Q: What does the Bible or Christianity in general say about tattoos?

Q: This question is on the minds of many young people today. In the previous generations, tattoos were the permanent markings of criminals and those enlisted in the army. However, tattoos have recently been made popular and available through the media attention of such celebrities like Angelina Jolie and Megan Fox, who speak forwardly about their ink. Reality shows like Miami Ink and LA Ink have also made the once stigmatized tattoos into mainstream culture.

Let's look at the Bible and see what it says. Leviticus 19:28 'Do not cut your bodies for the dead or put tattoo marks on yourselves. I am the LORD.' This is the only passage in the Bible that talks specifically about tattoos and putting marks on your body. Some of us may interpret this literally, close the book and say that tattoos are prohibited according to God and the Bible. However, I believe it is important to read the verses before and after, getting the full picture, before making any stance.

The passages surrounding Leviticus 19:28 deal with the pagan rituals that God forbid at the time. God desires for His people to be set apart from the world (refer to the God's general will for our lives in the below question). God forbids His holy people to engage in idolatrous, pagan worship and gives us these guidelines to keep us from straying away from Him.

It is also important to note that within the same chapter, Leviticus 19:26 also says not to eat meat with blood still in it, and verse 27 tells us not to cut the hair at the sides of your head or clip off the edges of your beard. Back then, these rituals were associated with pagans...today, all of us eat our steak medium rare and cut our hair. And so the question is...is tattooing still Biblically prohibited today. My answer is yes and no. The issue of tattooing is neither commanded or forbidden.

When my youth ask me about tattoos and if they should/are allowed to get one...the question I always ask them is: what is your motivation for getting a tattoo?

Here are some questions that you should ask yourself if you are considering getting one:

- are you glorifying God, or are you glorifying yourself?
- will my tattoo cause someone who is weaker than I am to stumble in their faith?
- will this tattoo cause disunity within my family and is in disobedience to your parents?
- practically, will you still want this tattoo when you're 50 years old?
- when you have kids, how will you answer when they ask if you they can get one?

These are all questions that you need to ask and honestly answer to yourself. Ultimately, the decision is between you and God. But here is some of my own advice. Take it.

- Be smart in your ways, don't let the world dictate what is cool and what is not.
- If you still live under your parent's roof, and they don't want you to get one. DON'T GET ONE. Honour thy mother and father in this way also.
- Don't follow trends...they come and go, and that tat will stay
- Don't get something ridiculous


On a side note, if you are now wondering about piercings, this question has been addressed via THIS post.


[answered by Pastor KJT]

Q: How do you know the will of God?

A: I would break this question down into 2 categories. (a), realizing the general will of God for Christians and (b), God's specific will of God for our specific lives.

Granted that you have already accepted Christ in your life and have a deepening relationship with Jesus, God's general will for all Christians is to "Be holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy" (Leviticus 19:2). As the example has been given to us through Jesus Christ, we are to live our lives modeled after Him. God asks us to be set apart, different than the world and live a life that is pleasing to Him (read Matthew 5:13-16). Our lives are supposed to be different...away from the darkness, full of integrity and holiness. This is God's general will for us.

The specific will that God has for each individual lives is unique. God always equips us with whatever we need to do His will. That being said, I would suggest for you to look into your life and see what spiritual gifts God has gifted you with. Most likely, they will align with your purpose (Romans 12:6).

In the church setting, try different areas of ministry and see which ones you fall in love with and which you feel you are not gifted. This is a practical way to discern God's will. Of course, always keep this in prayer, ASK God to show you His way. LISTEN to the Holy Spirit as it will guide you into making wise decisions (John 16:13). And finally, TRUST that God will never lead you astray and FOLLOW Him obediently (Proverbs 3:5-6).


[answered by Pastor KJT]

Q: What is the difference between humility and low self-esteem?

To answer this question, we must first look at where we find our identity. There is a immediate difference between humility and low self-esteem. The starting point of humility is God, while the starting point for self-esteem is - as you guessed it - yourself.

Humility starts when we look to God and see ourselves in perspective; when we see...

the extent and consequence of our sin...

how our lives are so fragile and uncontrollable...

how our wisdom and knowledge is so fallible...

how our bodies are so weak...

how we should be separated from God because of our sin...

When we see all of this, the proper response is to fall to our knees in humility.

