Expert: Pastor Don Carpenter - 10/31/2009

Question
DEAR PASTOR,
MY QUESTION IS DEALING WITH TATTOO'S THAT I ALREADY HAVE, AND FUTURE TATTOO'S. THE BIBLE SAYS TAKE NO MARK UPON THE SKIN, BUT I ALREADY HAVE THREE TATTOO'S. LATELY I HAVE BEEN THINKING OF GETTING A FEW MORE, BUT AM TERRIFIED THAT MY SOUL MIGHT BE LOST BECAUSE OF THESE.
THE NEXT TATTOO I WANTED TO GET WAS DEALING WITH THE LORD JESUS CHRIST.
MY QUESTION IS WOULD I BE WRONG FOR PUTTING MY LOVE FOR CHRIST IN INK, BECAUSE IT IS SOMETHING THAT WILL BE THERE FOR LIFE??? IM A STRONG BELIEVER IN CHRIST, HAVE BEEN BAPTIZED IN MY CHILDHOOD DAYS, READ THE BIBLE FOR KNOWLEDGE, WISDOM,UNDERSTANDING, PEACE OF MIND, LEADERSHIP, THE LAWS OF THE EARTH, PRAYER, AND FAITH. I WAS WONDERING DO YOU THINK GOD WILL CONDEMN MY SOUL FOR THESE WORKS OF BODY ART??? TRUST WHEN THE TIME COMES I WONT BE TAKING THE MARK OF THE BEAST THOUGH... IF U CAN GIVE ME SOME INSIGHT ON THESE QUESTIONS PLEASE.

Answer
Hello Marlon,

Thank you for this great question.  There is only one verse in the entire Bible that MIGHT be talking about tattoos.  Here is the verse:

Leviticus 19:27-28
27 Ye shall not round the corners of your heads, neither shalt thou mar the corners of thy beard. 28 Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the LORD.
The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.

I believe that verse 28 is specifically speaking about a ritual marking that was directly tied to paganism and ancestor worship practiced during that time.  I suppose if you want to be careful you could avoid tattoos all together, but I personally do not believe that you have to do that.  Remember, Jesus died for your sins, it is not you that will earn or forfeit heaven by your actions, only based upon in whom you trust.

John 3:16
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.

Ephesians 2:8-9
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.

Now as to getting a tattoo to glorify God... have at it!  There is a verse that does not directly tie into tattoos, but it does have a principle of glorifying God with the marks on your body.

Galatians 6:17
17 From henceforth let no man trouble me: for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus.
The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.

These are the only two times that the word "marks" is used in the Bible.  I do not believe that God forbids tattoos.

I hope that this helps you.

In Christ
Pastor Don