'Christian tattoos to start a conversation as the Lord leads.'

[Hopefully]

Just now, farouk said:

; I couldn't quite see which of the commentators was responsible for the quote.

Thank you for looking. Scroll down to “Gill” but really I read them all this one seems the clearest to post.

[farouk]

2 hours ago, Hopefully said:

Thank you for looking. Scroll down to “Gill” but really I read them all this one seems the clearest to post.

Hi @Hopefully. Thanks for the info.

As regards Bible commentators, many of them fall into two categories; some Godly commentators are dispensational in outlook; others are Reformed: Dr. Gill would fall into this category.

One must remember that whether or not one is dispensational or Reformed, believers in the Lord Jesus tend to respect one another and recognizing that they may be coming from different interpretational outlooks can help this.

Dispensational commentators tend to see a distinction between the church (a heavenly ppl; Eph. 1, etc.) and Israel, an earthly ppl. Many dispensational commentators do not see the church - properly speaking - in the Old Testament at all. Some Reformed commentators to varying degrees may see the differences between Israel and the church as either insignificant or else may even see the church as some kind of ill-defined appendage to Israel, with an institutional church being some kind of extension of the synagogue but with 'Christianized' discourse. Whereas many dispensational commentators would tend to see Jews, Gentiles and the church of God (1 Cor. 10.32) as being in clearly defined categories.

This may all affect how the law may be viewed. While dispensationalists may emphasize that the law was changed (Hebrews 7.12) and that what we now have is better - a keyword in Hebrews - than the law (Hebrews 7.19), yet Reformed commentators would sometimes not really see a big break between the Old and New Testaments, with the Epistle to the Hebrews supposedly representing some kind of aggregate of opposites rather than significant in Christ's total fulfillment of the law marked by a transcendence of a now obsolete OT law.

In comments about tattoos, Christians may reflect a wide range of ideas. (This is also why a poll such as the one on this thread can be interesting.)

Sometimes the comments might seem old fashioned:

Cachalot said:

Tattoos are unlady-like. That is why I would never have one. christianityboard dot com

 

Others might see them in terms of historical variety:

 

Heavenhome said:

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

 

Today, there are so many people in some areas who have the most conservative of values and who, instead of showing an old fashioned reluctance may regard going to the parlor in order to get inked up with something faith based as something rather benign to pursue:

 

I would be hard-pressed to come up with more than a handful of names of my friends who DON'T have at least one tattoo--and we are all suburban homeschooling moms, ages ranging from early-30s to mid-50s, living in conservative North Texas. greenvneck forums dot thewelltrainedmind dot com

 

 

Some would think about it and in due course do it wholeheartedly:

Heather A. said:

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. christianityboard dot com

 

Others might not do it wholeheartedly at all, but would shrink from making tattoos a subject that might disturb the peace of a local church.

 

Not all Christians would take a strongly Reformed view of lawkeeping, and their - inevitably - varying viewpoints on tattoos as witness tools, etc. their views might reflect this.

 

(I appreciate your thoughtful questions.)

Edited June 26, 2023 by farouk

[farouk]

PS: @Hopefully While many Christians would not remotely want a tattoo, many Christians also might - for example - not want to disturb the peace of a local church by arguing about them.

 

GodsGrace said:

almost every young girl I know has some sort of tatoo.

Even those very conservative types.

 

Christophany said:

once upon a time I was legalistic with tatoo's, piercing etc..... not anymore ... I do not condemn others who think differently since it has nothing to do with ones salvation.

 

shnarkle said:
One of the churches I go to has three quite elderly women, all widows, who recently went out and got themselves tattoos. .. There was no doubt they were all first tattoos. All three of them went out and got them together.

 

source: christianityboard dot com

[Hopefully]

7 minutes ago, farouk said:

do not condemn others who think differently since it has nothing to do with ones salvation.

Above is From the quote of another- I don’t either but if asked I say I believe God does not want us to get tattoos.

Remember how I feel about the masses saying it’s okay. The quotes from others don’t sway me.

I do know when people know for sure they are doing the right thing they don’t normally seek advice from others.

If a Christian wants to do something and they have to ask many to feel good about it the answer is NO. 
 

Just my opinion.

Edited June 26, 2023 by Hopefully

[farouk]

Thanks to all who voted so far in the poll.

NB: If you have not yet voted in the poll, please vote now.

[farouk]

On 6/20/2023 at 4:36 PM, Anne2 said:

My sister had it done, but some faded real quick. she was supposed to get it refreshed but did not. I have not had it done, but have considered it getting older too.

@Anne2 You also mentioned about having preferred the darker or brighter colors but if you did it, you might not go dark or bright. So did your sister manage to pull off well a darker color being injected?

[Anne2]

Just now, farouk said:

@Anne2 You also mentioned about having preferred the darker or brighter colors but if you did it, you might not go dark or bright. So did your sister manage to pull off well a darker color being injected?

she did a grey black, not jet black. Me, probably the same. Not so stark , the grey adding a more subtle dark.

[farouk]

19 minutes ago, Anne2 said:

she did a grey black, not jet black. Me, probably the same. Not so stark , the grey adding a more subtle dark.

@Anne2 While in theory the jet black 'Cleopatra'-style lines that extend beyond the ends of the eyelids can look good on those who can pull it off, yet I guess your sister reckoned that a more blending, intermediate shade shot into the eyelids would be safer. (I guess you feel that if you did the starkly black tattooing your eyes would maybe surprise your friends and family a bit...?)

Anyway it's maybe good how the tattooing experience of others can moderate one's own tattooing plans.

I sometimes wonder if it would be good if more Christians got properly trained as tattoo artists.

[Anne2]

Just now, farouk said:

@Anne2 While in theory the jet black 'Cleopatra'-style lines that extend beyond the ends of the eyelids can look good on those who can pull it off, yet I guess your sister reckoned that a more blending, intermediate shade shot into the eyelids would be safer. (I guess you feel that if you did the starkly black tattooing your eyes would maybe surprise your friends and family a bit...?)

Anyway it's maybe good how the tattooing experience of others can moderate one's own tattooing plans.

I sometimes wonder if it would be good if more Christians got properly trained as tattoo artists.

That is for cosmetic effect, apart from the sopurring of Gospel conversation.

[farouk]

3 minutes ago, Anne2 said:

That is for cosmetic effect, apart from the sopurring of Gospel conversation.

@Anne2 Oh yes, there are really those two different sorts of tattooing; you're right; you have been considering only one of them.

But anyway all the young ppl with Bible verses tattooed with whom I have talked seem to have gotten injected with a view to talking to ppl about testimony, like you say.

(I wonder if it would be good if more Christian young ppl, starting out now, would consider it as a specialism they could usefully pursue - whether full-time or not...)