But there is more. Humility always comes with gratitude. It's not just feeling bad about yourself (even if you do recognize your sin). Humility should be accompanied by joy, thankfulness and even boasting! The Apostle Paul writes:

"'Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.' For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends" (2 Cor. 10:17-18).

When we boast "in the Lord," this is not a prideful boast. It's not showing off how great we are. Rather it's telling others how great God's character and deeds are. Sam Storms provides some insight on his blog:

Our boast, therefore, must be in the beauty of Christ's person and the majesty of who he is, together with a celebration of what he has done in grace and kindness and power and compassion.

Humility is when we can tell how great God is, instead of telling others how great WE ARE. Now compare this to self-esteem. Self-esteem, by definition is "how much you value yourself and how important you think you are. It's how you see yourself and how you feel about your achievements. It's not about thinking you're perfect — because nobody is — but knowing that you're worthy of being loved and accepted." A few comments:

1. The concept of self-esteem has some merit. Specifically, it teaches us that human beings need to feel worthy of being loved. This is in line with biblical teaching.

2. But the problem, as stated earlier, is where we find this love, acceptance, satisfaction, etc.? Self-esteem tells us we are to find it in ourselves. BUT how are we to KNOW that we are loved accepted? Are we supposed to just feel it? I know many people that do not feel loved and accepted no matter how hard they try to will it, or how many techniques they use. Similarly,are we supposed to KNOW that we're loved and accepted through our relationships? Indeed, there is some truth to this last statement, but there are also times when we just don't feel loved and accepted no matter how a person treats us. Why? It's because all human beings are fallible, sinful and selfish. They cannot make you feel loved and accepted some of the time; let alone all the time.

The gotquestions summarizes the answer to your question well.

Low-self-esteem is a form of pride. Some people have low self-esteem because they want people to feel sorry for them, to pay attention to them, to comfort them. Low self-esteem can be a declaration of “look at me” just as much as pride. It simply takes a different route to get to the same destination, that is, self-absorption, self-obsession, and selfishness. Instead, we are to be selfless, to die to self, and to deflect any attention given to us to the great God who created and sustains us.

This does not mean that Christians should have low self-esteem. It only means that our sense of being a good person should not depend on what we do, but rather on who we are in Christ. We need to humble ourselves before Him, and He will honor us. Psalm 16:2 remindsus, “I said to the Lord, ‘You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing.’” Christians attain self-worth and esteem by having a right relationship with God. We can know we are valuable because of the high price God paid for us through the blood of His Son, Jesus Christ.

[Answered by Pastor HM, who continues must work on his humility]

Q: Do Christian singers/actors have to sing or act on Christian or religious things?

For instance, a singer is a Christian, but doesn't sing Christian music. Is that allowed?

Good question. I want to make several points...

1. Since there isn't actually such a thing as "Christian" music (e.g. notes, melodies), a better term would be "Christian" lyrics. Even in this case, however, it's difficult to define what constitutes as "Christian" lyrics. The Bible tells us that all good things come from the Father (James 1:17), so would a song written by a husband expressing his devotion and love to his wife be considered a "Christian" song? Recently, an interesting article featuring the rock band, U2, was featured in the Toronto Star. Since some of U2's songs contain "Christian" themes, does that mean these songs are "Christian" songs? Along the same lines, if you are a Christian actor, do you only find "Christian" plays in which to perform? Is it even possible to do so?

2. I think a better question is not whether a Christian singer ought to sing "Christian" lyrics, but rather "do these lyrics bring honor to God?" Psalm 19:14 says:

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD,

my Rock and my Redeemer.

A Christian singer, after all, is a Christian FIRST and a singer SECOND, meaning honoring Christ is the most important thing.

3. This means a Christian singer does not HAVE TO sing "Christian" lyrics, but they should only sing lyrics that bring honor to Christ. How do we know whether we are doing things (e.g. singing lyrics) that honor Christ? I would suggest you ask yourself a few questions in the right order (no. 1 being the most important):

(I) What does the Bible say? This is the crucial question. We believe, the Bible is the Word of God and the final authority in all matters of life and faith. The Bible has universal application, meaning its principles hold true regardless of your circumstances, preferences, age, ethnicity or culture. This means that lying is wrong, murder is wrong, and rape, homosexuality, slander, gossip, materialism, lust and pornography are wrong! If we apply this to our example today, if a lyric gives the message that it is okay to degrade women, you shouldn't sing it or listen to it b/c the Bible tells us degrading any human being is a sin. Conversely, if a lyric gives the message that we should be thankful for every moment we're alive (such as the POD song, "Alive"), it is acceptable to sing it as a Christian (even though the song never mentions God).

