To Tattoo or Not to Tattoo

 I grew up a legalist. If you read any of my post, I've said it or you can pickup on it. So if you had asked me about Tattoos in the past I would have been against it. Tattoos or body piercings, nose rings, etc. all fall into the same category. I grew up in a denomination that taught against wearing jewelry, even wedding bands. I no longer belong to that denomination. But even they have changed in the years since I have been gone and they now wear wedding bands. It is a legalistic view to not wear wedding bands as wearing gold for ornament. I don't want to go into all that detail. Leviticus 19:27-28 (KJV):  27You shall not shave around the sides of your head, nor shall you disfigure the edges of your beard. 28Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the LORD.  Other versions like the NLT, NIV, or EVS use the word Tatoo any marks in place of print any marks upon you. It was a Jewish law and was meant to keep the Jews from worshiping other gods by cutting themselves and other extremes of worship. I don't know anyone that tattoos their body these days to worship another god. But if people use verse 28 that last part that talks about tattoos, do they also follow verse 27 that talks about shaving your hair or trimming your beard? It is a gray area that people can believe either way. The main point is to love people regardless of which way they interpret these verses. It is not repeated in the New Testament so many feel they have license to have tattoos. Coming from a legal upbringing, I used to be against tattoos, but prefer to remain undecided these days.  I still would choose not to get a tattoo. I have changed my thinking about wearing a wedding band also.  We can practice legalism or practice license to do all sorts of things that have absolutely nothing to do with salvation. Salvation by Grace, the forgiving of our sins by Jesus Christ is the message the world needs to hear. To tattoo or not to tattoo, to wear a wedding band or not to wear a wedding band has nothing to do with Salvation. Can we just love one another if it is a gray area that is not clear?  In a world that divides over everything can the body of Christ show love and tolerance for each other in the gray areas of scripture. God bless, LVZ