Rich, et. al.:
ON TATTOOS FOR CHRISTIANS

I’m a member of Black Belts of the Faith, International and for my 40th birthday considered getting our “emblem” tattooed somewhere.

Coming straight out of the Old Testament in Leviticus, we are NOT to tattoo, or cut, our bodies in reverence to being made “in God’s image”.

But there are two problems with this; one, Leviticus is a “book of rules” intended for the young, Jewish nation.  In fact, the prior verse about tattooing is to “not cut the hair off the sides of your heads”.  O.K., but I’m not a Hasidic Jew.  Number two, the entire  OT is balanced by the GRACE offered in the New Testament.  I don’t live under RULES, I live under the GRACE provided me by a risen Christ.

So, in short, my SOUL belongs to God and I am his instrument.  My BODY is my vessel while I’m here on earth temporarily.

So I got my faith tattoo on my left (leading) shoulder, an everyone I fight asks me about it.  It plainly says “Holy Bible” on the picture of the Bible within the group’s triangle, and it helps me witness!  If someone compliments me on my technique, I’m quick to say “by the Grace of God, dude!”  If anyone says to me, “Wow, you’re still pretty strong!”  I say, “Do you want to know about REAL strength? Do you know what Christ did for you?”

It’s awesome.

Brad Barlow
Newbury Park, CA