(II) What does my conscience say? Though the image of God in us is damaged, it is not destroyed. Each one of us has a conscience telling us that certain activities are wrong (e.g. stealing, murder, etc.) It’s not because you believe the Bible; it is because you are working out of your conscience. When it comes to a song lyric, can you sing it in good conscience? If you can't, God is probably telling you that you shouldn't. It's most likely dishonoring to Christ.

(III) What is my weakness? We are all weak and we are all strong. We are all weak in some spiritual areas (where we are easily tempted), and we are all strong in others (where we are less easily tempted). Paul writes,“Be careful, however, that the exercise of your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak" (1 Cor. 8:9). He tell us that we must restrict our freedom where you we are weak. Or where your friend is weak. This means that if you are singing about something that will lead you (or your friend) to sin, you shouldn't sing about. If you're acting, the same principle applies. For instance, If I'm singing a song about drinking alcohol, is this wrong? No. Jesus himself turned water into wine (John 2). But if I'm in the presence of former alcoholics - who are struggling to love Jesus - it is wrong to sing about it because I'm tempting them in an area of weakness.

4. In general, it is wise to sing and act in events that are organized by men and women

that love the Lord. I would advise only singing and acting in secular events if you have special calling to bring the message of hope of Christ to non-Christians at these events. This isn't for everyone. There are also those who are called to sing songs that honor Christ and reflect his values, but do not mention Him or address Him directly. This is also a special calling and isn't for everyone. The band POD is a good example. They are Christians, and if you listen to their song lyrics, you'll find that they sing positive songs which reflect godly values. Their lyrics do not mention Christ directly, but I think Jesus would be pleased with the majority of their lyrics.

[Answered by Pastor HM]

P.S. Media guru, Brett Ullman, came a few years ago and talked about this very subject. You can check out some of his good resources HERE.

Q: Should I believe that humans can have supernatural powers...

...and do things such as make large objects disappear or levitate over a city such as Criss Angel or other optical illusionists/magicians?

It seems you've actually answered your own question (!), though I'll clarify a few terms. Criss Angel and other magicians are - as you have stated - optical illusionists, meaning they entertain an audience by creating illusions that seem impossible ("supernatural") using NATURAL means.

In other words, when Criss Angel levitates over a city, he is not using supernatural power (e.g. think Superman's ability to fly). He's simply tricking the audience into believing that he has the ability to fly when he really doesn't. He's using natural means to do things that seem supernatural. We have to recognize that magicians like Criss Angel, David Blaine or David Copperfield are entertainers first (just look at the picture on your left for proof!). They are paid (large sums of) money to perform optical illusions. Part of the entertainment value, of course, is never to reveal how the illusion is done, so magicians will often claim that they possess mysterious, supernatural powers (e.g. Criss Angel, etc.) or a superhuman endurance (David Blaine, etc.)

That being said, in the Bible, it does state humans can have supernatural powers, BUT they must come from somewhere. It comes from God or the devil. How can you tell where the power comes from? If the power is used for God's glory and to do His Will, they are good and from God. For example, in Matthew 10:1, Jesus gave his disciples supernatural abilities:

And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction

But if they are used against the will of God, they are evil and from the devil. These include modern-day witchcraft and occult practices, that often try to summon supernatural powers. Read Ephesians 6:2, which states:

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

Summarily, can you believe that humans can have supernatural powers? Yes . Some people today may - in fact - possess such powers. But be careful as many such people are using these powers under the influence of the devil. The good news is that God is ultimately in control and has the greatest power. Christians need not to worry because Christ is victorious over any power of the devil.

Should I believe that humans such as Criss Angel (and other magicians) have such powers? Probably not. They are optical illusionists using natural means to entertain you. They put an incredible amount of time and effort thinking of entertaining feats (and we should appreciate them for that), but at the end of the day, they are simply "mind tricks."

