Bible Questions Answered: Tattoos And Body Piercing

Bible Question:
Dear Rev. Reine
I have two teenage sons, each who want body rings or tattoos. Seems to me my parents and grandparents did not allow this type of things for us "Baby Boomers," and they must have had their Christian reasons. What does the Bible say regarding these type of present day trends?
June S. Peoria, Ill.

Bible Answer:
The Bible's answer to the question concerning tattoos and body piercing, has remained the same from the beginning, and yes our parents and grandparents, knew the Bible's teachings, and held to them.

Leviticus 19:28 L.B. "You shall not cut yourselves nor put tattoo marks upon yourselves; I am the Lord."

I just happen to be old enough to remember Godly women of the church would never think of even piercing their ears for ear rings...no and that is why the industry manufactured something called "clamp on ear rings," still used by many today.

And the Apostle Paul...
I Corinthians 6:15,19,20 L.B. "Don't you realize that your bodies are actually parts of Christ?...
Or don't you know 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."

And again the Apostle's writings...
I Corinthians 3:16-17 "Know ye not that ye are the Temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the Temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the Temple of God is holy, which Temple ye are."

It is clear by the Word of God, that our body is a sacred vessel unto the Lord, a vessel which should be filled with His holy presence.

I Thessalonians 5:23 L.B. "Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until that day when our Lord Jesus Christ comes again."

The body should not be pierced, cut, tattooed etc. etc. in any way. Why, because it doesn't belong to us, it belongs to the Lord!

The Lord Jesus Christ warns today's world that there is coming a godless world leader (called in the Apocalypse..The Beast) who....

Revelation 13:16-17 "...causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a Mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the Mark, or The Name Of The Beast, or The Number Of His Name."

This beast creature, is none other than the coming anti-Christ world leader that scriptures from Daniel to John's writing in the book of Revelation, warns about.

Revelation 14:9-11 "And the third angel followed them, saying-with a loud voice, if any man worship the beast and his image, and RECEIVE HIS MARK IN HIS FOREHEAD, OR IN HIS HAND, THE SAME SHALL DRINK OF THE WINE OF THE WRATH OF GOD, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of His indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth THE MARK OF HIS NAME."

Today's playful use of tattoos and body piercings are only a precursor to this soon coming event.

Romans 12: 1,2 L.B. "And so dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice-the kind He will accept. When you think of what He has done for you, is this too much to ask? Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will know what God wants you to do, and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect His will really is."

And finally...
James 4:17 "Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin."

Postscript:
This comment on what the Bible says about Body Piercing and Tattooing, was submitted to a newspaper in central Minn., because they had run some articles on the subject, and then asked for comments from their readership. The Bible comments above were rejected by the newspaper...they would not print them.

That is the day in which we live!
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Addendum: (July 10, 2008-Des Moines, Iowa)
Police Chief Judy Bradshaw, has brought about a new department ruling: No police officer hired may have any tattoos, intentional scarring, branding on their visible body, i.e. head, face, neck, arms, hands, and legs. The Police Chief, says, it's because of the image they want to show.