Will getting tattoos keep people out of the kingdom?

Scripture: Leviticus 19:28
Will getting tattoos keep people out of the kingdom? Some people have come to the Lord who already have tattoos. God certainly forgives people for doing this. But the Bible indicates we should not make cuttings and 'marks' on their skin.
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Caller:  My question is in regards to tattoos.  You know you see so many people with tattoos these days, and I do remember, but I can’t remember which book it is in the Bible that the Lord says for us not to put any tattoos on our body.

Pastor Doug:  Leviticus 19.

Caller:  Ok.  And I wondered how is that going affect us, those persons that are doing it, to getting into the Kingdom of Heaven?

Pastor Doug:  Well, there are a lot of people who have come to the Lord after they had tattoos and then of course even people who, while they were Christians, made the mistake of backsliding for whatever reason and getting tattoos.

I don’t think that – you know obviously, it’s something you can repent of in your heart but you can’t easily take off your body.  But, what did I say?  Leviticus 19:28.  It says ‘You’ll not make any cuttings in your flesh or marks on you, for I am the Lord.’  Some versions render that tattoos so everyone out there will have that verse.

Yeah, because our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit and it says, ‘If anyone defiles the temple of God, him will God destroy for the temple of God is Holy, which temple you are.’

Now that doesn’t mean a person, if they get a tattoo, can’t repent and won’t be forgiven.  Nowhere does it say tattoos are the unpardonable sin.  So was that what you’re wondering?

Caller:  That’s exactly what I was wondering.  I wondered if it would affect getting into the Kingdom of Heaven, if there was something that would –

Pastor Doug:  Well it can hurt their witness.  Let me give you an example.  I lead a person to the Lord who was in prison and he was part of the Arian group in prison.  You know what they are.

Caller:  Right.

Pastor Doug:  They hate the Jews and the Blacks and they believe in Nazism.  And he had like a Swastika tattooed on him.

After he gave his heart to the Lord, that sure didn’t help his influence.  And I know another young man – he had half his face tattooed.  Then you repent.  You give your heart to the Lord but you know, people are still going to judge you by your appearance for years to come.

Caller:  That’s true.  That’s very true.  That makes sense.

Pastor Doug:  Ok?

Caller:  Thank you so much.  I appreciate your program so much.

Pastor Doug:  Thank you.  Keep us in your prayers.

Caller:  Ok thank you.

Pastor Doug:  Bye-bye.

 

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