The Bible forbids the tattoos!

[PetriFB]

Does the New Covenant forbid taking of the tattoos? I believe that forbids, and I give you these verses.

2 Pe 1:
1 ¶ Simon Peter, a servant and legate of Jesus the Messiah,—to those who have obtained equally precious faith with us, through the righteousness of our lord and Redeemer, Jesus the Messiah;—
2 may grace and peace abound to you through the recognition of our lord Jesus the Messiah,
3 as the giver to us of all things that be of the power of god, unto life and the fear of god, through the recognition of him who hath called us unto his own glory and moral excellence:
4 wherein he hath given you very great and precious promises; that by them ye might become partakers of the nature of god, while ye flee from the corruptions of the lusts that are in the world.

The New Testament shows us that how we must serve and believe in God. God has given to us the Holy Spirit as the power and aid that we can understand what the Bible teaches.

If we could believe in God by taking the tattoo, in which is Bible verses or reads the Lord Jesus and so on, so this kind of command should be in the Bible. Tattooing was very common in the world where apostles lived. If the will of God would have been to make "Biblical" tattoos, so God would have said that you must make those kinds of tattoos. However, in the New Testament is not a command to make tattoos. For this reason, I don't believe that it is the will of God to take the tattoos.

Some people have said, for example, that the Bible doesn't speak anything about the bicycle, so you can't use the bicycle. The bicycle is harmless and useful vehicle to move from place to place. Of course you can do good and useful things, although they are not mentioned in the Bible, if they are not against the will of God. Making Bible verses as the tattoo is the question showing the faith, which one has. Riding by bicycle is not showing and living by faith, but ordinary deed. Riding a bicycle and taking a tattoo cannot compare with each other when we understand before mentioned example, and the fact that when it is a question about how we must believe in God, so it must be found in the Bible. Riding by bicycle is not a matter of faith, but just an ordinary everyday thing.

The Bible teaches us that serving of God is not the outward issue, but inward. Believer testimony and faith must be the inward issue by the Holy Spirit accordance with the word of God. God said by the prophet Jeremiah that in the New Covenant, God puts His law to inwards parts and writes His law to the hearts of His people. Biblical faith must be written to inner man to his heart and not outwardly to his skin.

Ro 10:10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

The Bible doesn't teach serving God by the tattoos, so tattooing is against the will of God.

The whole article is here: http://koti.phnet.fi/petripaavola/Bibleandtattoos.html

[AndCanItBe]

I think I get the overall point, and of course, I agree that no tattoo has the power to save anyone.

Riding by bicycle is not a matter of faith, but just an ordinary everyday thing.

To the writer it is not a matter of faith, but it could be to someone else. What if you don't ride a bike out of fear? Should a Christian be motivated by fear? What if you live in a city and are convicted to ride your bike, instead of drive your car? Then it is a matter of faith.

Same with tattoos. To some, they are an ordinary, everyday thing. If it's the inward man that counts, why should the tattoo matter? I have known so many people who are afraid to walk in a church because of a tattoo. I think that's sad.

Conversely if someone is convicted to show an outward sign of their faith, like putting a fish on their car, wearing a t-shirt, or getting a tattoo, then shouldn't they listen to the Holy Spirit and do it?

He also says that the verse in Leviticus is about more than tattoos for the dead, it's about idol worship. If it's about idol worship, then it's a matter of the state of you heart when it comes to the tattoo, isn't it? The author himself made the case then, for tattoos being a matter of faith for the Christian, a matter of the heart, an individual matter between God and the heart of His child at that point. I know the author says there is no such thing, but he proved himself wrong, IMO. You can't make a blanket rule for everyone in these cases. You can say something is not beneficial to most people's faith, but you cannot say it is not permissible.

[mark s]

One problem with your argument is that the Bible doesn't teach "serving God by live theatre". So we shouldn't do that? That is against God's will?

The Bible does not forbid tattoos. It does forbid marks and cuttings for false gods, or for the dead. However, a tattoo that is not for these purposes is not covered in that commandment.

. . . and one other thing . . .

