History and tattoos

A clarification, when I wrote…. The modern church has not had a vision of where she should be going or engaging in. So most of the church , as if connected by gravity, is in a low altitude orbit just above the pagan culture.

I did not mean that they are at this place as an act of rebellion, maybe, maybe not. For the most part they are there as it is completely outside of their worldview to imagine, that there is anyplace else. They have been taken captive. They believe culture itself is neutral. Just like I used to. Talk of Christians submitting to Gods Law does not make sense to most. “that sounds legalistic ,We are free in Christ bro,”…..and the classic….” We just need to love Jesus and one another”

2nd item, to clarify, historical perspective and I am gonna chew with my mouth open, pondering out loud….

If we can see that it is only in the last 100yrs that Christians thought that drinking alcohol was sinful, it should give us pause to stop and think. The Puritans loved their beer and were some of the most joyful people in England. but they were not drunkards. There were resented for it. So, what does Gods word say on this subject?

Christians did not study the word and see that God wants us to split up the family and minister to the individual pieces for his glory. Christian’s did not study their word and come to a biblical conclusion that they should earn as much as they can, and retire as early as they can for Gods glory. Christians did not exegete Gods word and find out that his commandments only pertained to Israel, so God wants the government to decide…. that which is good, and that which is evil. Someone, not using Gods word discipled us.

with an eye on history I wrote….

…..Anywhere in the world that has been pagan, no gospel light shining, those disciples will be tattooed up and will be cutting the flesh, life will have no value etc. Paganism is consistent, it will lead to a death culture. (It is a historical aboration that here, even with the gospel light, believers are being tatted up?!?)

What I am noting is that all through history when Christianity has encountered Pagans and they were converted. The missionaries did not start taking off their clothes, cutting crosses on their bodies and getting tattoos of john 3:16. They understood that culture was not neutral, God defines you as naked, you need to put on clothes, God has ordained only one wife, keep one and let the others remarry. Your body is made in the image of God, stop disfiguring it, you belong to him now. Etc

But For the first time ever in history, Christians think that this behavior has a place as an expression of Christ. Why is that?

Have Christians today, by the light of his Word found out that tattoos or branding with Christian symbolism are something that pleases the Lord? Or is it that they believe, it does not matter to God? Who is discipling who, and are they using the Word?

And thus my noting of……..Douglas Wilson remarked something to the effect that we must bring in the refugees from our culture. But no one should be an apostle for the culture.

Is something good and pleasing to the Lord, because we do it passionately and with all of our strength for him? I submit that there are many, many in that low altitude orbit that believe they are in the center of Gods will because they know that with all their hearts, they just want to please God and reach others for Christ. Is that the standard, the zealousness of our hearts? Is that what God will reward with “well done, good and faithful servant?”

All this said, I still note that History is not the standard either, but God moves through his people providentially, in history. By noting and honoring the faith of our fathers it shows us a path that we can compare to the word, and seek to discern by the word if it’s a path we too, should be on. If we are on a different path, is it because we discerned from the word that “they” mixed up traditions of men into the faith, or is it us who have been influenced by the traditions of men?

At some point I will forward some links to Wilson, over there, they have been deep into the issues of “body art.”