"'Do not cut your bodies for the dead or put tattoo marks on yourselves. I am the LORD." (Leviticus 19:28)
I'm pretty sure it doesn't get any more straightforward than this. Right?
Hmm. Actually, it's a little more blurry. Because if you look at the entire chapter, you'll notice that this chapter also prohibits shaving your beard, eating non-kosher meat and cross-breeding your cows.
Huh?
Leviticus was written ages ago! And so Christians had to observe a lot of religious rituals which we don't follow anymore. For instance, Leviticus says that if we commit adultery, we have to kill a ram and then let the priest make atonement for his sins.
So if this was written in the old testament, in a whole different context and culture, the meaning of this verse shifts slightly.
What stays the same is that we shouldn't deliberately hurt ourselves. No cutting, no drugs, no trying to fall sick so you can skip school.
The difference now is the issue of tattoos.
Romans 14 (I won't copy it all) highlights the main point to consider.
Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister. I am convinced, being fully persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for that person it is unclean. If your brother or sister is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy someone for whom Christ died. (Verses 13-15)
Don't be a stumbling block. If you know getting a tattoo will cause others to stumble in faith, don't do it. And glorify God! If your tattoo is a fandom or design, you're doing exactly what the people in Leviticus were told not to! You're turning your body into a gallery for secular things. ):
To sort of illustrate the point, I'll admit now that in secondary two to early secondary three I had a self-harm problem. Late last year, I discovered an initiative called "The Butterfly Project". Basically, whenever you feel like cutting yourself, you have to draw a butterfly wherever it is you cut, to remind yourself to stay strong.
The body is a temple of God,
Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)
and to this day, I still feel bad for vandalising it. So I've come up with my own version of this: I've decided to write Scripture and reflections on the places that I used to cut.
People who know me might remember how I once walked around with "AND IF OUR GOD IS FOR US THEN WHAT COULD STAND AGAINST" written in huge letters across both arms.
That was amazing, because the entire day, people were curious about it, and I got so many encouraging responses. There were pre-believers who asked what song it was, kids who hadn't been to church in a while who told me "wow, Chris Tomlin right? I haven't listened to gospel music in a long time", and believers who were really encouraged (and encouraged me back).
It was weird, and at first I felt self-conscious, but I've realised that it's a way to yell "I believe in the Lord", as well as a way to tell God (and remind yourself that) "i'm not hurting anymore; You've cleansed me".
So in summary, consider your motives before you do anything, not just tattoos (although consider especially hard for something permanent like a tattoo). And even if it's all right with you & your conscience, make sure it's all right to the people around you. Be edifying!
Love, Gabbi Wenyi Ayane Virk
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