Tattoos

[Alithis]

Nope....they know I have tattoos and it doesnt bother them...because I am part of their community...

Another factor might be whether your church teaches the keeping of the OT Law is required of Christians or not.

why would it bother any one ? what we did as unbelievers is under the blood .
that does not mean we should encourage people who are now young or new believers to do a thing which god has stated he does not like ..it is simply not edifying(building up) a person to holiness ..which means to be separate from the world and its ways ..though we live "in" it we are not "of" it . we dont conform to the world but we are called to be transformed by the renewing of our minds .. to have and walk in "the NEW" not continue in the way we formerly walked in ..
this is all very basic foundational doctrine ..it is the mere milk of the word .

And Brian -it has been extensively covered but i reiterate: it is nothing what so ever to do with observing law ... as its been pointed out so very many times .. the word of God is written and recorded for instruction in righteousness and for admonition . the Godly precepts within it are of God ,written by the inspiration of the holy Ghost and are righteous . in Christ that righteousness is fulfilled ..not canceled .for this same reason we do not do the other things listed in the same versus that declare God doesn't approve of tattoos (like incest)even though we are not under the law we do not do those things either .

it has nothing what we may have done before we came to know Christ and EVERYTHING to do with our obedience to him from now on going forward .we do not live carnally actively seeking to please man or self ..but rather seeking to know him and HIS WILL that we might please him .

 

[BornAgainBrian]

So whether your church teaches you must keep the Law for salvation or you must keep the Law because it's a list of what God likes and doesn't like (which I don't agree with, btw), the church still holds that you must keep the Law.

There are churches like that and churches which are not like that. My point was it's important to discover that about your particular church in regards to tattoos, as the main objection is usually it being forbidden under the Law.

 

[Alithis]

So whether your church teaches you must keep the Law for salvation or you must keep the Law because it's a list of what God likes and doesn't like (which I don't agree with, btw), the church still holds that you must keep the Law.

There are churches like that and churches which are not like that. My point was it's important to discover that about your particular church in regards to tattoos, as the main objection is usually it being forbidden under the Law.

nope ..we live by the precepts of godliness and righteousness as a result of listening and obeying the Holy Spirit within us .. this is known as living by the law of the Spirit of LIFE in Christ Jesus .. to listen to flow to obey the Holy Spirit who is the Spirit of Christ Jesus.
we do not observe practice to acquire righteousness, but because we are made righteous in Christ he fulfills all righteousness within us ... this results in us doing the will of the father by obedience because of our love for him .. it does not result i us doing whatever we please ..but what pleases the one we love ...if we do only that which pleases our self ..that is simply a testimony of whom we love the most .(Godly love does not seek its own).
the liberty some are trying to advocate would apply in something which is not in the word of God . ie- whether to go up town or down town tomorrow ,whether to ride a blue bike or a green bike etc .
but on maters that are recorded in the written word ...(for our instruction in righteousness) it is simply loving obedience to abide by its precepts ..so if god has said he doesn't like tattoos .(and he has)..how can we say we love him and then advocate doing what he says does not please him .. its a contradiction of our faith .

 

[BornAgainBrian]

Well if you truly believe that, you're free to find a like-minded church, which teaches the Law but just doesn't call it Law, instead calling it a written account of what God doesn't like.

 

[Alithis]

Well if you truly believe that, you're free to find a like-minded church, which teaches the Law but just doesn't call it Law, instead calling it a written account of what God doesn't like.

your trying to call obedient relationship to the lord Jesus "law" ..but its not law ..it is love ..
we do after all believe that he speaks to our hearts and that we are to obey him as he does don't we?
and that he never speaks in contradiction of his own word as God is not a man that he should lie?

sounds your saying you don't believe we should apply the precepts of god because they are law .. should we then go and murder because we are not under the law .. ?of course we do not as that would be to act unrighteous and those whop live in obedience to the Holy Spirit ..cant sin in doing so .

s
what shall we say then ..do we as ones born again of the Spirit of God live in harmony with his righteous precept as a result of the righteousness of Christ in us by faith ..or do we live in enmity with Gods precepts ...?
of course we live in harmony .. not as our former selves living in disobedience .
so what is more important .. to encourage people who are now Christs ,redeemed by his blood to do that which is openly displeasing to God
OR to encourage them to seek FIRST the kingdom of God and HIS righteousness .. ?

to encourage all to seek to know Him in the beauty of his holiness ..or to encourage them to behave as the world behaves ? of course it is to seek to know him in the beauty of his holiness . to lay down our lives for him ,to take up the cross ...
this is all the most basic Gospel teaching .

