Tattoos and Body Piercing

It's obvious that tattoos and body piercing are a major fad these days.  Even among Christians this practice is very popular.  In fact, even pastors, evangelists, and other ministers of the gospel are doing it! It's become an epidemic!

The most common age for people to engage in this practice is eighteen to twenty-five years old.  But people of all ages are getting tattoos or body piercing, even parents and grandparents, as well as children. It may seem cool to some. Others may do it to rebel or because their friends are all doing it. Evidently they are just going along with the culture of the world. But many Christians do it because they feel it is a statement of their faith.

I'd like to ask the question whether it is right in the sight of God to get tattoos or body piercings.  With all these motives and reasons for doing it, we can't base our determination whether it is right or wrong on popular opinion or people's motives. We must go by what the Word of God says.

There are two Scriptures that immediately come to my mind.  The first one is that "You shall not make any cuts in your body for the dead nor make any tattoo marks on yourselves: I am the LORD." (Lev 19:28).  The second one is this: "Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If any man destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him, for the temple of God is holy, and that is what you are." (1Co 3:16-17).

These two Scriptures alone should be plain enough for anyone to see that it's a sin to pierce your body or get a tattoo.  The very fact that it is written in God's Word should be sufficient to convince anyone. Yet these days there is very little regard for what the Bible says.  And if it comes from the Old Testament, then people disregard it all the more.  They claim that since we are not under law, we don't have to pay any attention to commandments of God written in the Old Testament. They claim that we are free in Christ to do this, and somehow they justify it as an expression of their faith in God.  However, we are not free to sin.

Moreover, Jesus and the apostles all taught about the Law and quoted the Old Testament  (Mat 5:17-22; 7:12; 22:40; 23:23; Luk 10:26,28; Luk 16:17; Jam 1:25; 2:8,9,11,12; 4:11; Eph 6:1-3; 1 Cor 7:19b; 9:7-9; 14:34,37; Rom 2:13)  During their days, that was the only Scripture that existed in written form on earth. And when Jesus was asked what the greatest commandment is, He answered by quoting from the Law.

"Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?"

And He said to him, "'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets."  (Mat 22:36-40)

The first Scripture that Jesus quoted was from Deuteronomy 6:5. The second Scripture He quoted from was Leviticus 19:18. So the Lord Himself quoted from the Law, including the book of Leviticus.  In fact, He quoted from the same chapter in that book as I have quoted regarding tattoos. So we should not think that it's off limits for Christians to quote verses from these books of the Bible. These Scriptures are still profitable for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness. By quoting them, we are imitating Christ.

Paul said, "All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness." (2Ti 3:16)

The Lord is eternal and does not change. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today, and forever (Heb 13:8). His ways are still the same. What was morally evil in His sight 3,700 years ago is still evil today. It did not become good or right in His sight just because of the New Covenant. His ways are still holy, righteous, and good. They are still The Ways of Life, so I encourage you to read my article by that name at that link.

Tattoos Are an Occult Practice
If you don't believe that tattoos are a sin, based on what I have just presented to you, then you need to consider the fact that they are an occult practice. The word occult comes from a Latin word occultus, meaning hidden, secret, or mysterious. Occult practices include things like witchcraft, interpreting omens, tarrot cards, casting spells, palm reading, mind reading, sorcery (magic), spiritism, drugs, child sacrifice, and contacting the dead.  These things are an abomination in the sight of God (Deut 18:9-13).

By getting a tattoo, you are participating in an ancient, occult practice that most likely originated in connection with the ritual of scarification (as in scarring oneself by cutting the flesh) and bloodletting. You are opening up inlets for evil to enter! This is a pagan practice, people! If you are a Christian, you need to avoid having anything to do with that, no matter how innocent, fashionable, or spiritual it may appear to you.

If you have already gotten a tattoo, you will need to receive deliverance from the demons that have entered your life in association with it. For more on this, you should watch a video by brother David Williams, called Making an Agreement with the Devil. You could also read Tattoo: The Cup of Devils and Tattoo: The Mark of Blood, by Terry Watkins of Dial-the-Truth Ministries. 

One last thing I would like to mention are some divine revelations that the Lord has given on this topic recently, which clearly confirm His will on this matter.

James Agboola

In James Agboola's testimony about his revelation of hell he stated:

At a point, I now heard somebody call my name. He said, “James! Stop!” I now heard, “Stop!” It now seemed as if a man had just came from ground and put, and now hold my leg there. I now stop. I fold my hands. I bend my head, as somebody who was standing before the judge to be. And the voice now begin to speak to me in great pain. Jesus Christ speak to me in sadness. He was not happy. He speak to me with a sorrowful heart. He said, “James, you think that you cannot die, or you think you are too young to die. Look at you, but now you are dead. You are not on the planet earth again. You are dead. And where you belong is hellfire. If I should take you now, your place is hellfire because you have backslided from My Way. You have turned your back from My Way. And hell is where you belong. And that is hell that you are going.” He said, “James, do you hear the cry of people in hell?” I said, “Yes, sir.” He said, “Many of them are those who called themselves so-called ‘Christians’ like you. While on earth they claimed holiness and righteousness. But because of ‘little, little, little, little things, small, small, small things’, ‘it doesn’t matter.’” We have heard it here now: “It doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter.” He said, “That is why many of them are in hell. And I hear them crying that now, they believe. They want to change. But it’s too late. It is too late.” He said, “James, when I created man, I created man in my own image. And my glory was upon him.” He said, “But my enemy, the devil, now added a lot of packaging, packaging of the glory I gave man, packaging of earring, necklace, attachments, all of them. God says, “My eye cannot behold it once anything artificial, artificial...” He said, “James, when I created women, did I put hole in their ear?” I said, “No.” He said, “How come I now saw them with hole in their ears?” He said, “James, when I created man, every part of their body that is supposed to have hole, did I not put hole there?” I said, “Yes.”  He said, “How come they now begin to put hole by themselves?” He said, “And once anything artificial has been added, no matter what it is, my face cannot look at them. My face cannot behold them.”

