Is It a Sin to Get Tattoos?

The following is a prerecorded version of core Christianity is a sin to get tattoos. That's just one of the questions will be answering on today's addition of core Christianity hi this is Bill Meyer along with Pastor Israel Sanchez and this is the radio program where we answer your questions about the Bible and the Christian life every day.

You can call us with your question. At 833 the core that's 1-833-843-2673. You can also post a question on her Facebook, Instagram or twitter account and you can email us your question at questions@corechristianity.com first step today.

Let's go to Anthony in Providence, New Hampshire, no Providence, Rhode Island Anthony what your question for pastor atrial show the greatest threat yeah it is so cool and that he thanked me. I recite that schedule. Every Christian by 2025 years and up we got water every day. I was baptized at Daytona Baptist Church and before we were baptized we had salaam take a six week class to understand what the doctor little about know when I go now is the church will do baptisms on an altar call and I don't understand – corrected knockdown think you understand the value of its without having some training before it is that which way is right. Which way is wrong.

Only both right and he thinks that question I think the first way is right got back to the church were baptized at back in and in Daytona. I'd I think support for adults you know it is her coming into the church rightly were not just say no man had his great emotional experience during a worship service. I love the worship music and and now they're inviting me to come up and I just yeah. But do this Baptist thing that kind of thing. It really is important for us to understand what's taking place and and throughout the history of the church. Anthony, Christians have been really really serious about this in the ancient church another one. There was a period of of we might call it a new members class at where they were talking about the fundamentals of the faith with it would go through that that the basics right is a focus on the life, death, burial and resurrection of Jesus, the belief in one God, belief in the holy Trinity, the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment. And these are things that they would learn about as they were preparing to be baptized because essentially written a note following Jesus Christ isn't something that just I think I might well you know if you like doing that today that's that sort of thing know what were calling people to turn from their sins and to embrace Jesus and that that that's you know that that's life that life change that that that that's everything right there and so I think it is important for churches as the gospel is being proclaimed in his people are hearing that Gosplan and their being changed by right that they now it's like God has planted that seed of faith in their heart. They're starting to understand the gospel. They've not been baptism. What an opportunity there to be able to take those individuals as they would praise God for what's happening in your life. Let's help you understand this and answer walk with you and baptize you get your baptized get you taking of communion.

The Lord's supper and so that that's I think that the best approach that sad thing Anthony. I'll just say it seems to me like there are a lot of this me to some big ministries and assertive conferences that go out quote unquote revivals that kind of thing they're all about just getting people baptizing the ones that we were able to baptized 3000 people.

The other day just like the end of the book of acts that kind of a thing, and yet there is an follow-up necessarily and then these people can plug into local church and then I will even know what's going on there. Just having the sort of emotional experience and I think I think that's a shame what we ought to help people teach them what the Bible says and and so that when they are baptized there. They're encouraged it's something that they understand what they're doing and they they benefit from it and so Anthony that's that's my response brother and I appreciate your encouragement and thank you for your question. Great question Anthony, thanks so much for being a regular listener. This is core Christianity with Pastor Israel Sanchez Israel one of the ways we could questions and through her Facebook page and here's a Facebook life question from Mary and she says, how can I help someone know that God cares about their personal small details in their lives. Yeah I love this question because I believe wholeheartedly that God does care about the intimate detail of of our lives in the United States is sort of like the psalmist said he look at the Psalms Psalm eight listen to how how the psalmist is just blown away by God's goodness by God's grace by the fact that God even thinks about us oh Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth. You have set your glory above the heavens out of the mouth of babies and infants to establish strength because of your foes to still the enemy and the avenger. When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which was set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the Son of Man that you care for him.

You have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings crowned him with glory and honor.

You have given him dominion over the works of your hands you put all things under his feet. Here psalmist. They are saying I when I think about how amazing you are.

When I look up at night.

I'm gazing at the stars and am just overwhelmed by the sense of man, I'm nothing. The universe is so big when I when I imagine Lord God is your word says that you've created all of this when I went in mind that you are mindful of me. Who am I that you would care for me.

The psalmist knows that God got does care for us that he is mindful of us. Another beautiful song that I think you could point to money on his Psalm 56 verse eight.

Listen to what the psalmist said there in Psalm 56 verse eight for you Count of my tossing's my tears in your bottle. Are they not in your book that you've you've you've watched me.

You see me you see my pain every single tear that I've cried friends. I do know what you're going through right now. Maybe you're going through something very difficult in your life. What what an encouragement that verse is there God keeps count of your tossing's.

He puts your tears in his bottle.

He knows every single one fact you know what else he knows every single hair that's on your head is what what Luke tells us, Jesus tells us in in Luke chapter 12 verse seven.

Even the very hairs of your head are numbered. And so when we look at God's revelation and wheat we think about how God thinks about us and what he knows about us. It does seem seem like over and over in the Old Testament and the New Testament God is intimately aware of each and every one of us, and what oh what a beautiful thing that is in so that in terms of, you know how to how to encourage someone with this I would point them to those passages reminding them that God knows every single one of their hairs. Luke 12 verse seven that every single one of their tears has been bottled up by the Lord. Psalm 56 verse eight that God cares about us because he cares about us. We can go to him. We can cry out and we can trust that he hears us that he's a good father.

