“National Colors”

Friday, May 08, 2020

Is it wrong to get a tattoo if it is respectful of God and our country?  I know the Old Testament says something about not tattooing your body, so I may know the answer.  However, I didn't know if it might be affected by the type of tattoo.

Sincerely,
Inked

Dear Inked,

Tattoos were 100% sinful in the Old Testament – in the New Testament they are sinful some of the time. The Old Testament strictly forbade tattoos (Lev 19:28). God was so adamant about it because cutting your flesh and tattooing were common practices of pagan cultures (1 Kgs 18:26-28). Tattooing was a religious practice closely tied to Baal and other idols.

In the New Testament, we are given no specific command against tattoos. It is valuable, however, to see that for a very long time tattoos have had a negative connotation.  Even today, many tattoos are of things that exude evil.  Snakes, skulls, demonic signs, bad words, etc. are to be avoided at all costs.  So yes, what type of tattoo you get does make a difference.  As a Christian, there are many things that we can do but should think carefully about beforehand. Just because I can do something, doesn’t mean it is a good idea (1 Cor 10:23).

We must always consider our influence and how it will affect others. God tells us to be wise and seek wisdom in our decisions (Pr 8:33). Whatever decision an individual makes, we recommend seeking outside counsel before getting something as permanent as a tattoo (Pr 11:14). It is not wrong for a Christian to get a tattoo, but it certainly isn’t a decision to make lightly.

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