be willing  to put the above image on this blog.  It is shocking, disgusting and very offensive.  Any reasonable person - certainly, any Christian person, would say, "That's just wrong!", to tattoo such a demonic image on the body.

But that is just the point I want to make: not only tattoos like the one, above, but TATTOOS OF EVERY KIND ARE AN OFFENSE TO GOD.  The above is an example of the latest form of what is called 3-D tattooing.  You would not believe what demonic images people are conceiving and imprinting upon their bodies!  And 3-D tattoos appear incredibly life-like.

The human body is not a billboard for displaying tattoos (and piercings, which I shall shortly address).  The Bible says, in 1 Corinthians 6:13b: "Now the body is...for the Lord; and the Lord for the body".  Just a few verses later (v. 19), the Bible further reveals that God intends that the human body is to be "the temple of the Holy Ghost".  In view of that knowledge, consider the dreadful warning that appears in 1 Corinthians 3:17:

"If any man defile ["spoil, or ruin, by any process"] the temple of God, him shall God destroy, for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye [Christians] are."

And, yes, contrary to what I heard a nationally-syndicated preacher (Steve Brown) say, when he used his supposedly 'Christian' radio program to tell the world that God doesn't care - and that the Bible says practically nothing at all - about tattoos and piercings; God does care, and the Bible explicitly prohibits both tattoos and body piercings.  In addition to the Scriptures already quoted and explained, above, here is the commandment prohibiting tattooing (and piercing), in very plain words:

"Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: for I am the LORD" (Leviticus 19:28).

In that verse, the phrase "for the dead" does not essentially mean that one must not cut himself as a sign of grief, in the event of a loved one's death.  In that time period and, perhaps, even among certain tribal cultures, today, such practice was culturally approved.  But God means that no one may cut himself or herself, and that no one may "print any marks" upon himself or herself, no, not even in such an extraordinary circumstance or for such a solemn and seemingly reverential purpose, as in the case of mourning for the dead.  In other words, the Spirit of God gave commandment against those practices, and in such a manner and in such a context as to show that there is never any reason good enough to allow for those practices.

So much as a little 'Christian fish' symbol or, perhaps, a simple cross, tattooed on the forearm, or the ankle, for example; no, not even the letters "MOM" or the name of your wife in a heart-shaped wreath on the outer shoulder area: no tattoos or body markings are pleasing - or acceptable - to God.  Can anyone imagine, then - as I have actually heard more than one person claim, that God is willing to use a person's tattooed (and/or pierced) body, as a witnessing tool, to give access into places, or to facilitate 'acceptability' in the eyes of unsaved persons, in order to 'witness' to persons who hang out in bars, or tattoo parlors?!  Jesus Christ did not tattoo and pierce himself and then go hang out in taverns and hookah huts, of his day, hoping to witness to someone, to anyone, who would listen to him.

"That's wrong, too!"

At some point of extremity, tattooing and piercing offends the sensibilities even of most unsaved persons, whose moral judgment does not approach that of those who are indwelt by the Spirit of Christ.  Any reasonable person would unequivocally say, with regard to the above photo, "That's wrong, too!"  Though it seems incredible, yet, even the above picture appears mild and harmless, by comparison with other images of body piercings that are so egregious that they ought never even to be seen, much less to be done.

Today, it is very common among both women and increasingly even among men, to impale the earlobes (pierced ears).   It is a sign of just how far the modern Church has been removed from the truth, however, to see that same practice is also very common among professing Christians.

There is, in fact, one and only one reason in the Bible, for which, reason, ear-piercing is actually instructed, by God, to be done.  Are you surprised?  Do not be.  For, according to the two passages in Scripture that describe that special circumstance (see, Exodus 21:6 and Deuteronomy 15:17), ear-piercing is the sign of perpetual servitude!

Moral Authority
The question of moral authority is seriously at issue, where the Church is supposed to be the "salt" and the "light" of the world, leading mankind not by identifying with unsaved souls by imitating their practices conceived in the darkness of their minds, in the misguided hope of thus being accepted by them.  Rather, the Church exists among the world for the express purpose of exposing the darkness of sin, by reproving the works of darkness:

"For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.  And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.  For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.  But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light"   (Ephesians 5:8-13).

To 'reprove' means to "express disapproval of", to "tell a fault", to "rebuke, admonish": all of which, actions, imply and involve the exercise of moral judgment and moral authority - not to mention moral responsibility - on the part of the one who does the reproving.  The world - including most of the Church world - insists that Christians must not judge anyone or anything.  But such objections reveal the gross ignorance concerning the mind of Christ, exhibited by those who say that Christians are not to judge other persons' conduct.  Not only may we judge the actions of the world, but we furthermore have the ability through God, and the duty to God, not only to judge but then to reprove the conduct of those who engage in works of darkness.  Who can 'reprove' what he has not first judged?  And who is at all capable to reprove the works of darkness, if not Christians, of whom Christ said that we "are the light of the world"?

Of course, there are many Christians who got their ears pierced, or their body tattooed, prior to their coming to Christ.  Now that they are disciples of Jesus Christ - and their body has become the temple of the Holy Ghost, what must they do about their marked and scarred body?  The only thing they can do, within reason, is to conceal those marks and scars, at the least.  It is possible, though not often practical, even to have tattoos removed.  In every event, however, in the case of body piercings, those MUST NOT CONTINUE TO BE USED TO DISPLAY ORNAMENTS OF ANY KIND.

Christians who willfully display tattoos and/or body piercings - even in the slightest possible measure, FORFEIT ALL MORAL AUTHORITY TO SPEAK TO THOSE THINGS.

Moreover, they are not Christians who do not love the truth of God.  "They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate" (Titus 1:16).  Those who love Christ love his Word - even when it shines the light upon areas of our lives that are not conformable to Christ.  Saul "kicked against the pricks", so to speak - but only before he met Christ.  And, later, when Paul rebuked Peter concerning an instance of his open hypocrisy, we do not see Peter attempt to justify or defend himself against Paul's rebuke.

Let the Word of God speak for itself, in these and in every matter.  The Holy Ghost is our teacher who is given to "guide us into all truth".  Of course, ministers of Christ are not to browbeat anyone into submission (not that it is even possible).  But neither may we withhold from "speaking the truth in love", supposing that we must not give offense by proclaiming and teaching principles of righteousness, according to the Word and Spirit of God.

If Christ doesn't appear on the outside,

then, who is inside?

You had better know the answer to that question.