Since when are "ordinary everyday things" outside of faith?

The Bible says, the righteous shall live by faith. I take that to mean in everything. When you look at Habakkuk, where that first appears, it has a very pragmatic context.

Love in Christ,
Mark

[PetriFB]

Most of the commandments of the Old Covenant are overruled. However, all commandments of the Old Covenant haven't overruled. For example, the Old Testament's prohibition on eating of the blood is still valid in the New Covenant. One very important observation is that the New Covenant changed the law, but didn't remove it completely. Changing of the law left the Ten Commandments in power and also some other commandments. The high priesthood of the Lord Jesus and His atonement annulled all the laws of the temple service and offerings of the Old Covenant.

The command that you can't print any marks upon your skin has given in the era of the Old Covenant, so is it still valid in the era of the New Covenant or not?

This is a good and important question. Generally, from the New Testament, we can find confirmation that which commands of the Old Covenant are valid in the New Covenant. This confirmation is sometimes written directly such as prohibition eating the blood or indirectly in such a way that we can understand it.

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.

Some people teach that this command refers grieving to the dead ones, in which the Gentiles mourned the dead ones by cutting their skin and taking the tattoo. However, this is a false teaching, because this verse has two different commands;

- Do not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead
- Do not print any marks upon you

The command do not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead ones was given that the Jews wouldn't make as many Gentiles have done. Many Gentile nations have manners to make very deep wounds to face, hands and feet. The purposes of those wounds were honor the dead ones. To many nations cutting of the flesh was a sign of honor and appease offering to idols who "ruled" dead ones and the tombs.

Some Gentiles could take tattoo in commemoration and honor of the dead one. In spite of that Lev 19:28 has two different commands, which the latter denies tattoos.

The command do not print any marks upon you in the Old Testament is attached to worshiping of idols. Ancient Gentile nations have manners to put tattoos on their skin. Those tattoos described idol worshiping, and on tattoos might be the image of idol. In the Old Testament, tattoos were denied, because they were connected to worshiping of idols.

ome believers teach that Lev 19:28 was the commandment of the Old Covenant, and it isn't anymore valid. As I brought up earlier, so all commands of the Old Covenant aren't annulled in the era of the New Covenant. I bring forth few commands of Leviticus 19, which are still valid in the New Covenant:

- Lev 19:26 Ye shall not eat any thing with the blood: neither shall ye use enchantment, nor observe times.

- Lev 19:31 Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the LORD your God.

The New Covenant hasn't annulled prohibition eating of the blood, prohibition to use enchantment, prohibition observes times (this means for Hebrew to observe times, practice soothsaying or spiritism or magic or augury or witchcraft), prohibition to contact familiar spirits and seek after wizards. All of those commands are still valid and as prohibition to the congregation of the New Covenant.

The New Covenant annulled large amount the Old Covenant commands. The Ten Commandments are still valid in the New Covenant. The commands of the Old Covenant are still valid that are equal with the teaching of the New Covenant and what has mentioned to be valid in the New Covenant.

Some Christians teach that taking of the tattoo is the matter of conscience. The Bible doesn't teach that there are matters of conscience that everybody can obey or not to obey. If there would be matters of conscience, there would be things that are sin to someone and not to other one. The Bible doesn't teach that a believer can decide in his conscience that what is a sin and what is not a sin, or what is the will of God and what is not the will of God. The word of God (the Bible) determines always what is the will of God and what is not the will God. A believer does never decide by his conscience what the Bible teaches, because the Bible tells it what is right and wrong and the will of God or sin.

1 Cor 10:
28 but if any one shall say to you, this pertaineth to a sacrifice; eat not, for the sake of him who told you, and for conscience’s sake.
29 the conscience I speak of, is not your own, but his who told you. but why is my liberty judged of, by the conscience of others?

1 Cor 10 teach that conscience didn't mean your own conscience, but to another who offended. Verse 29 doesn't teach that a believer has liberty to decide in his conscience how to believe the Bible. Liberty on verse 29 means liberty in Christ Jesus, in which a believer is freed from burdens of sins and wickedness that he could believe and live according to the will of God.

