By Ambassador T Brikins
In every generation, the Church must answer an old question dressed in new clothing.
Not, “Is this fashionable?”
Not, “Is this allowed?”
But rather,
“Does this glorify Christ?”
For the believer does not merely ask what is permitted.
He asks what is profitable.
He asks what is pure.
He asks what resembles his Lord.
Currently, a conversation stirs the waters of the Nigerian Christian community. A respected pastor, known for counseling families and teaching conservative values, unveiled a tattoo upon his arm. Some applauded his liberty. Others questioned his example. Voices rose. Opinions clashed. Social media became a courtroom.
Yet beneath the noise lies a deeper matter.
Not ink.
Not skin.
But identity.
For the true question is not, “What is wrong with a tattoo?”
The true question is, “Whose mark do you bear?”
The Ancient Prohibition
The Scriptures speak first in Leviticus:
“You shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor tattoo yourselves: I am the LORD.”
— Leviticus 19:28
To modern ears, this sounds severe. But the command did not arise from mere dislike of body art.
Israel lived among nations who:
carved their flesh for the dead,
branded themselves for idols,
inscribed the names of false gods upon their skin,
and cut themselves in frenzy before Baal.
Their markings were not decorative.
They were devotional.
Every incision was allegiance.
Every symbol was worship.
So God, jealous for covenant loyalty, said in effect:
“You shall not carry the marks of another master.”
Israel was to be different — not merely in ritual, but in identity.
From External Marks to Inner Seals
But Christ came.
And with Him came a better covenant.
No longer written on stone.
Now written on hearts.
No longer enforced by external signs.
Now produced by inward transformation.
Under the New Covenant, righteousness is not tattooed on the skin.
It is engraved by the Spirit.
Paul declares:
“Circumcision is nothing… but keeping the commandments of God.”
— 1 Corinthians 7:19
Meaning: outward markings neither save nor sanctify.
A man may have bare skin and an unclean heart.
Another may carry scars and yet love God deeply.
Thus, tattoos do not automatically condemn a believer.
But neither are they spiritually meaningless.
For though the law has changed, wisdom remains.
And Christian freedom is never careless freedom.
“All things are lawful… but not all things are beneficial.”
— 1 Corinthians 10:23
The Question of the Temple
Scripture introduces another truth — solemn and sobering:
“Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit?”
— 1 Corinthians 6:19
The believer’s body is not private property.
It is sacred space.
A temple is not decorated impulsively.
It is treated reverently.
Not everything that can be done to the body should be done to it.
For stewardship is worship.
And permanence demands wisdom.
What we inscribe on the body today may speak for decades.
Thus the Spirit-filled believer asks:
Does this honor the temple — or merely express the self?
Identity and Witness
In truth, tattoos throughout history have rarely been neutral.
They have marked:
tribal belonging,
military allegiance,
slavery and ownership,
secret societies,
gang loyalty,
or rebellion.
They communicate.
And communication shapes witness.
Christians must remember:
The gospel travels not only through sermons, but through symbols.
Paul, though free, restrained his liberty:
“We avoid anything that may discredit the ministry.”
— 2 Corinthians 6:3
Especially leaders.
Especially shepherds.
Especially those whose lives others imitate.
For influence multiplies consequences.
What may be permissible for one may become a stumbling block for many.
Love sometimes limits freedom.
Fruit, Not Ink
Jesus gave the true measuring rod:
“By their fruits you shall know them.”
Not: By their clothes.
Not: By their hairstyle.
Not: By their tattoos.
But by:
character,
humility,
obedience,
holiness,
love.
A tattoo neither proves rebellion nor righteousness.
Yet it raises a deeper test:
What fruit accompanies it?
If the Spirit governs the heart, wisdom governs choices.
The Medical Reality
Even science whispers caution.
Tattooing is not harmless art.
It involves:
needles puncturing the skin thousands of times,
foreign pigments lodged permanently beneath tissue,
risks of infection,
allergic reactions,
hepatitis transmission if poorly sterilized,
heavy metal toxicity in some inks,
and keloid scarring — particularly common in darker African skin.
Removal often scars worse than application.
Thus even physically, the body pays a price.
And stewardship of health is also spiritual obedience.
The Higher Call of Discipleship
In this age of personality-driven Christianity, many ask:
“How far can I go and still be saved?”
But the disciple asks:
“How much like Christ can I become?”
Jesus never emphasized self-expression.
He emphasized self-denial.
Paul never defended his rights.
He surrendered them for the gospel.
“Follow me, as I follow Christ.”
This is the pattern.
Not trend-following.
Not culture-testing.
But Christ-reflecting.
Freedom Guided by Love
So where does this leave us?
Not in legalism.
Not in condemnation.
Not in reckless liberty.
But in holy wisdom.
Tattoo is not automatically sin.
Yet neither is it automatically wise.
It belongs to that tender category called Christian liberty — where decisions are governed not merely by permission, but by purpose.
Before any permanent mark, the believer should kneel and ask:
Can I dedicate this to God?
Does this magnify Christ or myself?
Will this strengthen my witness?
Will weaker believers stumble?
Does my conscience rest in peace?
For whatever is not from faith is sin.
Marked or Sealed?
In the end, the believer needs no ink to declare ownership.
He already bears a mark.
Not visible to the eye.
But blazing in eternity.
“Having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise.”
— Ephesians 1:13
This is our tattoo.
This is our brand.
This is our identity.
Not etched by needles.
But sealed by God.
And that mark is enough.
@AmbassadorTBrikins
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