Is getting a tattoo a sin?

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

The Bible does not teach that tattoos are inherently sinful, but it does call God’s people to be holy and set apart. The prohibition on tattoos in Leviticus 19:28 was given to Israel to prevent them from adopting pagan practices, not as a blanket command for all time. Our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit and should glorify God in every way (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).. This means the decision to get a tattoo depends on our motives, whether it honors God, and how it impacts our witness (1 Corinthians 10:31). Ultimately, the heart behind the action matters more than the ink on the skin.

FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT

• Leviticus 19:28 says, "You shall not make any cuts on your body for the dead or tattoo yourselves: I am the Lord." This chapter in Leviticus starts off by saying, "You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy" (19:2). "Holy" means being separate, set apart, and refers to a separation from sin and the world. So, tattoos are not inherently sinful or righteous. Rather, they can be either honoring or dishonoring to God based on why we get them.
• Scripture makes it clear that God cares about the inside of a person more than the outside. "Man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart" (1 Samuel 16:7). Our outside should reflect what is inside our hearts.

FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT

• God calls us to be holy and to give ourselves to Him in every way, including what we do with our bodies: "Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body" (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). If we want to get a tattoo, we should seek God for wisdom, since we belong to God.
• God calls us to honor and glorify Him in everything we do (1 Corinthians 10:31). That includes how we view and treat our bodies and how we reflect God with our bodies too. If we get tattoos, it should be to honor God,not for worldly reasons, such as trying to impress others.
• Jesus said, "What comes out of a person is what defiles him. For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person" (Mark 7:20-23). God cares about our hearts, our bodies and appearance should reflect what is in our hearts.

IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY

The Old Testament is so important for understanding who God is and how He interacts with humanity. But the Old Testament contains a number of seemingly odd verses that emphasize directives we would find unimportant or irrelevant today. Their context and purpose help us know what applies to us today and what God values. For example, Leviticus 19:19 says: "You shall keep my statutes. You shall not let your cattle breed with a different kind. You shall not sow your field with two kinds of seed, nor shall you wear a garment of cloth made of two kinds of material." Wait a minute… Does God really care about whether our clothes are make withwool/polyester blends?

In such passages, part of what God is doing is prescribing a variety of physical reminders for the people that hammer home spiritual truths. In Leviticus 19:19, for example, God is telling the Israelites that a garment made of a singular material is a reminder for them not to take the pure, singular faith given to them by God and mix it together with the pagan religions that were around them.

So why the prohibition on tattoos? One physical characteristic of the pagan communities around Israel was that they marked themselves with tattoos. God did not want Israel to identify themselves in any way with these nations, including how they physically looked.

God calls His people to be separate from the world, in our lifestyle and conductWhat's on the outside can represent what's on the inside. For example, a person who dresses very provocatively may tacitly be communicating a sinful desire. A person who dresses in Goth fashion is likely affirming the lifestyles and practices that define that subculture.

A Christian considering a tattoo needs to honestly ask him/herself what they're looking to achieve with it and if it would negatively impact their Christian witness. And as with any action, we need to remember Paul's admonition: "So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God" (1 Cor. 10:31).

UNDERSTAND

• Leviticus 19:28 addressed pagan practices, not a universal tattoo ban.
• We should seek to glorify God with everything, including our bodies.
• Whether tattoos are sinful depends on motive and whether they honor God.

REFLECT

• How do you understand what the Bible says about tattoos and outward appearance?
• How does the truth that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit shape the way you view decisions about your appearance?
• What is the cultural view on tattoos right now? How would getting a tattoo strengthen or weaken your Christian witness in the circles where you live and serve?

ENGAGE

• How does understanding the cultural context of Leviticus 19:28 help us discuss tattoos in today’s world?
• How can our outward choices, including tattoos, reflect the condition of our hearts before God?
• How can Christians balance cultural freedom with the responsibility to glorify God and pay attention to our witness to the world?