Daily Verse Devo - Leviticus 19:28 - Should Christians Have Tattoos?
“Do not cut your bodies for the dead, and do not mark your skin with tattoos. I am the Lord."
-Leviticus 19:28 (NLT)
Okay, so I know today's verse is unusual, but when I thought of Leviticus, this verse came to mind.
Let me be very clear: I don't believe that this verse means Christians can't get tattoos. I know people against tattoos will quote this passage, so I wanted to explore the background context of this verse and determine a Christian response to tattoos.
First of all, Leviticus was part of the written covenant between God and the Israelite nation. It includes instructions for sacrifice, cleanliness, and guidelines for priests and worshipers.
A professor of mine explained that Leviticus to the Israelites was like the Constitution of the United States or like state and city rules. When you are a part of a nation, you're expected to follow their guidelines - pay taxes, don't go above the speed limit, etc.
Some things in Leviticus can apply to today. Murder, sexual sins, and disobedience to parents are just as wrong now as they were back then.
Some things like not wearing clothes made from two materials seem strange and irrelevant to us.
As Christians, we are a part of the New Covenant.
Jesus' sacrifice on the cross removed the need for the sacrificial system and the Law. The Law was burdensome and imperfect. Jesus' death on the cross was complete and paid our sin debt once and for all.
So what about tattoos?
As a part of the New Covenant, our guidance comes ultimately from the Holy Spirit, leading us through Jesus' teachings and the New Testament writings.
Leviticus is the only mention of tattoos, but I think another New Testament verse can apply.
"Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body."
-1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (NLT)
The New Testament doesn't specifically say whether or not we should wear tattoos, but it does say that our body is God's temple.
As Christians, our priority should be to honor God in everything we do.
Here are some reasons when getting a tattoo is probably not a good idea:
To rebel against your parents, church, or anyone else opposed to them
To fit in; be accepted by a certain group
If you have personal convictions against tattoos
The New Covenant is all about the motives behind what we do. Tattoos themselves are not sinful, but sometimes our motives can be.
Other times, Christians use tattoos to lead people to Christ that may never step foot inside a church otherwise. Or to show their devotion to Christ.
I don't think that's wrong. Again, it's all about our motives.
What is my personal view?
My biblical stance is what I've said above. For myself personally, I don't really have a desire to get a tattoo. I don't want to spend that much money on one, I have a low pain tolerance, and I don't find them very attractive.
I think it's crazy when a guy or girl gets a tattoo with the name of their girlfriend or boyfriend and then the relationship ends a few months later.
I think it's sweet when people get a tattoo in remembrance of a loved one or with their children's names.
Sometimes tattoos can be a testimony of a checkered past or a glorious beginning.
It's totally fine if you don't agree with me. This is one of those things that is between a person and God.
I know I'm old-fashioned, but that's that.
What are your thoughts on tattoos? If you have tattoos, is there a story behind them you'd like to share? I'd love to hear your thoughts.