We don't always get what we want and we don't always know what's best for us. We can trust in him as a good father and so thank you for that question addresses those in passages of Scripture are encouraging for you and for whoever else hears them some beautiful passages Israel thank you for bringing that up. That should give all of us comfort especially on those hard days when were feeling like where is God. To realize how much he cares for us. What a tender father is this is this is core Christianity with Pastor Israel Sanchez and we want to mention to you that if you'd like to talk to pastor Sanchez live. Here is the time to do it. You want to call at 11:30 AM Pacific time. 1230 Mountain 130 Central or 230 Eastern. That's because some radio stations air our program on a delayed basis. So that's the time to call you can also leave a voicemail for us 24 hours a day at this number it's 833 the court to spell that on your phone, 833. The core 418-338-4326 73.

Here's a voicemail we received from Brittany so I went into talk about God's mission. That means that he's all-knowing. He knows the past, present and future of everything and I also understand the concept of free will.

He gives us free will to make our own choices and to choose whether you want to follow Hannibal our lives and believe in heaven or what we choose not to do that so I guess what I really don't understand about that guy already knows what choices each and every one of us is going to make why is he still create those people that are going to make those bad choices and condemned them to an eternity in hell, not a like question they're getting it into some real philosophical issues here and honestly me. This is a great question that you ask because we do confess that God is all-knowing and all-powerful debt that he's not bound by time or information. The Lord knows every step are going to take before we take it and he allows us to take those steps that you mentioned the freedom that God gives to us you know God holds us responsible for our sinful actions, and so while God created us and knows all things were actually responsible for the things that we do. Why did God create to begin with, will listen to what Paul said in Colossians chapter 1 verse 15 speaking about Jesus really is a beautiful is almost a hymn of worship to Jesus. He says he is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities all things were created through him and for him. He is before all things and in him all things hold together. Everything was made through Jesus and for Jesus for his glory. Now there are a lot of people to rebel against Jesus turn away from him that that shake their fist at God, and the amazing thing Brittany is that the Lord is still able to use even them, even them in their rebellion for his glorious purpose is not how he does that is beyond me. He's all-powerful and and often times we don't know exactly how God accomplishes that, but we know that he does that he's able to cause all things to work together for the good of those who love him were called according to his purpose Romans chapter 8 and then just one chapter later in Romans chapter 90 do have this this idea that I've already brought up of God, even using those who rebel against him. The enemies of his people for his glorious purposes.

Now that might sound crazy to you but it sounded crazy to the people that Paul was writing to in Rome. And so he says this, what shall we say then Romans chapter 9 verse 14 is there injustice on God's part that really says to me sister like burning like that's the question you're asking, is God, not just here, he's creating people he's allowing them to let me knows that they're going to rebel against him is is is there injustice here in the snowball says by no means, for he says to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion so that it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God who has mercy for the Scripture says to Pharaoh for this very purpose. I raised you up that I might show my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all your so then he has mercy on whom it whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills and Paul says okay I don't trip your thinking now that you have just said this to you and what you think. Now you will say to me then verse 19. Why does he still find fault. Now God got blame and how can God find fault who can resist his will. If if it's all up to God's sovereign purposes, and how can God find fault in people. Paul says in verse 20 but who are you man to answer back to God will what is molded say to its molder, why have you made me like this as the potter no right over the clay to make one to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use.

What if God desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he is prepared before hand for glory see pulses look God's ways are not our ways got God's ways are way above our ways and he is able to use even the pharaohs of the world.

Those who are, you know, against his people, persecuting his people hardening their hearts against his word and his will.

God is even able to use them. He does use them for his glorious purposes and even for the good of his people. So were were struck here with the great mystery. The mystery of how the sovereignty of God and the responsibility of mankind work together, but we know it is absolutely clear that were responsible, but that God is also sovereign and so and so we look to him and and we trust that he's good knowing that I would want anybody else on the throne. Except the Lord God Almighty. We sometimes like to think me… I'd I'd make a good judge there. I'd like to be there. Note God knows more than we know.

And so we trust in him and we rest in his power and in his goodness, Brittany, thank you for your question. This is core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez we should mention that this program is not supported by a particular church or denomination. We rely on people just like you to make donations to keep us on the air. If you find this program helpful. We would ask you to prayerfully consider making a gift of any amount we have a special group of people we call our inner core, who make monthly gifts to us and that we have something really special for each one of those members – you have a lot of really special things for these special people who join the inner core. We have average is this a number of resources that were producing throughout the month for you exclusive resources for you every inner core member receives a copy of core Christianity book by Dr. Prof. Michael Horton diving into the basics of the Christian faith. This is an excellent book brothers and sisters.

