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![]() ![]() (By the way, I think 1 Samuel 16:7 has something to say about this!) These young men know the Lord and are encouraging examples of Christ-likeness to me. After knowing them a few years I saw how wrong I was to focus on the exterior. That is until I was challenged to look at the issue biblically.Īfter studying this I had to apologize to some dear friends because when I first met them I judged them because of their tattoos. As a matter of fact, until recently my feelings were very strongly against tattoos. So it’s not like I’m trying to justify my previous decisions. In full-disclosure, I don’t have any tattoos or piercings and don’t find them particularly attractive. the prohibition of mixed fibers and shellfish). Many of these laws have no relevance for Christian living (e.g. ![]() The ceremonial and civil laws were given to Israel to instruct them how to live in relationship with God and to keep them separate from the nations and holy unto God. We find many repeated in the New Testament as directives for Christian living (e.g. As a whole these laws are not binding on Christians, although many of them are good for our instruction and for our sanctification. The ceremonial and civil laws were given to the Nation of Israel. Therefore, we are called to obey the Ten Commandments. God does not change, nor does His moral Law change. Jesus magnified the Ten Commandments, the moral Law, during His earthly ministry and Paul confirmed this Law for the Church. We can never attain the perfection God’s Law commands, but we can live our lives moving in that direction. The Ten Commandments reflect the very nature of God–His perfection and His righteousness. While the Law has no power to save us, it certainly has power to direct our lives by guiding us to make godly choices to avoid sin and to live in a way that honors God. In the Old Testament, God gave moral, civil and ceremonial laws.įor Christians, the moral Law (The Ten Commandments) remains in effect to direct our moral judgment and to command us to obey God. As Christians, not all of the laws given to Israel apply to us. It’s true that tattoos were forbidden under Levitical law, but we must remember that these laws were given to the Nation of Israel, not the Body of Christ. That is still a valid warning to those of us living today, but why is it that we are only focusing on verse 28? Regardless of how you interpret “ tattoo” or “ marks” the word is used in context for warning the Israelites from getting involved with false religions. To keep them from being involved or affiliated with cultic religious practices of the day.The cutting or making marks on their body.When looking at Leviticus 19 in its entirety we can ask the following questions-įirst, who is being spoken to? Second, What was prohibited? and Third Why? 28 so adamantly to prohibit tattoos, are we enforcing the “peace” and “trespass” offering? Are we not eating fruit off of trees for 3 years, a rare steak or letting our cattle “gender with a diverse kind”? And what’s up with the whole “round the corners of your heads” or “mar the corners” of your beard” thing? I don’t see Christians up in arms on those issues.Ī major difficulty we have here is that the word used here for “ tattoo” or “ marks” is only used in the Scripture one time and it’s in this verse in Leviticus. My question is, if we’re going to use vs. 27 Don’t “round the corners of your heads” or “mar the corners” of your beard.26 Don’t eat anything with blood, “nor observe times.”.23 – 25 Don’t eat fruit from your trees for the first 3 years.21 – 22 Instructions on “trespass” offerings.20 Do we really want to talk about this?.19 Don’t let your cattle “gender with a diverse kind.”.5 – 8 Instruction is given on how to correctly handle “peace” offerings.This means we have to read the verses around it to see what is actually being taught and who it’s directed to. In order to accomplish this we have to do some digging and find out what is actually being spoken of here. God makes this very clear by telling us to "study to show ourselves approved unto God a workman that isn’t ashamed and can rightly divide the word of truth". Whenever we are studying the Scriptures, we need to be sure to read the passages in their proper context. ![]()
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