 

[BornAgainBrian]

Outside of a specific instruction for a specific people, there is no mention of this practice you say God clearly dislikes. Your opinion that the law given to the Israelites reflects the universally applicable character of God is just that, your opinion. It is shared by others, and those people generally attend church together. Those churches would be less welcoming of people with tattoos than churches who believe (as I do) that the OT law was for a specific people rather than giving us defining parameters of God's character or preferences.

If you are of the opinion that you should keep the law, whether because you believe it is applicable or whether you believe the OT law is an accurate measure of God's character (it comes to exactly the same thing), then you should probably avoid getting tattooed and maybe ought to find a church like the CoGiC one I mentioned earlier.

If you believe that the NT law is specifically what applies and that tattooing isn't any more worldly than wearing a business suit or using the internet (as I do), then it's your choice. I won't judge you one way or the other, nor will I imply that God judges one way or the other. Regarding the church you attend, I would find out their position on the law.

 

[Alithis]

Outside of a specific instruction for a specific people, there is no mention of this practice you say God clearly dislikes. Your opinion that the law given to the Israelites reflects the universally applicable character of God is just that, your opinion. It is shared by others, and those people generally attend church together. Those churches would be less welcoming of people with tattoos than churches who believe (as I do) that the OT law was for a specific people rather than giving us defining parameters of God's character or preferences.

If you are of the opinion that you should keep the law, whether because you believe it is applicable or whether you believe the OT law is an accurate measure of God's character (it comes to exactly the same thing), then you should probably avoid getting tattooed and maybe ought to find a church like the CoGiC one I mentioned earlier.

If you believe that the NT law is specifically what applies and that tattooing isn't any more worldly than wearing a business suit or using the internet (as I do), then it's your choice. I won't judge you one way or the other, nor will I imply that God judges one way or the other. Regarding the church you attend, I would find out their position on the law.

are you saying i should henceforth ignore the precepts of God and advocate that seeking to know his wil to do it is wrong ?

and there is only me church .it is the collective hearts of those who have the Holy Spirit abiding in them and who walk in loving obedience to him .
as he said .." my sheep hear my voice and i know them and they follow me "
he did not say my sheep hear my voiced and ignore me and do what ever they please because it is a good idea at the time .

you should take a step backwards and re-look .
im advocating that each person seek God to know HIS will for thiewr life and walk in obedience becasue they love him .

what are you attempting to say ? that its important to get a tattoo if you want ... ?
how does that outward action spiritually edify a person ?,what eternal value is in that action since the flesh perishes .. it is the hearts motive which will stand and give account before God when the flesh is long Gone .

i think i will stick to encouraging people to seek God first to know HIS will for their lifr and do that . because it is the right thing to do .. and to know what is right and NOT do it ...is sin .

 

[BornAgainBrian]

are you saying i should henceforth ignore the precepts of God and advocate that seeking to know his wil to do it is wrong ?

I've said nothing of the sort. Where do you get that from? I think knowing God's will is very important. I just reject your notion that God's will is for everyone to not get a tattoo.

and there is only me church .it is the collective hearts of those who have the Holy Spirit abiding in them and who walk in loving obedience to him .
as he said .." my sheep hear my voice and i know them and they follow me "
he did not say my sheep hear my voiced and ignore me and do what ever they please because it is a good idea at the time .

True, there is only one body of Christ, however the OP talks about going to a church that is either accepting or rejecting of tattoos. There are obviously different types of congregations. If you prefer I use that word, I will.

Nowhere does God's voice say that no man shall get a tattoo, so nobody is ignoring Him or disobeying Him. Stop insinuating such.

you should take a step backwards and re-look .
im advocating that each person seek God to know HIS will for thiewr life and walk in obedience becasue they love him .

We agree here. Our disagreement comes when you tell everyone that it is God's will that they abstain from tattoos. That is your opinion and not the word of God.

what are you attempting to say ? that its important to get a tattoo if you want ... ?
how does that outward action spiritually edify a person ?,what eternal value is in that action since the flesh perishes .. it is the hearts motive which will stand and give account before God when the flesh is long Gone .

It is important not to forbid what is not forbidden nor to require what is not required. The Bible says that is putting God to the test. Can you see into the hearts of everyone who gets a tattoo as God can? If not, then why do you claim to know their heart?

i think i will stick to encouraging people to seek God first to know HIS will for their lifr and do that . because it is the right thing to do .. and to know what is right and NOT do it ...is sin .

