Addictions, bad and good........tattoos of Bible verses; thoughts?

[Tristen]

3 hours ago, farouk said:

FYI @Tristen Any wisdom here?

One of the Fruits of the Spirit is self-control (see Gal 5:22-23). Addictive (or "compelling") behaviors are contrary to self-control - and therefore contrary to the Holy Spirit.

Ultimately, by His grace, God can turn any negative into a positive. And God can use our past mistakes to help others.

 

[farouk]

On 2/3/2023 at 6:26 PM, bropro said:

One example I can recall actually uses the word "addicted," but in a positive sense. The meaning here is more to devote oneself to a good thing. The difference may be that when addicted to drugs, alcohol, etc. this is something that has a strong hold on a person even if they try to get free from it. The verse below indicates these people chose to addict (devote) themselves to something that they don't want to be loosed from.

1 Corinthians 16:15 (KJV)
¹⁵   I beseech you, brethren, (ye know the house of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and that they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints,)

Gary
 

@Tristen

Thanks for your comment just now. I also liked brobro's recent comment with an example of how 'addicted' can be used positively in Scripture (interestingly).

[Tristen]

40 minutes ago, farouk said:

@Tristen

Thanks for your comment just now. I also liked brobro's recent comment with an example of how 'addicted' can be used positively in Scripture (interestingly).

It's a quirk of interpreting from one language to another. The Greek word 'tasso' speaks to dedication, discipline and keeping order (which lines up with self-control).

I understand why the translators went with "addicted". Nevertheless, I think there is a distinction to be made in English between being determined and self-driven, and conversely, being under the control of an external force - such as drug addiction.

One is the master of self. The other is a slave.

 

[farouk]

3 minutes ago, Tristen said:

It's a quirk of interpreting from one language to another. The Greek word 'tasso' speaks to dedication, discipline and keeping order (which lines up with self-control).

I understand why the translators went with "addicted". Nevertheless, I think there is a distinction to be made in English between being determined and self-driven, and conversely, being under the control of an external force - such as drug addiction.

One is the master of self. The other is a slave.

 

@Tristen Yes, I can see the distinction which you make there, from those usages.

Was also mentioning earlier that my wife and I talked to a young lady with the wording of John 3.16 tattooed on her wrist area. I guess if it's done in a measured way with the motive of expressing witness sentiment, it's rather different from an uncontrolled obsession that goes over the top.....

 

[Logostician]

Here's a Bible verse about addictions:

Ephesians 5:18

And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;

The Holy Spirit strengthens us to overcome worldly weaknesses.  We are new creatures.  Staying in the Word gives the Spirit full sway in our lives.

As far as Bible verse tattoos, they are fine, as long as the are outward expressions of the inward man.

Jeremiah 31:33

But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.

[farouk]

2 minutes ago, Logostician said:

Here's a Bible verse about addictions:

Ephesians 5:18

And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;

The Holy Spirit strengthens us to overcome worldly weaknesses.  We are new creatures.  Staying in the Word gives the Spirit full sway in our lives.

As far as Bible verse tattoos, they are fine, as long as the are outward expressions of the inward man.

Jeremiah 31:33

But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.

@Logostician Great verses there; thanks for posting.

As regards the young lady that my wife and I talked to, her John 3.16 wrist area tattoo seemed to be a controlled, modestly placed injecting for witness purposes; I reckon it gave her quite some joy.

[Marathoner]

An addiction is understood in the proper context which is to say, it is an unhealthy fixation and/or dependency. I appreciate what @Tristen shared regarding dedication, for this expresses our focus upon and service to the Lord. We are dedicated to our Lord Jesus Christ and set aside for Him.

It can be said that a fixation with tattoos is indeed unhealthy, for this flesh does not glorify God; the flesh opposes the Spirit. I'm in agreement with The Patriot in this matter, for "Christian" tattoos are common fare in this world. They are by no means an effective witness for so many sport them. The tattoo expresses the desire of the bearer, not the Lord.

If someone wishes to be tattooed, that's their own affair. 

[Tristen]

2 hours ago, farouk said:

@Tristen Yes, I can see the distinction which you make there, from those usages.

Was also mentioning earlier that my wife and I talked to a young lady with the wording of John 3.16 tattooed on her wrist area. I guess if it's done in a measured way with the motive of expressing witness sentiment, it's rather different from an uncontrolled obsession that goes over the top.....

 

Unlike the Law of Moses, the Christian covenant is not a legalistic covenant. There is no Christian law either for or against tattoos. The decision whether or not to tattoo is therefore between the individual and the Holy Spirit.