Samuel Oghenetega

In Samuel Oghenetega's testiomony he repeated the Lord's warnings:

Warning to those wearing artificial things: "Remove every artificial thing in your body, because 'Bimbo' Odukoya is in hell crying for mercy. But it is too late."

"Tell those who say, 'Fashion does not mean anything,' it means a lot of things to Me. They are joining to hell without them knowing. The Lord has spoken. Satan will use fashion to capture millions to hell. Do not put on anything artificial like wristwatches, artificial teeth, silver and gold, etc."

"Millions of people are tripping into hell. My Father’s house is empty. Few are there."

Warning to Those Getting Tattoos: "Do not put any marks of snakes or creatures in your body," which is tattoos.

Emmanuel Agyarko
Brother Emmanuel Agyarko testified about his vision of hell saying:

"I also saw a 17 year old American boy called Phillip. This boy had a spider tattoo on his back. He said his friend told him it would protect him from sickness. I then saw Lucifer pass by him mock him. This boy was in church and thought he was  going to heaven. Unfortunately this boy is in hell now because of the tattoo. Lucifer then said, 'All those who use tattoos, serve me.' I saw many other people in this section of hell, all because they have been tattooed on their bodies. I then saw Lucifer transform himself into a young man with many tattoos on his body, with body piercings and mocking them by quoting Lev 19:28 'Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the LORD.' In hell a red hot metal had been attached to the tattoo designs and they were in much pain. I saw one boy who said he did not know about the consequences, he had just imitated a friend doing it, so he also did same. However, this boy is also in hell in much pain for having a tattoo on his body."

Scripture Meditations

We must Remember the Eternal Law of God found in His Word. The Scriptures say:

"So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them." (Gen 1:27, NIV).

"But who are you, a human being, to talk back to God? Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, 'Why did you make me like this?'" (Romans 9:20, NIV)

"Does the ax raise itself above the person who swings it, or the saw boast against the one who uses it? As if a rod were to wield the person who lifts it up, or a club brandish the one who is not wood!" (Isaiah 10:15)

"Woe to those who quarrel with their Maker, those who are nothing but potsherds among the potsherds on the ground. Does the clay say to the potter, 'What are you making?' Does your work say, 'The potter has no hands'?" (Isaiah 45:9)

"Yet you, LORD, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand." (Isaiah 64:8)

“If anyone turns a deaf ear to the law, even his prayers are detestable.” (Pr 28:9, NIV 1984)

"But You are the same, And Your years will not come to an end." (Psa 102:27).

"I the Lord do not change." (Mal 3:6a).

"Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy." (Pr 28:13, NIV)

"Blessed is the one who always fears the Lord, but whoever hardens their heart falls into trouble." (Pr 28:14, NIV)

“Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.”  (Jas 1:27)

"You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.”  (Jas 4:4)

“Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.”  (1Jn 2:15-16)

"Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God." (2 Cor 7:1, NIV)

"Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect." (Rom 12:1-2)

"Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord." (Heb 12:14, NIV).

Summing it Up
I don't advise anyone to get their body pierced or to get a tattoo, not even if it is one with a Christian theme.  This includes pierced earrings. Don't let the devil deceive you by telling you it's a small thing or that it doesn't matter. He is a liar. The Lord is clear in His Word about this, and He has emphasized through recent revelations his hatred for this evil practice.  People are in hell right now for committing these sins.

If you have already committed one or both of these sins, then stop treading the path of your heart's desire, repent with all your heart, and depart from these things. Remove your earrings and other body piercings.  Cover your tattoos.  Stop sinning. Cleanse yourself from these things (2 Tim 2:21). Seek deliverance from the demons that have entered your life through these inlets. Ask the Lord to forgive you and cleanse you in the blood of Jesus. These things are evil in the sight of God, and nobody who practices them will see God's face. Therefore, Ask for the Ancient Paths.

I hope the Lord will grant you repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth. I pray that you will come to your senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken you captive to do his will (2 Tim 2:25-26). I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received, and to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory. If you don't know Jesus yet, then I invite you to repent and give your life to Him today. In the section below I'll tell you how (see Do You Want to Know Him?).

Attribution notice: Most Scripture quotations taken from the NASB. Most other Scriptures taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV®, unless otherwise noted.  The photos are in the public domain, including the ones of the cross tattoos and the Indian lady, which are courtesy of Wikipedia.

Author's note: Please prayerfully consider these testimonies, and use the Testimony Review Process adopted by this blog, as you decide for yourself whether the Lord has spoken to these people.  For issues and concerns, each person must confirm with the Lord, whether something is valid or not. For more information on our position, please see Disclaimers.

You are invited to read The Ways of Life, Abominations in the Sight of God, The Forgotten Sin of Worldliness, Vision of Hell by Emmanuel Agyarko, Godly Attire and Adornment -- Seven Divine Revelations, James Agboola Revelation of Heaven and Hell, Ezekiel Moses Testimony of Heaven and Hell, Visitation of Jesus to Samuel Oghenetaga, The Top Ten Things Jesus Taught, Separation from the World, Purge the Evil from Among You, Ask for the Ancient Paths, Remember the Eternal Law of God, and my daughter's lovely poem Beauty Unfading. You may access my complete blog directory at "Writing for the Master."

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

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Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.