Know God first. Also know His word. Know that nothing in His word says that tattooing is always sinful. By claiming otherwise, I believe you misrepresent the word of God.

 

[BornAgainBrian]

My apologies to the original poster. I've tried to keep this on topic. This likely useless back-and-forth will at least give you an idea of the types of reactions you might find if you go to a law-keeping congregation versus a purely new covenant congregation.

 

[faroukfarouk]

My apologies to the original poster. I've tried to keep this on topic. This likely useless back-and-forth will at least give you an idea of the types of reactions you might find if you go to a law-keeping congregation versus a purely new covenant congregation.

BornAgainBrian:

What baffles me is that even if the tattoo design consists of a Bible ref. on a wrist, for example, which is proven to be effective in witness and obtained with witness motive, yet even such a motive can be dismissed with a vehemence by some, though not all, critics. I'm baffled.

 

[Alithis]

My apologies to the original poster. I've tried to keep this on topic. This likely useless back-and-forth will at least give you an idea of the types of reactions you might find if you go to a law-keeping congregation versus a purely new covenant congregation.

I've said nothing of the sort. Where do you get that from? I think knowing God's will is very important. I just reject your notion that God's will is for everyone to not get a tattoo.



True, there is only one body of Christ, however the OP talks about going to a church that is either accepting or rejecting of tattoos. There are obviously different types of congregations. If you prefer I use that word, I will.

Nowhere does God's voice say that no man shall get a tattoo, so nobody is ignoring Him or disobeying Him. Stop insinuating such.




We agree here. Our disagreement comes when you tell everyone that it is God's will that they abstain from tattoos. That is your opinion and not the word of God.



It is important not to forbid what is not forbidden nor to require what is not required. The Bible says that is putting God to the test. Can you see into the hearts of everyone who gets a tattoo as God can? If not, then why do you claim to know their heart?



Know God first. Also know His word. Know that nothing in His word says that tattooing is always sinful. By claiming otherwise, I believe you misrepresent the word of God.

your telling me to know the word and at the same time fully ignoring Gods word is written for our instruction in righteousness and that it is written by inspiration of the Holy ghost .so it is not by error that it is recorded within it that God does not approve of tattoos or incest ..interesting he mentions them both in the same verses ..he gives no distinction of one as a lesser evil then the other ..
and, i "get that"- in reference to what i said, by your actions ,not your words . your action of opposing me for advocating that we should not seek to tattoo ourselves but seek to know Gods will for us and DO THAT ..
your opposing me at every turn for doing so .. WHY?

you see yet again i have not said "thous shalt not " i have said .. we should seek to know Gods will for us and do that ..,not what ever fleshly whim comes along .
and as i have said so often .. we should be focused on doing what the word of God DOES tell us to do .. not that which it never ever instructs us to do .

why are you being so adamant in defense of an outer action which God Never tells us to do ? and action that the world does which has no spiritual nor eternal edification nor anything what so ever to do with the Holiness of God and is nothing less then conforming ones self to the ways of this world ?

Again- i advocate the we see god first ,to know HIS will and do his will as he speks to our hearts and encourage all believers to do so
NOT encourage young believers to do worldly things which have absolutely no scriptural directive .
If your seriously going to continue to oppose that then you are opposing the clear simple scriptures .
-your will be done on earth as it is in heaven...
-set your heart on things above ...
-trust in the lord and lean not on your own understanding ..
-seek first the kingdom of heaven...
-acknowledge the lord in all your ways ...
-be not conformed to this world...
-the body is a temple of the holy Spirit...
-Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price.

love does not seek to fulfill its own desires but it seeks to do that which pleases the one it loves ...
its All about love for the Lord JESUS ... he said follow me ... and he never went to the tattoo parlor ..he went to the cross and laid down his own life to do the will of the father

as for the op .. its not off topic its digressed . people having tattoos in the church is a result of their former lives .and of no concern to any one .
people encouraging others who are now bought with a price of the blood of the lord Jesus being encouraged to go and treat their body as the world does ..is extremely misguided .
i have discussed this for a long time on CF now and in that time only one person has ever sid "i prayed about it first and the lord said it was ok.. but they said so very angrily ..other then that no one has admitted doing so .. they just went and did their own will without regard for the lords will for them .. that is not love it is prideful and rebellious .
After al the lord has done for us if we truly believe in him our entire being should be willing at all times to seek to know his will for s that we may do it .

but some (one in particular)here, refuse to cease from promoting that which is nothing more then pleasing ones own flesh and using weak self justification for doing so .
it is to the glorifying of the lord Jesus that we should set our hearts ,seeking always glory and honor and praise unto the lamb of God ..for he is worthy of it .