The Lord Jesus has made believers free from the slavery of sin. This freedom comes true by the power of the Holy Spirit, in which believer can live from the grace of God. This is the process of growth in the faith, where a believer learns to reject and abandon sins and live more and more profoundly by the will of God. Liberty in Christ Jesus doesn't mean that believer can live in sins or decide how to believe in God. The word of God always determines how we should believe in the Lord Jesus.

[AndCanItBe]

I did read the article at your link, PetriFB. Do you have anything to say in your own words?

[PetriFB]

I did read the article at your link, PetriFB. Do you have anything to say in your own words?

I have written that article by my own words according to the understanding what I have.

[AndCanItBe]

I did read the article at your link, PetriFB. Do you have anything to say in your own words?

I have written that article by my own words according to the understanding what I have.

I missed that. Please accept my apology.

[drdos]

We are living in End Times. The Anti-Christ will come to power soon. The Church is being persecuted. Life means little to man. People are dieing everyday and going to Hell because they don't know Jesus, and we are here debating weather the bible forbids TATTOOS!

[Abiding in His Word]

It is a valid discussion imo, drdos.

[AndCanItBe]

We are living in End Times. The Anti-Christ will come to power soon. The Church is being persecuted. Life means little to man. People are dieing everyday and going to Hell because they don't know Jesus, and we are here debating weather the bible forbids TATTOOS!

I hear you, but it's a discussion board, drdos. What's trivial to some, might go right to the heart of the gospel for others, so please don't belittle the topic. If it's not important to you, just pass over it.

[PetriFB]

I did read the article at your link, PetriFB. Do you have anything to say in your own words?

I have written that article by my own words according to the understanding what I have.

I missed that. Please accept my apology.

Of course, I accept your apology.

[AndCanItBe]

I have written that article by my own words according to the understanding what I have.

I missed that. Please accept my apology.

Of course, I accept your apology.

Thank you!

[drdos]

We are living in End Times. The Anti-Christ will come to power soon. The Church is being persecuted. Life means little to man. People are dieing everyday and going to Hell because they don't know Jesus, and we are here debating weather the bible forbids TATTOOS!

I hear you, but it's a discussion board, drdos. What's trivial to some, might go right to the heart of the gospel for others, so please don't belittle the topic. If it's not important to you, just pass over it.

did I post something I was thinking. Sorry about that sometimes I forget to censor my thoughts. Continue......

[mark s]

To me, the discussion is very important, since we are talking about a legalistic mind-set.

Tattoos not related to idolatry are as spiritually neutral as eating crab, a practice forbidden in the Law given to Israel. Granted, you could get a tattoo of the devil, and I'm not talking about that.

Are we bound to keep the Law or not???

If we are, then we have to keep it - all of it.

If not, then it's a huge mistake to insist someone else follow your version of the "rules".

[Jericho]

To me, the discussion is very important, since we are talking about a legalistic mind-set.

I think a case could be made against tattoos beyond the Leviticus ordinance, that is it's not a subject solely dependent on the issue of the old law.

[AndCanItBe]

We are living in End Times. The Anti-Christ will come to power soon. The Church is being persecuted. Life means little to man. People are dieing everyday and going to Hell because they don't know Jesus, and we are here debating weather the bible forbids TATTOOS!

I hear you, but it's a discussion board, drdos. What's trivial to some, might go right to the heart of the gospel for others, so please don't belittle the topic. If it's not important to you, just pass over it.

did I post something I was thinking. Sorry about that sometimes I forget to censor my thoughts. Continue......

Hi, drdos. As you've pointed out before, sometimes tone is hard to read on a message board. Maybe I'm just defensive today, but this came across as an insinuation that I was attempting to be the "thought police". I didn't intend to say that you couldn't express your opinion at all, but I can see that I did by asking you to pass over it if you didn't find it important. Please forgive me for that. Really, your opinion wasn't the problem, it was just expressed in a way that shuts down discussion and some people might need to have that discussion. I seem to have foot in mouth disease today!

