Featured Can men with tatoos be saved?

Is this a serious question?

 

And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow [or tattoos]—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:38,39 +

 

May I relate a story that happened to me years ago?

I’ve said this perhaps too many times before, I work in a medical practice and encounter patients daily.
One day a rich middle-aged woman came in wearing full makeup, heals and a fur coat. She carried herself like she was someone important, snooty.
What came out of her mouth was filthy and lewd.

The very next patient was a disheveled former alcoholic, an old biker type, all tattooed up, (even had a teardrop tat on the face), wearing raggedy old clothes. He exhibited a polite and patient demeanor and was delightful to work with.

Who among those two might be open to listening to the gospel and hearing God’s message of deliverance?

It’s not our outward appearance that God looks upon but what is in our hearts.

Rob

 

I shot someone before I was saved.
It never left a visible mark on me for anyone to see.
God was able to save me in spite of the invisible mark that it left.
Is there any conceivable way that God can forgive my sin, but getting ink on your skin is somehow unpardonable?

I think not.

Just for the record, what SCRIPTURE actually says about the subject is:

“Do not cut your bodies for the dead or put tattoo marks on yourselves. I am the Lord.” (Leviticus 19:28 NIV)

• First, we must set aside the fundamental question about whether this particular Levitical Law ever applied to people outside of the covenant with Moses ... like the ban on eating shellfish or wearing blended fabrics. However just for this discussion, let us assume that the ban does apply to Christians.
• The SCRIPTURE is a ban on what those under the Covenant may do. One who was marked before they were under the covenant would not be guilty of breaking a Law that did not yet exist for them. So even if this ban applies to Christians getting tattoos, then the Law only applies to someone who is already a Christian when they get a tattoo. Any tattoo gained before becoming a Christian would be a prior sin washed clean under the blood of Christ that first justified us.
• SCRIPTURE lists one, and only one, unpardonable sin ... a tattoo is not it. For all other sins, we have an advocate who his faithful to forgive all of our sins if we will repent and confess them to Him. As SCRIPTURE says, even if your heart condemns you, God is greater than your heart, and is able to forgive you.
• I know a Christian who has a specific verse of scripture that means so much to him, and was so important to his personal Christian experience that he located a Greek manuscript containing that verse and had that page of Greek text from the original “bible” tattooed on his arm. When other people with tattoos ask about his strange tattoo, as people with tattoos talk about their tattoos, it allows him to share his story of what God did in his life. If God can use a tattoo as an “Ebenezer” (stone of remembrance) for him and a tool for evangelism by him ... can tattoos really be something innately evil? I do not think so.

There are many reasons not to get a tattoo. Pain, infection, temporary decisions with permanent consequences, “tweety bird” that will one day look more like “big bird”. However, I do not believe that a case can be made for them being “sinful” unless you are going to ban seafood, blended cloth and bring your sacrifice to the high priest at the temple to make an offering for your sins.

 

Well, perhaps man-buns might be an exception to Romans 8.

Rob

 

I met a Christian man that had many inappropriate tattoos: explicit images, nazi symbols and others. I asked why not get them removed?

He said he kept them so he didn’t forget where he was when Jesus saved him, and not judge others by appearances. He also used them as a way to initiate conversations about the gospel.

I have rarely met someone so dedicated to the cause of Christ. There was no pretense with him. He was all Jesus, all the time.

I heard several years ago that he had died of cancer (he was in his 40’s). I was saddened, though I really didn’t know him.

I am reminded, because of him, that to judge the lost because they are acting as lost people is to forget where I was when Jesus found me and saved me.

peace to you

 

I'll answer your question with one of my own, sir:

Can God-hating sinners be transformed by the power of the living God into grateful and humble men and women who begin to trust, love and obey the One they formerly had their backs turned on?

 

My generation has its share of painted wonders as well. Never really wanted one myself. Hung out in a tattoo shop a lot when undercover and turned down free ink quite a few times.

 

I dislike tattoos, although there is no prohibition against them in the New Testament - there was in the Old Testament.

[Rom 8:37-39 ESV] 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

As you well know, the letter to the Romans was written to the believers in Rome. They were pronounced "conquerors through him who loved us". Absolutely nothing can prevent God's elect from spending eternity with Him.

[1Co 15:42-44 ESV] 42 So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable. 43 It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. 44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.

The body that our soul now occupies while not be the body that accompanies our soul to heaven, whether we die and are resurrected or we are raptured to join the Lord in the air.

 

The short answer is, "yes".
People with tattoos can be saved.

" Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God." ( 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 ).

Just as Peter was taught the lesson that anything that God has cleansed, let not any man call unclean, so we should be taught that no sin is too great, no former behavior too egregious, no lifestyle too far-removed for God to do a miracle in that person's life through Jesus Christ.

Let us all remember His mercy and grace towards us the next time we feel like judging someone else who may carry the after effects of a former life, but also hopes in His mercy and kindness and has believed on His Son for the forgiveness of their sins.

 

Yes, they can and are saved. I'm more concerned about the witness they have.

 

When I was a "youngin" Sunday was the day we dressed for the Lord. That meant our very best. Shined shoes were the rule. Growing up as a Baptist, we always wore our "Sunday goin' to meeting" clothes.