[Answered by Pastor HM, who has watched "Magic's Greatest Secrets Revealed"]

Q: Do aliens exist?

After watching the incredible District 9 (trailer embedded below), I wonder myself!

Here is a previous post that answers your query. It contains a link to another article that talks about this subject in more depth.

[Answered by Pastor HM, who loves the fact that alien/sci-fi is back on track with movies such Star Trek and District 9]

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Q: What is Calvinism? Is Calvinism a form of sin if believed in?

This is a massive question! First, let me say Calvinism is a topic that will require many hours of study - if you really want to investigate it. Its been around for 500 years! So this blog post will only serve as a VERY brief introduction. Second, you have to know that Calvinism is very much alive . In fact, it was discussed in a recent TIME Magazine article that said it is one of the top 10 ideas changing the world right now. Calvinism is a very relevant and timely issue. Third, it is NOT a sin to believe in it. It is a belief system about God that has a great deal of biblical support and has endured the test of time.

That being said, what is it? Here is an introductory article from Challies.com. The author tells us...

"Calvinism is the theology that was a product of the Protestant Reformation and was largely defined by John Calvin (1509-1564). The doctrine emphasizes God’s omnipotence, man’s depravity and the salvation of God’s elect by grace alone."

"A Calvinist is someone who rejects the Arminian concept of free will, believing that the will of all humans is bound by their sinful nature and will remain bound until God performs His regenerative work. The two systems of theology diverge at the foundational issue of human depravity. Calvin says 'That man has the best knowledge of himself who most thoroughly knows his depravity.' Calvinism is founded on the belief that man is completely and utterly unable to make a choice to follow God because the will of the unsaved person is bound by his sinful nature."

Historically, the 5 main beliefs of Calvinism can be summarized using the acronym: TULIP

T Total depravity.
U Unconditional election
L Limited atonement
I Irresistible grace
P Perseverance of the saint

You can read a brief outline about TULIP in this article by Calvinist, Dr. John Piper. WARNING: It's long, but as I said before, Calvinism is a BIG topic.

On a side note, Calvin of the lovable duo, "Calvin and Hobbes" is named after John Calvin.

[Answered by Pastor HM]

Q: What is joy?

"What is joy? What is joy in the Bible? How many types of joy are there? Does joy equal to love? Is joy what makes Christians to be positive all the time?"

There are 5 questions here, all related to JOY. I'll try to answer them briefly and point you to a few online articles that may help you study this topic further.

1. What is joy? Joy is the feeling of deep satisfaction and happiness.

2. What is joy in the Bible? Pastor John Piper wrote a great article about this. Read it HERE (You have to scroll to the middle to where he answers the question, "What is Christian joy?"). In summary, he says Christian joy is...

1. Not an act of will-power, but a spontaneous, emotional response of the heart.
2. Not superficial and flimsy, but deep and firm.
3. Not natural, but spiritual.

What makes Christian joy different than other forms of joy, the author argues, is that it INCREASES in the midst of pain and suffering. This is because our satisfaction and happiness comes from God. It comes from knowing that God loves us. Even though we are sinners and do not deserve his love, God sent his Son to die for us (Col. 1:23). This is the SOURCE of our joy! As a result, we do not need to find our joy in our success, wealth, reputation, relationships, etc. In other words, when these earthy things are lost, we can still be joyful!

Additionally, Christian joy is different than other forms of joy because it comes from the Holy Spirit (Gal. 5:22). When the Spirit lives inside us, it produces a supernatural joy that is indestructible, and impervious from circumstances (Luke 6:20-26).

3. How many types of joy are there? By definition, joy is an emotion of deep satisfaction. And thus there is only one kind of joy. However, there are many different things from which we can obtain joy. For instance, you can obtain joy from shopping. Likewise, you can obtain joy from being popular. Yet the Bible tell us that any joy that is rooted in worldly things (i.e. NOT God) will not last (Matthew 13:20-21).

4. Does joy equal to love? Joy is not the same as love, but they are part of one another. Christian joy, after all, is the satisfaction of loving Jesus and believing him. In other words, joy is a consequence of loving someone.

5. Is joy what makes Christian to be positive all the time? Yes and no. Christians should be positive about the circumstances no matter how good or bad they are. This is because our satisfaction (i.e. our joy) lies in God, not in ourselves or the things that happen to us.