[PetriFB]

Tattooing also can be harmful, hazardous and dangerous. Allergy to tattoo colors is possible. Many substances used on tattooing are poisonous and is possible get some diseases, in which the worst is cancer. If the skin become inflamed on the area of tattooing, so it can lead blood- poisoning. Some researches have stated that tetragenic substances used on tattooing can cause forming of deformation. Some tattooing colors can contain mercury compounds, heavy metals, azo dyes and allergen products. Azo dyes is known to cause cancer.

Tattooing substances penetrate under the skin to the depth of one or two millimeter. The place where tattooing color remain is the dermis. It obvious and clear that tattooing colors penetrates inside of the body and can cause many kinds of problems. Remarkable is that poisonous substances of tattooing colors remains inside the body of a man as long as he lives. This makes tattooing very dangerous matter. Dangerous substances of tattooing can cause unpleasant disease after many years because the body is constantly dealing with the toxins, which are used in tattooing.

Experts say that bacteria and viruses can penetrate under the broken skin during tattooing. Although all instruments would be sterilized there is always a possibility that bacteria and viruses can make damage during tattooing. Tattooing can cause allergic reactions, diverse inflammation diseases and blood disease.

Removing of tattoos can be very problematic. Some say that by using modern technology tattooing colors are easy to remove from the skin, especially by UV light or laser. It is not so easy, because, for example, there are cases where removing by laser leave to the body dangerous tattooing colors. There have been cases, in which black tattooing color has gone into the lymph node by removing of laser.

Some tattooing substances are very dangerous as mercury, cadmium, lead, nickel, ferrocyanide, azo dyes, arsenic and many other substances. Many tattoo makers claim that they use safety substances, but it is obvious and clear that many tattoo substances are very dangerous and poisonous.


Many tattoo substances are very dangerous and poisonous, which make tattooing a health risk. The will of God is not that we voluntarily poison ourselves by the very poisonous substances that are used in tattooing.

If someone has taken a tattoo and believed that it is right, but later understood that it is not right and repented, so you can't accuse them. People cannot undo acts of the past and in many cases removing of a tattoo is impossible. When a believer understands that tattooing is wrong, so the case is closed, and we can't and have no rights to accuse him acts of the past, which he can't undo. In this case repentance and change of mind in the heart is enough. Usually repentance rectifies situations (change of the heart leads in practice reject sins and live in righteous life) and lead a believer away from sins. However, there are cases in which repentance can't change situations. For example, a murder and killing are cases about which repentance doesn't bring dead one back to life. It is same concerning tattooing, because most cases you can't remove a tattoo.

Everyone makes mistakes as a believer, and therefore, we should be gracious one another and forgive, because God also forgives us when we have repented our mistakes.

[PetriFB]

Often, some believers speak how we must focus on Jesus Christ. Some of them even put pressure on and demand that we must focus on Jesus. Focusing on Jesus is the correct and true faith. From the grace of God, we can grow towards the faith that is centered on Jesus. In the last days apostasy increases and many people are demanding for one another that you must focus on Jesus. Some of them don't demand you to believe in the Lord Jesus according to the truth and love of God, but according to itch ears of their flesh. In this teaching, I bring forth how I understand that we must focus on Jesus in the light of the Bible.

Following Jesus Christ

Mr 1:17 And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men.

Mt 9:9 ¶ And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him.

Mt 16:24 ¶ Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

Following Jesus Christ is talking, thinking and living like Jesus talked, thought and lived. The Lord Jesus is perfect, but we are not perfect. However, from the grace of God, we can learn how to grow in righteousness. We learn more and more to talk, think and live like Jesus Christ. I emphasize that we are not perfect, but in the Holy Spirit, we can grow towards it and learn to live in Jesus centered faith. We study next that what kind of person Jesus Christ was and how He lived, talked and thought.

Jesus Christ fulfilled the will of His Father

Joh 6:38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.

