Can we go to heaven with tattoos? Should a Christian avoid getting a tattoo? Your answers and facts to your questions. Can you go to heaven?
In Leviticus 19:28 God says, “You shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor tattoo any marks on you: I am the LORD.”
Tattoos and Heaven
Tattoos and body piercings on our bodies aren’t specifically forbidden in the New Testament, but it does not justify getting tattoos or piercings either.
People who oppose tattoos and body piercing usually use Leviticus to argue that the practice is sinful. Old Testament stories mention nose piercings (Rebecca in Genesis 24) and even piercing the ear of a slave (Exodus 21).
Even so, there is no mention of piercing in the New Testament.
In light of this, does the Bible prohibit tattoos? The Hebrew prohibition against tattooing is a source of contention for some Christians (see below).
The Hebrew prohibition is based on interpreting Leviticus 19:28—”Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you”—so as to prohibit tattoos, and perhaps even makeup.
Is it a sin to have tattoos?
Does the Bible say not to have tattoos? The Hebrew prohibition is based on interpreting Leviticus 19:28—”Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you”—potentially banning tattoos and make-up.
Can we go to heaven with tattoos in Islam?
In Islam, tattoos are considered haram (forbidden). Although there is no specific Islamic verse outlining this point, many people believe wudu (the ritual of purification) cannot be performed if one has a tattoo on their body.
Does the Bible say Not To Have Tattoos?
In addition to representing an individual’s identity, tattoos also convey memories and values. People enjoy having the face of a loved one, the name of their hometown, or a meaningful saying etched on their body permanently. Can those who have tattoos go to heaven?
After death, tattoos do not prevent people from going to heaven. According to the Bible, going to heaven is dependent on faith in Jesus Christ. Some Christians believe tattoos are unholy. People who believe Christ died for their sins and rose again will go to heaven, regardless of whether or not they have tattoos.
Do tattoos violate treating the body as a temple of the Holy Spirit? Does the Bible forbid tattoos? Why do some people believe that getting tattoos is worldly? What keeps people out of heaven, if not tattoos? Will people have tattoos in heaven? Read on to find out.
Does the Bible forbid Christians from getting tattoos?
Leviticus 19:28 contains the only direct reference to tattoos in the Bible:
“You shall not make any cuts on your body for the dead or tattoo yourselves: I am the Lord” (ESV).
There is general agreement among Bible scholars that this instruction refers to mourning practices common to pagans at Moses’ time.
Many Bible scholars believe the reference is to pagans who would cut themselves as a way to increase their physical pain and sorrow after mourning for the dead. In ancient times, it was common to manipulate feelings of grief. The Israelites were not to adopt pagan beliefs or practices regarding death.
When people cut themselves, some scholars believe that they offered their blood to pagan gods. Does cutting the skin matter more than the way that the blood is drained and how it might be used? In Leviticus, blood is a major theme, and some scholars believe that part is important.
Some scholars believe the Hebrew word translated “tattoos” might refer to a cut or painting on the skin. Consequently, if the verse forbids modern-day tattooing, it also applies to other ways people change their bodies, such as ear piercing, makeup, and teeth whitening.
Will people have tattoos in heaven?
According to most Bible scholars, the new bodies believers will receive for heaven won’t have tattoos, pierced ears, plastic surgery, dental work, or anything else that makes them look attractive.
- Philippians 3:21, “Who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.” (ESV)
- Corinthians 5:21, “For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.” (ESV)
- Corinthians 15:52, “In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.” (ESV)
What keeps people out of heaven, if not tattoos?
Those who die with sin and unbelief will not go to heaven. This is according to the Bible. In the Bible, the word “sin” describes people’s rebellion against God in their hearts, manifested through their words, motives, actions, etc. A person who refuses to accept God’s remedy for sin faces eternal consequences, according to the Bible.
Sin and unbelief prevent people from going to heaven when they die, according to the Bible. Sinning refers to a person’s rebellion against God which manifests itself in their words, motives, actions, etc. According to the Bible, refusing to believe in the remedy God offers for sin has eternal consequences.
