Sunday, April 30, 2006

4/30/06, Tattoos and the Word of God (TATWOG)

and Various Responses

As mentioned below, this paper by TE G. Price of Albany Covenant Reformed Presbyterian Church of Albany, New York. accompanied and was a larger exposition of the question in a sermon of the same date.

In response to it, see also:
5/8/06, The New Paganism (TNP), A Response to TATWOG 
5/12/06, A Brotherly Inquiry about The New Paganism which not only informs us that TATWOG is the approved position of the RPNA(GM) - "At the present time, the paper written by Pastor Price represents the Session’s position on the matter of tattoos." - but also engages in some Socratic question begging.
5/26/06, Fwd: A Brotherly Inquiry re. The New Paganism
10/30/06,
Carnal Graffiti and the Word of God: Disproved and Disapproved, A Brief and Delayed Follow up to The New Paganism
12/24/06, Of the "Public Sin" of An Unqualified Condemnation of Paganism (Among Other Allegations)

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[ April 30, 2006]

Since I briefly addressed the subject of tattoos in a recent sermon (entitled, “A Happy Person Has A Good Reputation” Ecclesiastes 7:1-6 [p.4]), I would like to further elaborate on the subject at this time. Sometimes in a sermon there is not enough time to properly address an incidental topic (like that of tattoos) when most of the space is devoted to the main ideas of the text. When a subject does not receive a proper amount of space in a sermon (due to time constraints), it might appear to the hearers that there was very little support for the position presented. I hope to clarify and elaborate on the matter of tattoos in this brief paper.

Although I am personally no great fan of tattoos, as a Pastor I must seek to interpret God’s Word in a way that is faithful to the specific text and faithful to the whole counsel of God. I must set aside my personal feelings about the subject of tattoos, and rather seek to understand whether there is warrant in God’s Word to prohibit (in an absolute sense) the use of tattoos. I know that this is a subject that can generate a lot of emotion as it relates to our Christian testimony (on the one side) and to our Christian liberty (on the other side). It is always a delicate matter to seek to faithfully balance our Christian testimony and our Christian liberty. That, however, should be our goal as Christians who trust, love, and obey Christ.