When Jesus Christ lived on the earth, He didn't live according to His own will, but according to the will of His Father. If you want to focus on Jesus, so you don't have your own will, but you should want that the will of God happens in your life. Jesus centered believer don't seek his own will, but in all the will of God. He loves God, who seeks with all of his heart the will of God. Jesus loved His Father and was obedient to His Father in all things. If you want to please the people, and by that way overrule and disprove the truth and love of God, so your focus is not on Jesus, but you are self-centered flatterer of the people.

Ga 1:10 ¶ For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.

The apostle Paul wrote that if we want to please men, we are not the servant of Jesus Christ. The love of God works by His truth and His truth works by His love by the power of the Holy Spirit. Servant of Jesus Christ can't please men, and he can't support sins and wrong doctrines. We can love sinner people, but we can't love sins. We must love all people as neighbours, even those who teach wrong doctrines, but we can't love wrong doctrines, but expose them. If we really love our neighbours, so we tell them the truth about sins and wrong doctrines. When from the grace of God, we act like this way, we show them the right direction. When exposing wrong teachings and sins, it must do loving them and showing that we care them. You can never expose wrong teachings by puffed-up attitude. You shouldn't raise yourself above your neighbors, but you must love and honor them.

Jesus Christ loved God and His neighbours

Mr 10:21 Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.

Joh 11:5 Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus.

Joh 19:26 When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son!

Re 1:5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,

Eph 5:2 And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.

Jesus Christ loved His Father and His neighbours. If you want to live by focusing on Jesus, you don't choose a target of your love according to party spirit. You shouldn't choose people to whom you show love of Christ, because they agree with you. If your focus is on Jesus, so you love your neighbors unconditionally. Gossip and backbiting are not elements of Jesus centered faith.

Lu 10:27 And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.

If you want to focus on Jesus, so your first love should be God. The Bible teaches that you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength. A believer who is focusing on Jesus really loves God. Real love is not only in words, but comes forth by acts. The Lord Jesus spoke a lot of love, but also acted according to the love. Your acts expose that do you love God or not.

Jas 1:22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

Of course words are needed, but words without acts of the love and truth of God (by the Holy Spirit) are deception. and the Bible tells this to us. When you first learn to love God, you can learn to love your neighbor. All people don't understand this, but this is the clear order of the Bible. Jesus centered believer loves his neighbor and doesn't want cause to him any harm or evil things.

Love of God

Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

The Lord Jesus spoke much and many times from the love of God. Jesus centered believer speaks also much about the love of God, but not according to itch ears of men, but according to the truth of God.

Grace of God

Lu 4:22 And all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth. And they said, Is not this Joseph’s son?

Jesus Christ spoke words of grace. Jesus centered believer speaks also words of grace. What is the grace of God? God's grace is so multiple that we can't perfectly describe it by human words. Grace of God is saving a sinner man for the sake of Jesus's redemption by His blood. It is very gracious to save a sinner man without his own earnings. It is very gracious to forgive sins of wicked ones. Jesus centered believer speaks about words of grace and is graceful and forgiving.

*** 2:
11 ¶ For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

God's grace doesn't leave us slavery of sin. God's grace teaches us to reject ungodliness and worldly lusts (sins), and live soberly, righteously and godly in this world. Jesus centered believer rejects sin and wants to grow righteously and godly.

Righteousness

Mt 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

The Lord Jesus spoke about righteousness and lived righteously. Jesus centered believer lives also according to righteousness and righteously.

The Bible speaks that Jesus Christ is our righteousness by the faith. The righteousness of God has been revealed apart from the law, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God by the faith of Jesus Christ toward all and upon all those believing; for there is no difference, for all sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation through faith in His blood, for a showing forth of His righteousness through the passing by of the sins that had taken place before, in the forbearance of God, for the showing forth of His righteousness in the present time, for His being just and justifying the one that is of the faith of Jesus.

Sanctification

Joh 17:19 And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.

2Th 2:13 ¶ But we ought to thank God always concerning you, brothers, beloved by the Lord, because God chose you from the beginning to salvation in sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth,

Jesus Christ lived in sanctification by the love and truth of God. Jesus centered believer also lives in sanctification by the love and truth of God. God has chosen that His children would live in sanctification of the Spirit according to the love and truth of God.

