farouk

Until the 19th century, the King James was usually printed with the Apocrypha. But of course the books are not canonical.

Hebrews 7.25: "Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them."

Not all the links I saw are live ones on my screen. As for the King James and other fairly formal versions, even if at first some effort is needed to read them, one can have confidence that they reflect the underlying languages well, rather than paraphrases which at times do sacrifice accuracy for supposed ease of reading.

Various outlets supply King James Bible editions. If it's in a study Bible format, it's good to make sure what the notes say actually reflect what the main text declares. Prayer and the Scriptures daily are so essential. As is meeting with like-minded believers.

The inward and spiritual must have primacy indeed: Paul says: "...though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. 17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; 18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal." A lot of Christians do use various outward means to express their convictions also; care does need to be taken to avoid them becoming an end in themselves or somehow displacing the inward and spiritual point of reference.

Hi @borndagain I do love the King James. Faith in the finished work of Christ (Hebrews chapters 9 and 10; John 19.30, etc.) is a strong statement indeed of testimony.

Romans 8, which contains a strong sense of the believer's eternal security, mentions also that the true believer walks not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

A faith tattoo here is not very daring @Scott Free You're right; it's not. The thought is likely more along the lines of wanting to make one's ink count in opportunities for testimony. ............... Originally Posted by rarah.peachey I have a fairly high pain tolerance. There were areas that were uncomfortable, but overall it wasn't bad. It took me three years to finally get mine. I had the same design in my mind the whole time, but still wasn't sure. .. I settled on getting Immanuel written across my wrist in Hebrew. As a military wife of faith, I felt there would be many times I would need to remember "God is with us" (which is what Immanuel means in Hebrew). ( from: militaryspouse dot com ) ............................. My wife has talked about this possibility .. a hard time deciding what to put permanently on her body. She has been urged by other military spouses to get one. GillDouglas christianforums dot com Sometimes the prospect of the experience of entering a parlor to have some faith-based ink rammed in can seem highly compelling. Not for every Christian, though. It's so widespread today that I think getting it done is bit like having pierced ears: .................................... "I have three holes in each earlobe, had them since the 70s ...I think it's now considered mainstream" source: Bunny gardenweb dot com

I would myself be pre-trib., the church is not going to be the object of God's wrath on earth.

@Scott Free @BornAgain490 There's plenty of warning in the OT, right? (And in the NT...)

Matthew 28.19-20 is very relevant: "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen."

@z88 This is an essential difference from the case of Elijah. Though sinless, "...Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures".

The Lord Jesus passed through death; but death could not hold Him because He is sinless. 1 Corinthians 15 is tremendously comforting reading for the believer.

Romans 5.22-25 says: "And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. 23Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; 24But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; 25Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification."

Hi @NConly back Like you said: "Some say tats are painful. I say if a tat is painful that person has lived a shelter life. As kids and teens just bumps and bruises are painful than tats." Not just 'tough guys' such as sailors and bikers do it, but women in their 60s now: .......................... My dear Dad had two tattoos but that was from his navy days. I have noticed however that lots of young girls have them and what is really noticeable is a huge amount are women say around their sixties . christianforums dot com ..................................... Some ppl make too much of the supposed pain, right? Anyway, a lot of Christians seem to reckon that a bit of discomfort to express something faith-based (Bible verse, etc.) is well worth it. It does need to go in deep enough. As kwikphilly, a former tattoo artist, said: I've had many cuts,gashes and punctures over the years and always heal very quickly .. . ..because dark skinned people have more melonin so you have to pack the ink deep into the dermis where as a fair skinned person it will stand out nicely just past the epidermis .. I've heard many a tattoo artist refer to people as a "canvas" and that the exact opposite of the whole idea- you paint on top of a canvas - you are not painting,you are tinting the epidermis by packing it with ink .. Had I been so interested in learning the "art" myself back when I simply & spontaneously got my first tattoo Im sure I would not have an unrecognizable blob of ink

Hi @NConly I think in this sort of subject it's good to remember that Paul speaks of 3 groups of ppl: 1 Corinthians 10.32: 'the Jews, ... the Gentiles, ... the church of God:'

Hi @z88 Barnes Notes: "The chastisement of our peace - That is, the chastisement by which our peace is effected or secured was laid upon him; or, he took it upon himself,' and bore it, in order that we might have peace. Each word here is exceedingly important, in order to a proper estimate of the nature of the work performed by the Redeemer. ... The phrase 'upon him,' means that the burden by which the peace of people was effected was laid upon him, and that he bore it. It is parallel with the expressions which speak of his bearing it, carrying it, etc. And the sense of the whole is, that he endured the sorrows, whatever they were, which were needful to secure our peace with God." (Biblehub.com ) Romans 5.1: 'Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:' Ephesians 2.14-18: "For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; 15Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; 16And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: 17And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. 18For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father."

"If a Christian or even someone else wants to get a tattoo, I don't think that is my concern... A former neighbor, a young lady... I didn't understand why she would want to totally cover herself but that was her choice." Hi @Debp back a bit It's useful to bear in mind that it's sometimes the most conservative of ppl who have it done. ........................................ I am a nurse in a cardiac ICU. I am also pretty heavily tattooed. I am a well educated, well rounded nurse, and was raised with strong morals and manners. .. I am an extremely traditional person. I've always worn long sleeves ..a professional persona as well as a unique one while I'm not working julieannenw allnurses dot com .................................... "I have three holes in each earlobe, had them since the 70s ...I think it's now considered mainstream" source: Bunny gardenweb dot com It's probably a bit like extra ear piercings (as in this last qoute). Maybe briefly several decades ago some might have have considered it a bit edgy but now the most conservative of great-grandmothers might have had them continuously for decades. (I guess with a tattoo there is in theory more scope for something faith-based and witness-friendly: these are the real matters for focus.)

Good indeed to encourage ppl to do serious Bible study.....

Hi @Tristen The funny thing is that ppl won't believe in a Creator but then fall for all sorts of odd theories............

Hi; @Marston It's good to remember that the cross is not only about deep suffering itself. The Gospel message revolves around the fact that the Lord Jesus gave Himself to redeem a people to Himself. Galatians 2.20: "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me."

@NConly Yes. That could be. Like when someone gets a clearly Christian design (Bible verse, etc.), the client that has gotten the ink up could be more confident now. ............................. I waited 5 years before getting it. .. Reno also has a lot of tattoo places. Carson City has a few. Most people travel to Reno or Las Vegas for it. .. I have 1 tattoo and I got it in Reno. .. I do have a cross tattoo. heather christianityboard dot com ...................................... This poster could be more confident now. I do also think that the medium (the tattoo) and the message - are very distinct. It's not the medium around which the blessing revolves but the authority of the message, if it's indeed Scripture-based.

PS: @maddy07 A thought also: The commentator Marshall McLuhan, who coined the phrase 'the global village', was also responsible for the phrase: 'the medium is the message'. When it comes to the glorious, life-giving message of the Gospel, we need ultimately to make sure that what attracts us is the message itself and the blessed Person and Work on which the message is centered, rather than the particular medium - such as musical style. In other words, when it comes to lyrics, the medium and the message are distinct.

1 Corinthians 15.20: "But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept."

Hebrews 9.26: "So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation."