Tattoos and body piercings

Our position would be the position of Scripture for New Testament followers of the Lord. With that in mind, there is no general scriptural prohibition of tattoos or body piercings. People sometimes cite Leviticus 19:28 as support for God’s will against such practices. The context of that passage, however, shows that it was meant only for Old Testament Israel. When the people of Israel entered the promised land of Canaan, God did not want his people imitating the idolatrous practices of the people in the land. Rather than being a fifth commandment issue, the prohibition in that verse was clearly a first commandment issue.

Since New Testament followers of the Lord are not bound by the instruction in Leviticus 19:28, they can exercise their Christian freedom in this area of life.

The apostle Paul provided general guidance for Christian freedom when he wrote: “’I have the right to do anything,’ you say—but not everything is beneficial. ‘I have the right to do anything’—but not everything is constructive. No one should seek their own good, but the good of others” (1 Corinthians 10:23-24).

As Christians seek to be “salt” and “light” to the unbelieving world, they will try to make decisions—even in this area—that best represent the Christian faith. As Christians seek to build up and encourage one another (1 Thessalonians 5:11), they will try to make decisions with fellow Christians in mind.

So, could I ever give an unqualified approval of a body marking? Sure. It’s figurative in nature, but the Lord told his people through the prophet Isaiah: “See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands” (Isaiah 49:16). That’s a beautiful picture of God telling us that we are always in his thoughts and on his mind.