Salvation and damnation

Mr 16:16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be ******.

The Lord Jesus spoke about salvation and damnation. If your focus is on Jesus you also speak about salvation and damnation. The gospel of Jesus is the message about God's love and grace, Jesus's redemption through His blood, salvation to those who repent and believe in Jesus. The gospel of Jesus is also as eternal life to those who believe in Him and who don't repent and believe in Him must go to eternal damnation. If your focus is on Jesus, so you speak from all of those preceding issues.

Mr 1:15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.

The Lord Jesus spoke about repentance and exhorted people to believe the gospel. If your focus is on Jesus, so you also speak about repentance and exhorts people to believe the gospel (to Jesus). The Greek word metanoee means ( repent, changing of the mind, thinking in a new way). When a man repents his sins, it means that he by repentance confesses to God that he is a sinner and has done sin against God and want to believe God by the Lord Jesus. When a man makes this from the grace of God, God shall save him. In sanctification life, the Holy Spirit shall change his mind to think in a new way according to the will of God. Sanctification brings forth righteous acts by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Sin

Lu 24:47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

Jesus Christ said that people must repent sins and believe in Him if people want to be saved and get forgiveness of sins. If your focus is on Jesus, so you also speak to people that they must repent sins and believe in Jesus if they want to be saved. If your focus is on Jesus, so you speak that there is One Way to forgiveness of sins and to God, which is repentance and believing in Jesus Christ.

People don't like to hear preaching or talking about repentance and sin. However, when the Holy Spirit opens the heart of man to understand sin, Jesus's redemption and salvation, so then he is willing to receive salvation. Don't be afraid to speak about sin, but speak of it like the Bible tells. Sin destroys and pollutes the heart of a man and wages of sins is eternal damnation.

Deception and deceivers

Mt 22:29 Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God

Mt 16:6 Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees

Mt 23:15 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.

Mt 12:34 O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.

Mr 7:6 He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.

Mt 24:11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.

Mt 24:24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.

The Lord Jesus spoke much from deceptions and deceivers. He even named those deceivers, and all His disciples knew them. If your focus is on Jesus you also expose deceptions and deceivers, and even mention their names. Jesus Christ spoke that in the last days will arise from many kinds of deceptions and false prophets, who try to deceive even the elect ones. If your focus is on Jesus, so you expose all deceptions and false prophets. If you don't expose them, sins and deceptions have blinded you, and you fear men more than God. If your focus is on Jesus, you don't hunt deceptions, deceivers and false prophets, but you expose them when you see them. If your focus is on Jesus, so you keep your focus in the love and truth of God, and you glorify God by the Lord Jesus.

In the last days, these deceptions will increase and many believers will be blinded to them, so that they don't recognize deceptions or deceivers, but hold them as their sisters and brothers in Christ. Same in the last days many wrong and false doctrines and manifestations of false spirits will be increased in the congregation. Many blinded believers will give their support to those false doctrines and false manifestations and deny criticizing and exposing them and say that concentrate on Jesus, and don't mock the servants of God. They mix up false prophets and deceivers as sisters and brothers in Christ.T hey don't understand that Biblical discernment, testing and exposing false things belongs to health Biblical faith. They have become drunk from the wine of wrath (evil spirits), and they cannot discern between good and evil, and for this reason they will be deceived. If your focus is on Jesus, so you expose all lies and deceptions, because they will damage the heart of the believers and in the long run those lies can lead them away from the salvation.

Amount of carnal religious people increases in the last days. They demand you to focus on Jesus according to itch ears of men. They don't allow you to expose deceptions, deceivers, false doctrines and false manifestations of evil spirits.

Carnal people who are under sin of carnality hold themselves and deceivers as right believers and those who really love Jesus in truth as rigorous and zealous after the law (legalism).