If you want to grow in your understanding of what Christianity is all about who Jesus is what he came to accomplish the word of God. The authority of Scripture, the holy Trinity. I mean all. All of these things are just so important for us to grasp as believers get a hold of this book and we do hope that you'll support us if this broadcast is been a blessing to join the inner core love to have you do that and start receiving some of that exclusive content including some regular video devotionals from a drill to sign up. All you have to do is go to core Christianity.com/inner core that's core Christianity.com/inner core, or you can call us for that offer or when any one of our offers at 833. The core let's go to Sharon in Wisconsin, Sharon and I wonder what the Bible about killing your body there at about Sharon, thank you for that question. Well, there are some people who point to a verse in Leviticus Leviticus chapter 19 verse 28 talks about, you know, don't you know cut or mark your your body for the dead. Don't don't tattoo yourself for the dead, that kind of a thing in the say look, you shouldn't.

Christians are not permitted to get tattoos. Leviticus 1928 says it right there no cuttings or markings of the flesh for the dead, that kind of a thing that we have to understand it in the context there, especially in the in the book of Leviticus God is is speaking to his people about how they need to be distinct from the pagan world around them and and in that day and age. Some of these markings me there really was this religious significance associated with it was an act of pagan worship and oftentimes of God is very clear. He didn't want his people to be doing that and so that there there's I think a little bit of a contextual difference there. I would say that you know it's referring to had I really like this butterfly and I kinda want to get this butterfly in my armor that kind of thing know I think it's a matter of of personal conscience, a matter of Christian liberty now. Are there things that you probably shouldn't get tattoos on your body yeah and that's wherewith wisdom comes in and are there other things that are permissible out so you probably mean if if it's something that you want to do. I've heard the counterargument made, which I think is also not a very good are you something people point to Leviticus 1920 is a you can't tattoo your body and then other people responded to say oh yeah, well in Revelation chapter 19. It says that Jesus has a name written on his thigh, King of Kings and Lord of lords. Jesus himself got a tattoo that also is a terrible argument.

Don't use that as an argument in favor of tattoos. This really is a matter of Christian liberty and so I was to exercise wisdom and and you know it. Think about all of the questions asked Selena why am I doing this you know my MI doing this to please others in my doing this to draw attention to myself that kind of thing. I think those are fair questions to ask, is this a vanity thing. Or is this just something that I enjoy and I thought of art behind it that that sort of the thing. It's it meaningful for me to ask yourself those kinds of questions exercise wisdom and and I think you'll be okay. I bless you this is core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez, one of the ways you can ask your question is by emailing us. Here's our email address its questions at core, Christianity.com. The word questions at core, Christianity.com Karen wrote to us with this question. She says two years ago we found out that her son was gay.

It completely shocked me and my husband when he was six years old.

I led him to Christ after want to at our church was married to a woman for about a year and then divorced her. So my question is will we get to see him in heaven. I know that God is the only one who knows his heart, and there are so many opinions on this in first Corinthians 69 through 11, it says that homosexuals will not inherit the kingdom of God. And I know that this way of life leads to destruction. If he doesn't repent, but I would love to hear what you have to say all Karen. I don't want to speak outside of what the Scripture says and you went to the text of Scripture there in first Corinthians chapter 6, the Bible is absolutely clear that you know these these kinds of relationships same sex sex sex with her. That's sin that homosexuality is a part of this sort of disordered fallen humanity that we we experienced many people in particular experience and struggle with, and individuals who who say that's just me that Tom and to live and they engage in that kind of behavior pulses look. Don't be deceived, they will not inherit the kingdom of God. Now, does that mean it's hopeless for individuals who struggle in this way, absolutely not, because, as Paul is writing to the Corinthians. There he says look. Such were some of you as you you used to be. I identified in this way. This used to be you but you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the spirit of our God. There there there is an unpardonable sin that Jesus talks about the got in the Gospels but it's not this, and there are people who wrestle with these desires.

These ungodly desires. I would say and who seek to fight them, and to walk with Jesus and not to engage in them.

And for those individuals are the same hope that we all have the hope of the gospel as were all seeking to put to death if you will.

The sinful desires of our own hearts agreed last sexual immorality murder those the hatred those kinds of things and so II understand to me how how heavy this must weigh upon you with your son Karen so I would say continue to love continue to love your son continued to build and cultivate your relationship with them. Let them know that despite his his actions, his choices, you're not going to stop loving him you going to continue to love them and part of leavening loving him means continuing to share Jesus and his love with him.

There is that hope that hope that we have in the gospel that there is no sin. That is too great for our Lord.

And so I would say continue to to love your son to reach out to your son and to pray for your son and that's what I want to do right now.

Just take a quick moment to pray for you and to pray for your son. Dear father, we lift Karen up to you. And Lord, we know that she also represents so many parents, mothers who are concerned about their children because of the choices that they're making the ways in which they they want to live their lives.

Often times, Lord. Turning away from you. Would you please give Karen and all those listening right now for whom this is true wisdom to know how to love and care for and be truthful honest with their children Lord to continue to keep the door open to be able to share their love with them and and also Lord God in your love with those who needed Jesus, we know that you came to seek and save the lost. Those who are weak and in need of your mercy, and so would you be with Karen. Would you be with her son, would you open his heart to you so that he might experience your grace and love and would you be with this family. In Jesus name amen Karen, thank you so much for your question may Lord be with you and may the Lord bless you and thanks for listening to core Christianity to request your copy of today's special offer.

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