 

[Alithis]

My apologies to the original poster. I've tried to keep this on topic. This likely useless back-and-forth will at least give you an idea of the types of reactions you might find if you go to a law-keeping congregation versus a purely new covenant congregation.

under the new covenant ..do we listen and obey the Holy Spirit or ignore him and do our own will?
under the new covenant are we born again to worldly disobedience or become children of obedience ?
under the new covenant are we set free to manifest the righteousness of God in agreement with the inspired word of God or to manifest rebellion ?
under the new covenant are we set free to return like a dog to vomit and be again conformed to this worlds ways ?
under the new covenant are we to yield the members of our bodies as instruments of unrighteousness ? or as instruments of righteousness unto God ?
under the new covenant do our bodies belong to us ?

seems some have a high ideal of the new covenant yet ignore it .the new covenant works in us the righteousness of the lord Jesus by faith ..it does not result in us remaining as the world ,under the new covenant we are called out from the world .. made separate from it .."holy" .
under the new covenant we are set free from sinfulness .. we are set free to now live in Christ by the power of His spirit at work in us .. we are set free from obeying sin ..to now obey the Lord Jesus .. there is no vacuum of will in between where we become our own master ..we serve God or we serve mammon .. we cant have it both ways .

 

[sojourner4Christ]

i have discussed this for a long time on CF now and in that time only one person has ever sid "i prayed about it first and the lord said it was ok.. but they said so very angrily ..other then that no one has admitted doing so .. they just went and did their own will without regard for the lords will for them .. that is not love it is prideful and rebellious .
After al the lord has done for us if we truly believe in him our entire being should be willing at all times to seek to know his will for s that we may do it .

but some (one in particular)here, refuse to cease from promoting that which is nothing more then pleasing ones own flesh and using weak self justification for doing so .
it is to the glorifying of the lord Jesus that we should set our hearts ,seeking always glory and honor and praise unto the lamb of God ..for he is worthy of it .

Indeed.

there is no vacuum of will in between where we become our own master ..we serve God or we serve mammon .. we cant have it both ways .

Amen.

[BTW, I have a tattoo (circa 1974); I was not walking with the Lord then, but I am now. I have since repented.]

 

[Alithis]

Indeed.


Amen.

[BTW, I have a tattoo (circa 1974); I was not walking with the Lord then, but I am now. I have since repented.]

as do i ..and have also repented of it .

 

[faroukfarouk]

It depends on the people at the church....And also Australians are pretty relaxed even in a church environment

MissRowy:

PS: I think you need to help some folk here relax a bit in their comments!

 

[MissRowy]

Guys....we are here to help a member who is going to a new church and she has tattoos. We are not here to argue about the laws of the Bible. I have tattoos....my church accept me for who i am. This member wants to know if the same will happen for her. So lets cut out the debating and get back to the original discussion.

 

[Alithis]

Guys....we are here to help a member who is going to a new church and she has tattoos. We are not here to argue about the laws of the Bible. I have tattoos....my church accept me for who i am. This member wants to know if the same will happen for her. So lets cut out the debating and get back to the original discussion.

And as posted..no one has any problem with tattoos .we have them.and i know
of no congragation that is concerned with things we did as non believers and encourage
the OP to be at ease about it.it is under the blood and of no concern .
but i do not encourage others to use the topic to promote doing it once we are believers
but only encourage ALL to seek God and ask him His will that we might remain in his will out of love for the Lord Jesus.

 

[faroukfarouk]

I have tattoos....my church accept me for who i am. This member wants to know if the same will happen for her.

MissRowy:

Exactly!

 

[jamadan]

I've seen an inceasing relationship between deliverance and healing tied to demons associated with tatoos. Only through repentence of the tatoo has the demon come out and freedom effected. Christians who get tatoos open themselves up to demonization.

 

[faroukfarouk]

I've seen an inceasing relationship between deliverance and healing tied to demons associated with tatoos. Only through repentence of the tatoo has the demon come out and freedom effected. Christians who get tatoos open themselves up to demonization.

I had surgery and there is still a surgical tattoo mark on my skin. So you insist on your demons theory including for surgery?