What God Says About Tattoos

Why Joyce Got A Tattoo

What does God think about tattoos? Most people have an opinion and Joyce shares her own personal beliefs about tattoos and other religious, legalistic rules, with Scripture to back her up!

Holiness is not legalism

For many years people have confused biblical holiness with a long list of rules to follow. The idea of “holiness” became not smoking, not drinking, not cussing, not dancing, not playing cards, not going to parties, not wearing pretty clothes, not wearing any makeup, no jewelry, not having a nice hairstyle and more. You had to cut or not cut your hair depending on which brand or religion you followed, and you definitely couldn’t have a tattoo or, if you're a man, put an earring in your ear! That kind of behavior would just put the religious people over the edge!

But did you know that in Isaiah 44:5 (AMPC), it says, One will say, I am the Lord's; and another one will write [even brand or tattoo] upon his hand, I am the Lords...?

In Isaiah 49, it says that God has a picture of you tattooed on the palm of his hand. How cool is that? If I got a tattoo, I would get one just to make religious demons mad. For years I lived in so much bondage from legalism. Everything about legalism is something you can't do. But let me tell you something, it is not boring to serve Christ. It is so much fun, and there is so much you can do. And not only that, you can enjoy all of it!

It comes down to your heart

Leviticus 19:28 says You shall not make any cuts on your body [in mourning] for the dead, nor make any tattoo marks on yourselves; I am the Lord. In other scriptures, God punished the Israelites for wearing earrings because they were doing it at a feast to the idol, Baal. But in Ezekiel 16:11-12, there was a big feast, and God put earrings on everyone and even nose rings.

So, what’s the difference? True biblical holiness is all about your motive and why you're doing things. It’s being different from the world and honoring God above all else…but that doesn’t mean you can’t have a little fun!

Why in the world would we think that God is colorless and boring and wants everything to be just a bunch of rules and regulations? Let me tell you something, the Bible says that God sits in the heavens and laughs, and He put a laugh in every one of us because He expects us to use it. We need to realize that we're the billboard for God. People so desperately want to be happy, and they need to see that in us. They don't need a bunch of people calling themselves Christians who look like they've been baptized in prune juice! Pursue holiness, stop looking at what everyone else is doing and go out and enjoy life…maybe even get a tattoo while you’re at it!

Watch below to see when Joyce first decided to get the tattoo!