But in a more general sense (i.e. not limited to tattooing), anything that enslaves us through addiction is not Godly. We each have our own race to run. I would therefore only be concerned if the "young lady" with the tattoo was acting, as you say, out of "an uncontrolled obsession". Otherwise, her tattoos are between her and her conscience towards God.

 

[Heleadethme]

21 hours ago, farouk said:

@Thanks, @Heleadethme. Do you think that generally speaking motivation may have a lot to do with it? for example, if a young believer, instead of say an extra ear piercing, prefers to get a Christian fish sign <>< on a wrist - or a Bible ref. - which will likely prove useful in conversations, one can maybe respect the motivation.

I think you might be assuming that people are judging/condemning those who have tattoos.   Me, I just ignore tattoos and focus on the person.  We may sometimes discern, but generally only God knows a person's motives and can judge their situation.

All I know is that God told the Israelites not to follow the ways of the pagans, not to imitate them and do as they do.....for the church I believe that translates into not following the ways of the world.  The bible is pretty specific in addressing the marking and cutting of the body.  Why do so many Christians want to follow the lead of a fallen world?  For two thousand years Christians the world over weren't getting tattoos, because of what the word of God says about it, and now suddenly tattoos have become mainstream in our society amongst unbelievers and sinners (and seems to me it began especially amongst troubled souls), and Christians want to imitate them in order to be "current".  We always will face temptations from the world in this life and we need to resist the world, rather than follow it.  Does that mean God will cast off and condemn every believer who gets tattooed for whatever reason?  I don't think so, but I believe any kind of departure from His ways is opening a door to trouble and we don't want to give the devil a foothold...the Lord may choose to be longsuffering in some cases, but it also can invite unwanted consequences. 

The false prophets of Baal were cutting themselves to try and get a response from their false god.  But our God, the true God, evidently doesn't want to be worshiped with tattoos, so why is it so hard to just give it a pass?  Jesus said His yoke is easy.  It takes more trouble and bother and expense to go out and get tattooed than it does to just not do it.

 

[TheBlade]

6 hours ago, Heleadethme said:

I think you might be assuming that people are judging/condemning those who have tattoos.   Me, I just ignore tattoos and focus on the person.  We may sometimes discern, but generally only God knows a person's motives and can judge their situation.

All I know is that God told the Israelites not to follow the ways of the pagans, not to imitate them and do as they do.....for the church I believe that translates into not following the ways of the world.  The bible is pretty specific in addressing the marking and cutting of the body.  Why do so many Christians want to follow the lead of a fallen world?  For two thousand years Christians the world over weren't getting tattoos, because of what the word of God says about it, and now suddenly tattoos have become mainstream in our society amongst unbelievers and sinners (and seems to me it began especially amongst troubled souls), and Christians want to imitate them in order to be "current".  We always will face temptations from the world in this life and we need to resist the world, rather than follow it.  Does that mean God will cast off and condemn every believer who gets tattooed for whatever reason?  I don't think so, but I believe any kind of departure from His ways is opening a door to trouble and we don't want to give the devil a foothold...the Lord may choose to be longsuffering in some cases, but it also can invite unwanted consequences. 

The false prophets of Baal were cutting themselves to try and get a response from their false god.  But our God, the true God, evidently doesn't want to be worshiped with tattoos, so why is it so hard to just give it a pass?  Jesus said His yoke is easy.  It takes more trouble and bother and expense to go out and get tattooed than it does to just not do it.

 

Hey sis. Egyptians would take captives and were branded with the name of the god marking them as belonging to pharaoh. In Leviticus is cutting for the dead you will not mark your flesh and writing marks you will not make on you. They say the words writing refers to inscibed or engraved symbols words and is used only here. So when was this by the lord given to Israel? Did it come after He set them free from Egypt.

Heres a fun one "“One will say, ‘I am the LORD’S’; And another will name himself after Jacob; And another will write on his hand, ‘I am the LORD’S,’ And be called by the [honorable] name of Israel."

Now in Isa 44:5 here "will write" means to gave to write. For me as with so many others there is nothing in the word of God against tattoos unless they are doing it like God told Israel not to do. Then Jewish law? Oh man your not going to get a simple answer. Some forbid it others don't know because the word is renderd incision and sometimes translated "tattoo". Now if being Jewish and you have tattoos you can still be buried in a Jewish cemetery.

I always walk softly here and watch what I say. I still remember the very young girl with all these beautiful tattoos and I complement her on them. She then looked sad saying its best to think before you get them. She never looked ahead and how she would feel just a few years later. We can add burdens to those that have them or make them feel condemned. I pause and think wait and listen to the sweet spirit of God and do not believe they are wrong. Just really need to think before. Most can't get them off.. so I choose to say words of life.

No I just kinda touched this so..