God sent his only son, Jesus Christ, into the world to save even the worst sinners because of his love for them (Jn. 3:16). Being saved from sin and its eternal consequences, and going to heaven after death, is God’s free gift to people (Rom. 6:23) who repent and believe (Mark 1:15).
If a person repents and believes in Christ, they will go to heaven. If they don’t repent and believe, people without tattoos can go to hell.
What exactly does the Bible teach about how people go to heaven with tattoos?
Those who respond to the gospel of Jesus Christ get to heaven. By “gospel,” we mean the proclamation that Christ’s death on the cross made amends for sinners with God. As Christ rose from the dead three days later, he defeated death and provided life after death for sinners in heaven.
What if the tattoo is of something sinful or evil?
In some tattoos, sin and rebellion are glorified. There could be images of Satan and demons or sinful behavior or the words could be crass and unholy.
Are these people capable of going to heaven with such tattoos? Absolutely. People who accept the gospel have no exceptions. God forgives words, thoughts, motives, behaviors, and even permanent marks on the skin through the cross of Christ.
What if the tattoo is of a Bible verse or something biblical?
Every tattoo is not a sin symbol. They can serve as a means of praising God. The Bible verse is an appropriate choice for Christians who believe it is okay for believers to get tattoos. Even tattoos with Bible verses aren’t acceptable to those who believe Christians shouldn’t get tattoos.
Tattoos are viewed differently by some religions
Christianity
The Hebrew prohibition is based on interpreting Leviticus 19:28—”Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you”—so as to prohibit tattoos, and perhaps even makeup.
Many believe it refers specifically to, and prohibits, a form of self-mutilation performed during mourning.
- To demonstrate their allegiance, some Christian groups, such as the Knights of St. John and Malta, wore tattoos.
- In other cultures, tribal tattooing often declined following European efforts to convert aboriginal and indigenous people to Western religious and cultural practices that viewed tribal tattooing as a pagan or heathen activity.
- The practice of tattooing is often associated with rites of passage between adolescence and adulthood in some traditional indigenous cultures (even without any explicit religious subtext).
Islam and Tattoos
There is no direct mention of “al-washm” or “tattooing” in the Qur’an. Turkish professor of religious studies Remzi Kuscular states that tattoos are sinful but that they do not violate a Muslim’s wuḍu.
Sunni Islam
Tattoos are considered a sin by most Sunni Muslims since they change God’s natural creation and cause unnecessary pain. In Islam, tattoos are considered dirty things, which are forbidden. According to them, a dirty body will lead to a dirty mind and will destroy their ritual ablution, wudhu.
Shia Islam
Next, Ali al-Sistani and Ali Khamenei, both Shia ayatollahs, believe tattoos are not prohibited by Islamic law. There is no mention of tattoos in the Quran.
Judaism and Tattoos
Judaism generally forbids tattoos based on Leviticus 19:28. The 12th-century scholar Maimonides explained that the prohibition against tattoos was a Jewish response to paganism.
Neopagan
It is possible for Neopagans to use tattooing as a means of expressing or representing their beliefs. A number of tattooists’ websites provide pagan images as examples of the kinds of artwork they provide. Furthermore, Tattoos are a mark of initiation in at least one Wiccan tradition, although they are not a requirement.
Buddhism and Tattoos
Southeast Asia has a tradition of protective tattoos known as sak yant or yantra tattoos that incorporate Buddhist symbols and images, as well as protective mantras or sutra verses in antique Khmer script. Oftentimes, Buddhist monks or indigenous spiritual leaders apply these tattoos.
Hinduism and Tattoos
Hindus accept tattoos culturally and religiously; contemporary tattoos are common. Histories date back to the use of Henna in Mehndi.
You should, however, consider the following factors if you decide to get a tattoo
1. An image should not be immoral, such as sexually explicit, Satanic, or in any other way contrary to the Christian teachings.
2. Take precautions. Getting the name of your current girlfriend tattooed on your arm is probably not a safe bet.
3. There must be a good website devoted to the arguments against tattooing (there’s bound to be one out there). In other words, the Church does not forbid one, that does not mean you should get one.
Resources
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