Is it a Sin to Get a Tattoo?
As young people and old across our nation “ink up,” this has become a burning question among many young (and not so young) Christians. After all, a lot of Christians do not want to be left out of the latest crazes if they do not have to.
As with many ethical queries, the question itself is a trap. “Is it a sin?” in the minds of most needs to be followed up with a verse that says in so many words Thou shalt not write anything permanent upon thy body. Barring the existence of that verse, going under the needle is allowed by Jesus, right?
Not exactly. This is a wisdom question and wisdom questions do matter. We have to make important wise decisions every day.
Let’s consider the biblical truths that might apply, and then it might be easier to draw a conclusion.
What you already have done is different from what you should do.
When people come to Christ, they come with all kinds of different backgrounds and former life choices. There are no second-rate Christians regardless of past choices. This article is not about past choices, whether before or after salvation. One of the preachers who had a profound impact on my life had the ink of his youthful navy life imprinted on his biceps. God used him greatly and he was dearly loved by the most conservative Christians I know. Lots of wonderful Christians happen to have tattoos. This is not a “what about my past?” matter. This question is about what God wants me to do right now as I sincerely follow Him.
Your body does not belong to you.
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 [b]reasonable service. (Romans 12:1)
Your body is a temple. Your body is a sacrifice. You are not driving through life in your own car, it is your father’s car. You do not have a right to do with it what you will. The battle cry of the pro-choice movement— “my body, my choice!” —is fundamentally unbiblical, especially for a believer. It’s not just about a tattoo being against the rules, but rather whether making such a choice is in line with the body God has lent you.
Your body is the Holy Spirit’s temple.
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? (1 Corinthians 6:19)
The idea of a temple is a dwelling place of God. Your body is a temple, it is the special dwelling place of God by means of His indwelling Holy Spirit. It is not just God’s, it is sacred. It is something that ought to be treated with care and reverence. We do not worship our bodies like the heathen do, but we do reverence our bodies as the dwelling place of the most high.
As messengers of death is the king’s wrath, but a wise man will appease it. In the light of the king’s face is life, and his favor is like a cloud of the latter rain. How much better to get wisdom than gold! And to get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver. (Proverbs 16:14-16)
Fools make temporary decisions without counting the cost.
For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it— lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish’? (Luke 14:28-30)
How will this decision look 20, 30, or 40 years from now? What will matter to me then? How will it be viewed by those in authority over me (the King of Proverbs)? Tattoos are essentially permanent, are not easily removed, and even when they are removed, the remnant of the tattoo remains.
We are required by God to be wise stewards of that which He has entrusted to us. Our bodies are given to us by God, and we are responsible for being stewards of them. This not only applies to health but also to the physical marring and destruction of our bodies.
All believers are required to limit their freedoms for the benefit of others.
For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more. (1 Corinthians 9:19).
This especially applies to maximizing our usefulness as evangelistic tools in the Hands of God. Paul chose to limit even his freedoms for the sake of gospel effectiveness.
In the overall scheme of moral decisions, whether or not to get a tattoo seems fairly trivial. But no matter how trivial, it is permanent, and it does make a difference. So, let’s dump this trap of a question, “Is it sin?”, for more helpful questions.
Is it good stewardship of the body God has entrusted to me?
Is it God’s will for the body which belongs to Him?
How does it fit with the idea that my body is sacred and the living place of the Holy Spirit?
Is it possible I might regret doing this at some time in the future?
Will this hinder future employment or other opportunities that God has for me?
Will help or hurt my testimony for Christ?
Is it wise?
The text in 1 Corinthians 6 is misunderstood by believers today. So much the case, that I spend great amounts of time unwinding this argument in both the classroom and at church. My body is the ναὸς of the Holy Spirit, which is why sexual sin is like a violation of the sacredness of the temple itself. But to construe the idea that the body itself is sacred, and thus must be physically protected is to take the passage too far. To make an application beyond that of sexual sin, you would need some kind of additional proof. Furthermore, one of the chief obstacles the Greeks had against the gospel was the destruction of the human body on the cross, something they chaffed at. This is a reason the gospel was an offense to the Greeks. They worshipped the body.
To claim the sacredness of the physical body is to elevate the body to a position it shouldn’t have. It belies the fact that Paul’s ministry was destroying his body (2 Corinthians). The real application of this text is against sexual sin and that’s certainly a relevant topic in our culture.
Tattoos are unwise for a number of reasons. But I hope that we can let go this notion about our bodies that the New Testament does not support.
With regards, MW
The primary point of the passage is summed up in verses 11 and 12 that says you are not your own, you are purchased with a price. The body that we have is not ours, therefore it is set aside for God and for His purposes not our own. That principle applies to fornication but clearly has implications far beyond sexual sin. That is what it means to be sanctified or sacred. It is not the worship of the body, but the complete dedication of the body to God and His purposes (which might even include the death of the body). Paul starts this topic in verse 12 saying all things are lawful for me but not all things are useful. I believe limiting the application of these verses to fornication only is an isolation of an application that is not intended by the author.
Look, I’m not trying to be contrarian. I have great respect for you. But I also have church members who read this blog, and they end up using arguments like this as a cudgel to beat me over the head (maybe overly dramatic?). :)
I wrote out a lengthier response where I think your argument is problematic–which I would be glad to post here–if you think having a healthy back and forth would be useful. If not, I’d be glad to send it privately. Regardless, have a great day.
MW