Over the past two weeks, we have been considering whether or not it is okay for a Christian to have or to get a tattoo. Up to this point, we have considered how the Old Testament usage of Leviticus 19:18 does not apply to our present-day situation and how the New Testament principle of modesty ought to bear weight on our understanding of whether or not tattoos are okay. This week, we will be looking at a second principle to help us reach our conclusion – stewardship.
The second New Testament principle to consider in the discussion of tattoos is that of stewardship. To be a steward is to be a manager of something entrusted to one’s care.[1] What we must come to realize is that we have been entrusted with our bodies by God, and we are to be the best stewards of our bodies as we can be. Genesis 1:26-27 teaches us that we have been created by God. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 teaches us that our body is “the temple of the Holy Spirit” given to us by God and that we are to “glorify God in [our bodies] and in [our spirits], which are God’s.” Based on these verses, we can draw a connection based on the principles of modesty. If a tattoo is going to lead to more harm than good, perhaps it is not the wisest decision to make regarding the stewardship of our bodies given to us by God. As stewards, we must remember that our bodies are not our own. The decisions we make regarding our bodies (how we mark them, what we wear, what we consume, etc.) all factor into the discussion of stewardship.
Just as stewardship applies to the handling of our bodies, it also applies to our use of God’s financial blessings. James 1:17 teaches us that “every good and every perfect gift” is from God the Father – and this includes our money. On the subject of stewardship, Brother Jim Hampton writes, “How can a Christian spend God’s money excessively on their personal lusts and worldly pleasures knowing what Jesus gave for their salvation?”[2] Tattoos cost money, and they are not always cheap. How can we as Christians, knowing that our financial resources are a gift from God, spend it frivolously on things that may be putting distance between us and our God? As a good steward of the finances given to us by God, we must weigh out whether or not the decision to get a tattoo is the wisest use of God’s blessings.
While there are perhaps other principles that could be considered regarding whether or not it is okay for a Christian to get a tattoo, in the end, it falls to a matter of opinion – so long as the tattoo does not violate the principles of modesty or stewardship. In these matters of opinion, we need to keep verses such as Romans 14:14-17 or 1 Corinthians 8:13 in mind. We must ask ourselves whether or not the tattoo might cause more harm than it will good.
[1] BDAG, s.v. “οἰκονόμος,” 698.
[2] Jim H. Hampton, Storing Up Treasures in Heaven (Winnsboro, TX: True Light Publications, 2013), 12.
By: Preston McElyea