TATTOO, NOSE AND EAR PIERCING, DECENCT DRESSING AND SALVATION (PART ONE)

Matters of this kind has been a bone of contention by several denominations and scholars for decades. Its been responsible for many divisions in the body of Christ, as various individuals subscribe to diverse views on this matter. I have personally been engaged in arguments over some of these issues  since I became a believer. In my interaction with some people on this subject, I discovered most people hold on to several convictions blindly without understanding or vetting its authenticity through the lenses of Scripture.

The only way subject matter of this kind can be dissolved is in the womb of understanding. Our knowledge of the son of God (Jesus Christ) is premised of the wings of understanding through wisdom and revelation by the father. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. Ephesians 1:17 | NIV

TATTOO

The issue of tattoo, nose, and multiple ear piercing hinges on culture and certain historic practices by some nations copied by other nations as fashion.

A little study shows Tattoos were for the outcast in the olden days, religiously a practice by the pagans which identify them with their deities and objects of worship. In Lev. 19:28 God instructed the children of Israel to desist from cutting their body and tattoos because they were the set apart of God. However, in our day its been copied as fastion where people tattoo their body, some not to identify themselves with a god but for mundane reasons.

Hebrews 12 :1b cautions the believer about “laying aside weights which easily besets us”. Some of this things may not be categorized as sin but definitely a weight on the believer if not his cultural practise. Does tattoo on one’s body affect their salvation? That is an exclusive preserve of the great monarch of Zion, he is the judge of all.  Condemning people with tattoo also not allowed by Scripture either. The best we can do is to hope and pray the Holy Spirit transform the heart of people. Read More: Is it a sin to get a Tattoo?

NOSE PIERCING AND MULTIPLE EAR PIERCING 

Piercing was a practice in the ear for slave men as their status and identity, so certain societies frown on it, and would not allow their people to practice it. Europeans in their typical culture won’t allow it in their families.
Anklets were a culture of the Arabs showing wealth, affluence and status. In the typical black Africa it is worn by the traditional fetish priest to identify them and their status in covenant with their deities in society as well as dreadlocks. ( A little history about dreadlocks reveal that, those under slavery left their hair in that manner to fight their slave masters.)

In a typical Jewish culture, married women were Identified by the rings their husband puts in their nose, this explains why God used the same statement in demonstrating his relation and union with Israel as it was a common practice in their culture. In Ezekiel 16:12, the Bible says referring to Israel “And I(God) put a ring on your nose and earrings in your ears and a beautiful crown on your head.” These piercings were common in biblical times and are employed quite commonly today. Different piercings may have a distinguished perception by God and the intent behind such could be just as important as location. Culture has evolved through the ages and had become very dynamic and interlocked in the various societies practicing other people’s culture in our time. 

DECENCY AND MODESTY

The general view of the bible as regards clothing is not in a specific dress code but rather decency and modesty. No one can use scripture to prescribe a dress code for any Christian because it doesn’t exist in scripture. In Genesis 3:11 when man fell, an awareness of their nakedness amidst other things was known which before God covered by his glory. As a result they hid from the Glorious God. In Genesis 3:21 KJV “Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them”. Here the emphasis of Scripture was not the style or type of cloth but that God clothing the nakedness of man. We see also here from scripture the first time cloth was mentioned and it was for the covering of the nakedness of man. In essence clothing is to cover man’s nakedness, hence, any covering that in one way or the other exposures the nakedness of man, is indecent and not modest and violates the principle of God. Decency and modesty suggests not dressing seductively and suggestively. That’s God’s standard for clothing and decency, every other is postulated by men in culture, denominatons and pioneers of religious groups to supposedly help the right living of people which really has nothing to do with holiness. In 1 Peter 3:2-4 KJV Peter has this to say about women, “While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear. [3] Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; [4] But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of g God of great price”.

Peter’s emphasis was for women, as they adorn themselves outwardly, the priority should be the hidden man of the heart in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of g God of great price. Here, true beauty emanates from. He wasn’t speaking against “plaiting the hair and wearing of gold (jewelry)” otherwise he would be saying women should be naked as the next statement in the verse reads “or of putting on of apparel”.

Culturally the typical Jewish married woman wear a scarf on her head to Identify her status in the society. The wrap was totally different from the Arabic wrap of the hijab. In the NT especially the epistles of Paul, the cultural setting for women in Asia minor (Europe) was completely different. Married women did not cover their hair. So hair covering was not a requirement in the early church in Asia minor and so couldn’t be forced on them as a requirement of their salvation in Christ.