However, this does not mean Christians should not grieve, mourn or be sad. We should be very sad when trouble comes into our lives. There are times of grieving in the Christian life.

Yet, at the end of the day, we should be joyful as we do have hope. What is hope after all? It is the confident expectation of good things to come (Hebrews 6:11). In Christ, we have hope. As a result of hope, we can love God and have joy.

Hope this helps answer your thoughtful question.

[Answered by Pastor HM, who is joyful in Christ]

Q: Is killing animas a sin?

"Last Saturday, I went fishing and during that time, the fish we caught...I would torture them a bit. But then, I just felt like I was doing murder, so ya, is it really a sin?"

This article answers your question. It gives theological reasons why it is NOT a sin to hunt and eat animals. After the great flood, God permitted humans to eat animals as food (Genesis 9:3)

However, it also argues that mistreating and abusing animals is not right and should never be done. Proverbs 12:10 says, "A good man takes care of his animals, but wicked men are cruel to theirs."

In your case, it is not sinful to fish because God gave us fish to eat. Jesus himself declares that all food is clean and therefore can be eaten (Mark 7:19). Jesus also ate FISH for breakfast after his resurrection (John 21)! But friend, it is cruel to prolong and even INCREASE the suffering of the fish for your own amusement. All animals are creations of God. We do not have the right to mistreat and torture that which belongs to Him (Psalm 24:1). In fact, we are told to do the opposite: take care and be responsible for them as best as we can (Genesis 1:28).

[Answered by Pastor HM, who does eat meat, but loves animals. His first pet was a hamster named "Boh Boh"]

Q: Are we all a big family?

"Because it all started off with Adam and Eve, and they probably reproduced their sons and daughters but for them to branch off again, would the sons and daughters have to reproduce with themselves, therefore doing incest? If that is true, is God then encouraging incest? Because when we marry and reproduce, we would be reproducing with our "brothers/sisters." How does this make sense?"

Good question. In Genesis 5:4, Scripture tells us that Adam and Eve had "other sons and daughters." It also tells us that Adam lived several hundred years (Gen. 5:5). This would mean that his children married each other.

So does this mean incest is allowed by God? No. Incest (i.e. sex between family members) is prohibited by God in Lev. 18:6-18, 20:11-12 and 20:19-21. But in such an early stage of human development as in the time of Adam and Eve, it was permitted as the genetic line was still pure. God allowed incest for a specific time and for a specific purpose - namely so that the human species could reproduce and "fill the earth" (Gen. 1:28).

When Leviticus was written at a much later date, the genetic line had become more unstable and therefore God commanded his people not to marry their relatives. Biologically, because relatives already share some genetic material, there is a greater risk that incest will result in a child who has a rare genetic disorder carried as arecessive trait. Recessive traits may cause no symptoms at all in those that carry the genes, but whencombined can result in seriously affected offspring. The closer the relationship of people in an incestuous relationship, the greater the risk that they both carry the same recessive genes.Even today, it has been shown that incest increases the chances of having children born with genetic diseases.

If you want to find out more, you can read this article which answers the question, "Is Incest Okay?" or this one, which gets into the real specifics of reproduction during the time of Adam & Eve.

[Answered by Pastor HM]

Q: What's the difference between faith and trust?

This is a curious question. I would suggest you read these articles about FAITH and TRUST.

To be sure, the two words are related. They are essentially synonyms. In the Bible, faith means to trust in God; to believe that God is who He says He is and will do what He has promised to do. The Bible says, "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen"(Hebrews 11:1).

I think the folks at the CARM summarize the relationship between faith and trust well when it comes to our Christian life. They write:

"Faith does not save you. Got that? FAITH DOES NOT SAVE YOU! Faith is not a substance that you put in a jar or detect with a meter. Faith isn't a cream you apply to protect you from something. Faith is belief, trust, etc. The key to understanding faith lies not in faith itself but in the OBJECT of faith: God! Faith is only as good as who you put it in. Faith in a false god (i.e., Mormon, Jehovah's Witness, etc.) is useless and it doesn't save you. But faith in the TRUE God DOES save you. You see? Faith is only as good as who you put it in. Faith in the true God results in salvation (Rom. 5:1; Eph. 2:8). Faith in a false god results in damnation."

[Answered by Pastor HM, who has faith and trust in Christ]