I want to know what you think about tattoos? The only thing anybody comes up with is that the Bible says not to cut yourself over the dead. That’s not tattoos. But I think that is because your body is a temple of God that you should not do anything to harm your body. I think tattoos are a sin and is disrespectable to yourself and to God. Am I wrong?
The scripture you referred to is Leviticus 19:28 which reads, “You shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor TATTOO any marks on you: I am the LORD” (NKJV; NASB). The Lord was commanding His people (Israel) not to follow the customs of the Egyptians who did make “cuttings” and “tattoos” on their flesh as a “sign of mourning over one who had died.” This commandment was part of “the Law” that God gave to Israel through Moses. Believers in Christ today are not “under the Law” (see John 1:17 with Romans 6:14) so this commandment does not apply to us today. Having said that, we are exhorted to live holy lives to the glory of God as we see in the following verses:
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you PRESENT YOUR BODIES A LIVING SACRIFICE, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And DO NOT BE CONFORMED TO THIS WORLD, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Romans 12:1-2).
“Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit Who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you have been bought at a price: therefore, GLORIFY GOD IN YOUR BODY” (NASB).
“Whether then, you eat or drink or WHATEVER YOU DO, DO ALL TO THE GLORY OF GOD.” (1 Corinthians 10:31).
Because we are “not under the law, but under grace,” I believe the Lord would have us to be exercised about such things as getting a tattoo. Are we truly doing it to GLORIFY GOD or are we doing it to BE CONFORMED TO THE WORLD? I do not want to be your conscience, but I hope all godly believers will be before the Lord regarding this.
I would only add one more thought to this subject. Besides wanting to glorify the Lord in our body, we also want to be “good stewards” with the money the Lord has given us the ability to have (see Luke 12:42 with 1 Timothy 6:17-19). I have heard and read that tattoos can be very costly and even more costly if we decide to have them removed at some point in time. All believers should want to apply these passages honestly before the Lord in WHATEVER WE DO, including getting a tattoo.
In closing, I know you (the inquirer) have personally concluded that it is WRONG and DISHONORS the Lord to have a tattoo. I respect that decision, but we must allow other believers to come to their own conclusion. We want believers to act by “having THEIR CONSCIENCES ENLIGHTENED BY THE WORD OF GOD.” In doing so, they will be acting “NOT to please men, but to please God.” They will also be acting on what we saw earlier, that we are “not under law but under grace.” (DO) (740.3)