Carnality doesn't discern false doctrines and false manifestations, if there looks like a bit right among the lies. Carnal believer for this reason also attacks against those who love Jesus in the truth of God. Many believers in the last days shall accept false doctrines and ungodliness.. They accept it by silence, in which they don't speak against a lie, but they escape responsibility that belongs to Jesus' disciples. Disciples of Jesus Christ have responsibility to expose all sins and falsehoods and of course live in righteousness by the truth and the love of God. Carnal believer thinks that by silence, he loves his neighbor and not judges him. Exposing of sins and falsehood is not judging, but Biblical act where we expose sins and falsehood, which destroy our neighbor.

Many believers say that we cannot judge others, and we have no right to judge anybody. Of course, we have no right to judge anybody and not say anybody as Pharisee without basis. Jesus Christ exposed Pharisees and said that they deceive people to damnation with their doctrines. Jesus' disciples have a right to expose religious hypocrisy (Pharisaism), because it can deceive Jesus's disciples away from the faith that is focusing on Jesus.

In this point, we must remember that first, we must take a log from our own eye than a twig from a neighbor eye. Jesus Christ said that he is the hypocrite who doesn't see a log in his eye, but sees a twig in a neighbor's eye. Usually, he is the hypocrite who rummages twigs out of neighbor's eyes, although his own eye is full of logs.

Why Jesus Christ exposed Pharisees and why also in the congregation Pharisees should be exposed? Jesus Christ said that Pharisees honor God with the lips, but their heart is far away from Him. For this reason, the Lord Jesus said that those hypocrites in vain worship God, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men. For this reason Jesus Christ exposed them, because hypocrite (deceiver) is eager to teach and deceive. The Lord Jesus Christ wants that His congregation remains holy and pure from the pollution of sins and deceptions, and faith that focuses on Jesus has a same goal as Jesus Christ has. Therefore, if your focus is on Jesus, so you expose all hypocrisies, sins, deceivers and deceptions. Exposing must do by love and truth, not hitting in the flesh, but telling the truth in love. This mean that you don't expose deceptions and deceivers raising yourself, but because those deceivers would come into repentance and that whole congregation will see discernment between sin and righteousness.

Health and Biblical focusing on the Lord Jesus causes you act, think, talk and live as Jesus Christ did. Give up yourself on to real Jesus centered faith. People of this world give not thank to Jesus' disciples, but most important is that God pleases us, when we live according to the faith that is focusing on Jesus. Let the power of the Holy Spirit grow us deeper in Jesus centered faith. Let it be so that Jesus Christ is the center of your life.

[drdos]

Hi, drdos. As you've pointed out before, sometimes tone is hard to read on a message board. Maybe I'm just defensive today, but this came across as an insinuation that I was attempting to be the "thought police". I didn't intend to say that you couldn't express your opinion at all, but I can see that I did by asking you to pass over it if you didn't find it important. Please forgive me for that. Really, your opinion wasn't the problem, it was just expressed in a way that shuts down discussion and some people might need to have that discussion. I seem to have foot in mouth disease today!

Totally not a problem. I didn't find what you said as being in any way censoring. More to the point I needed to censor myself.

[Resurrection Torchlight]

aside from the scriptural aspect of this discussion- there is the common sense aspect- tatoos are a rather permanent statement to display upon oneself. Whatever statement one makes in getting them- will be carried with them for all to see for the rest of their life. Personally I just think it's kind of dumb.

My daughter has a friend who has tatoos down both arms and gauged ears. Now that he is a bit older he's finding it hard to get a job because of it.

RT

[mark s]

My younger sister once told me that if she is ever diagnosed with a terminal disease, she's going to start smoking, and get a tattoo.

[drdos]

My younger sister once told me that if she is ever diagnosed with a terminal disease, she's going to start smoking, and get a tattoo.

I'm going bungee jumping!

[Abiding in His Word]

[daffyladysson]

Paul stated that while all things are legal for him to do, not everything is profitable. The question then becomes "are tattoos profitable to the kingdom of Heaven?" Would Jesus allow our tattoos into heaven? Incidentally according to Paul's statement even murder would be legal, but it is not profitable to the kingdom of Heaven.

[drdos]

Paul stated that while all things are legal for him to do, not everything is profitable. The question then becomes "are tattoos profitable to the kingdom of Heaven?" Would Jesus allow our tattoos into heaven? Incidentally according to Paul's statement even murder would be legal, but it is not profitable to the kingdom of Heaven.

