Tattoo. 19% of 18- to 25-year-olds have returned from a holiday abroad with an inking.

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1 World Christian Fellowship 60, High Worple, Rayners Lane, Harrow Middlesex, HA2 9SZ, United Kingdom Tel: Tattoo Currently one in five U.S. adults has at least one tattoo (21percent) 14% of teachers have a tattoo. 18 The legal age you have to be to get a tattoo in Britain. 19% of 18- to 25-year-olds have returned from a holiday abroad with an inking. 29% The proportion of Brits aged between 16 and 44 who have a tattoo. So the obvious question is Can a Christian have a Tattoo? Leviticus 19:28, You shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor tattoo any marks on you: I am the Lord. We are not under the law but under the grace, the New Testament. 1

2 Romans 10:4, For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. Galatians 3:23-25, But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed. 24 Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 25 But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. Ephesians 2:15, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, Did Jesus have Tattoo? Revelation 19:16, And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. V 12, His eyes were like a flame of fire V 13, He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood V 15, out of His mouth goes a sharp sword Matthew 5:17, Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. 2

3 What does the New Testament say? 1 Peter 3:3-4, Do not let your adornment be merely outward arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel 4 rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God. We are not in any kind of restrictions but then we need see what will be beneficial to us. 1 Corinthians 10:23, You say, I am allowed to do anything but not everything is good for you. You say, I am allowed to do anything but not everything is beneficial. Revelation 13:16-17, 16 He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, 17 and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. 3

4 Will your actions and the personality glorify God? 1 Corinthians 10:31, Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. Can I wear a Christian Tattoo? Like cross or Jesus Face or a verse? 1 Corinthians 9:22-23, to the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. 23 Now this I do for the gospel s sake, that I may be partaker of it with you. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, 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? 20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God s. Our counsel is that it is better that a person not get tattoos. At the same time, Christians should learn to love one another and fellowship together in peace. There should be no isolation or sitting in judgment of each other regarding differences of opinion. For those who already have tattoos, 4

5 They are most welcome to be in worship and fellowship with us. They do not need to have their tattoos removed, nor do they need to cover them up except for those that present something vulgar, demonic or offensive. If any who have gotten tattoos in the past perceive that they sinned in this matter and are repentant over it, God is loving and compassionate and quick to forgive and accept them. Let us all be quick to receive one another in the same spirit. 5

6 Men wearing Ear rings Abraham had sent his servants out to find a wife (Rebekah) for his son, Isaac. Upon finding her, they gave her an earring and bracelets for her hands. Genesis 24:22, 30 & So it was, when the camels had finished drinking, that the man took a golden nose ring weighing half a shekel, and two bracelets for her wrists weighing ten shekels of gold, 30 So it came to pass, when he saw the nose ring, and the bracelets on his sister s wrists, and when he heard the words of his sister Rebekah, saying, Thus the man spoke to me, that he went to the man. And there he stood by the camels at the well. 47 Then I asked her, and said, Whose daughter are you? And she said, The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor s son, whom Milcah bore to him. So I put the nose ring on her nose and the bracelets on her wrists. When Jacob was backslidden he went and dwelt in Shalem, a city in Canaan. (Genesis 33:18-19). This caused a lot of trouble, as his family got mixed up with the heathen. (Genesis 34). 6

7 God met him and told him to go back to Bethel. (Genesis 35:1). Jacob s household and all that were with him were now worshipping false gods and dressing like the heathen. Genesis 35:2 & 4 2 And Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, Put away the foreign gods that are among you, purify yourselves, and change your garments. 4 So they gave Jacob all the foreign gods which were in their hands, and the earrings which were in their ears; and Jacob hid them under the terebinth tree which was by Shechem. In Exodus 32, earrings are also associated with worshipping false gods, being worn by the wives, daughters, and SONS. In Exodus 32:1-2, Now when the people saw that Moses delayed coming down from the mountain, the people gathered together to Aaron, and said to him, Come, make us gods that shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him. 7

8 2 And Aaron said to them, Break off the golden earrings which are in the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me. Ezekiel 16:12, 12 And I put a jewel in your nose, earrings in your ears, and a beautiful crown on your head. Numbers 31:50, Therefore we have brought an offering for the Lord, what every man found of ornaments of gold: armlets and bracelets and signet rings and earrings and necklaces, to make atonement for ourselves before the Lord. Gideon had led Israel to victory over the Ishmaelites. These were men of war (the Ishmaelites) and were wearing golden earrings. Gideon s army had taken these from their plunder. Judges 8:24, Then Gideon said to them, I would like to make a request of you, that each of you would give me the earrings from his plunder. For they had golden earrings, because they were Ishmaelites. (Psalms 83:1-6 if you read you will know they hated God s people and they were trying to harm them) O God, do not remain silent; do not turn a deaf ear, do not stand aloof, O God. 2 See how your enemies growl, how your foes rear their heads 3 With cunning they 8

9 conspire against your people they plot against those you cherish. 4 Come, they say, let us destroy them as a nation, so that Israel s name is remembered no more. 5 With one mind they plot together; they form an alliance against you 6 the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites, of Moab and the Hagrites, Also in the 1980 until in the recent past when the gay movement started to mushroom men started to wear earrings on their right ear to identify them as gay. Song of Solomon 1:10-11, Your cheeks are lovely with ornaments, Your neck with chains of gold. 11 We will make you ornaments of gold With studs of silver. It s clear that men are not to wear the earrings 1 Corinthians 11:14, Does not even nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonour to him? Deuteronomy 22:5, A woman shall not wear anything that pertains to a man, nor shall a man put on a woman s garment, for all who do so are an abomination to the Lord your God. 1 Timothy 2:9-10, in like manner also, that the women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or 9

10 costly clothing, 10 but, which is proper for women professing godliness, with good works. Men should avoid wearing earrings and especially those who are in the ministry. Never be a stumbling block to someone 1 Samuel 16:7, But the Lord said to Samuel, Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart. Don t use the above scripture as an excuse to do whatever you feel like doing. Your internal change will and must reflect your external too. People can t see your heart but they can see you. Never be stumbling block to someone. 10

11 UK s Most Tattooed Cities* Birmingham 48% Norwich 41% Glasgow 40% Sheffield 36% Bradford 36% Aberdeen 23% Liverpool 22% Cardiff 20% Nottingham 19% Bristol 18% *Percentage of survey respondents who said were tattooed and have more than 6 tattoos on their body. 11