MARKED BY THE CROSS
Philippians 2: 12
SHINING AS STARSTherefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed— not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence— continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose. 14 Do everything without complaining or arguing, 15 so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe.
Its saying I am not going to blend into darkness but I am going to shine the light of God in the midst of darkness. All of us are going to be marked by something. Some of you have a tattoo and you have a mark on your body but all of us are going to be marked by something. All of our lives we are going to be marked by something. So I am throwing the question out there, "What is your life going to be marked by? What are you going to be known for? When people see you and they get the snap shot of you whats there conclusion going to be?"
I GET THIS QUESTION ALL THE TIME. IS IT WRONG TO GET A TATTOO?
Galatians 6:14
14 May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. 15 Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is a new creation.
What Paul is saying is "look be circumcised , big deal. You could even say, "Look get a tattoo, fine, don't get a tattoo, fine. It's not whats important, it's not what you should be spending alot of your energy on. Paul is saying being circumsised or uncircumsised doesn't me anthing. What's important and what you need to be thinking about is a new creation. Here's the thing. It's not about externals anymore. It's about whether or not somthing has happened in your heart. It's not about what church you go to. It's not about what small group you are apart of. It's not about what conference you have gone to. The question on the table that is going to start shifting everything in your life, "IS THERE SOMETHING HAPPENING IN YOUR HEART?" Is there an internal transformation that is happening? A new creation through Christ on the inside. Paul is saying, that is what matters in life. Should you get a tattoo? I can't answer that for you. I think before you get a tattoo you should spend some time with Jesus. Talk to Him about it. Be patient. Really pray about it. Will the tattoo bring glory to God almighty?