I don't believe tattoos benefit the Kingdom of God, and I doubt our new body's will have transferred tattoos from our former bodys, but I do have a question doesn't Jesus have written on this thigh "King of Kings", and "Lord of Lords"?? Could this be considered a tattoo??

(Rev 19:16) And He has on His garment, and on His thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.

[mark s]

Paul stated that while all things are legal for him to do, not everything is profitable. The question then becomes "are tattoos profitable to the kingdom of Heaven?" Would Jesus allow our tattoos into heaven? Incidentally according to Paul's statement even murder would be legal, but it is not profitable to the kingdom of Heaven.

I don't believe tattoos benefit the Kingdom of God, and I doubt our new body's will have transferred tattoos from our former bodys, but I do have a question doesn't Jesus have written on this thigh "King of Kings", and "Lord of Lords"?? Could this be considered a tattoo??

(Rev 19:16) And He has on His garment, and on His thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.

It could be written on His clothing, as a banner, say.


What does it mean, we are dead to the Law?

How is it Scripture can say, there is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus?

Serious questions . . .

[drdos]

Paul stated that while all things are legal for him to do, not everything is profitable. The question then becomes "are tattoos profitable to the kingdom of Heaven?" Would Jesus allow our tattoos into heaven? Incidentally according to Paul's statement even murder would be legal, but it is not profitable to the kingdom of Heaven.

I don't believe tattoos benefit the Kingdom of God, and I doubt our new body's will have transferred tattoos from our former bodys, but I do have a question doesn't Jesus have written on this thigh "King of Kings", and "Lord of Lords"?? Could this be considered a tattoo??

(Rev 19:16) And He has on His garment, and on His thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.

It could be written on His clothing, as a banner, say.


What does it mean, we are dead to the Law?

How is it Scripture can say, there is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus?

Serious questions . . .

Could be Mark, but it does say On his garment and on his thigh, which could be written on both..

[mark s]

Could be Mark, but it does say On his garment and on his thigh, which could be written on both..

You've got a point there.

And . . . the 144,000 will have the seal of their God on their foreheads.

[Jericho]

I don't believe tattoos benefit the Kingdom of God, and I doubt our new body's will have transferred tattoos from our former bodys, but I do have a question doesn't Jesus have written on this thigh "King of Kings", and "Lord of Lords"?? Could this be considered a tattoo??

(Rev 19:16) And He has on His garment, and on His thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.

This could have to do with the tassels that hang down from the Hebrew prayer shawl called the tallit. You can read about it here:http://www.rivkah.org/030305.htm

Excerpt:

Notice the passage from the Book of Revelation which says concerning Jesus, “And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS” (Rev 19:16). Notice the verse says, “on his garment” (tallit), there is “a name (symbol of authority) written!” Compare with Ex 6:3! Notice how the tsee-tseeth' (symbol of authority) falls against Librada’s thigh! The concept behind authority and the concept behind name is one and the same! This picture of Jesus’ return is the last appearance of the tallit in the Bible!

You've got a point there.

And . . . the 144,000 will have the seal of their God on their foreheads.

Not all mark's are created equal (no pun intended ). We can't forget that Satan also has his mark (Rev 13:16). But I believe there's a big difference between a mark from God and a mark from Satan or man. Man made marks were born out of paganism and religious practices. While they have become more mainstream in recent times they flourish in places like prisons, that should tell you something.

[drdos]

Man made marks were born out of paganism and religious practices. While they have become more mainstream in recent times they still flourish the most in prisons and with gangs, that should tell you something.

That's why I won't ever get one, more to the point of causing a brother to stumble then any other reason though.

[Jericho]

And I'll add I'm not condemning Christians who already have tattoos, just that it's probably not a good idea to get one after becoming a believer.

[drdos]

And I'll add I'm not condemning Christians who already have tattoos, just that I don't think it's a good idea to get one after you become a believer.

I agree... I'm not condemning Christians who have tattoos. I have just chosen not to get one.