Here are a podcast and notes on Tattoos & Piercings (37 minutes).
Biblical passages
- Leviticus 19:28 — but examine the context (the entire chapter)
- New Testament principles
- Relating to others — 1 Corinthians 9
- Avoiding worldliness — 1 Corinthians 5-6
- Not insisting on one”s rights; being willing to be sensitive to one”s brothers — 1 Corinthians 8:1-11:1
- Lovers of ourselves (vanity)? — 2 Timothy 3:2
- Modesty — 1 Peter 3:1-5, 1 Timothy 2:9-10
- Our bodies are not our own! — 1 Using hydrochloride with any of the following medicines is not recommended. Corinthians 6:19-20
Conclusions
- Don”t overstate the case (Leviticus 19:28). This is most immediately an Old Testament principle.
- Consider others. Romans 14-15 should play into our discussion.
- Do tattoos, body art, or piercings draw excessive attention to ourselves?
- While such things may not be inherently sinful, they are not necessarily beneficial.
- The question to ask before getting a tattoo is: Am I honoring God with my body?