Does this make me religious?

[Anonymous]

So my sister and I were talking about getting matching tattoos. She has plenty of tattoos already, I only have one. Now, I am a believer of God and I believe Jesus is the living son of God. I believe in Gods word and I am saved but I’m not religious. I follow God, not religious, although my sister , my mom and I do go to church. Now I ended up joking and saying “I’m not getting a tattoo. I was told that could be the mark of the beast.” Now it was clear that I was joking because as I said I already have a tattoo and I was laughing while saying it. Yes, I know the Bible says “You shall not make gashes in your flesh for the dead, or incise any marks on yourselves.” But good works won’t get anyone into Heaven. Our hearts and minds must truly be renewed through faith and from that naturally comes good works from the Holy spirit. So, I understand that tattoos are not what God wants us to engrave into our flesh, but I also have to be real with myself and say, I’ve done plenty of what is not desirable in his eyes and each day I work on strengthening my relationship with Jesus so that I will naturally turn away from what he doesn’t desire me to do. My sister goes “You’re too religious for me.” Mind you she believes just as I do, then she goes “If you truly had a relationship with God you wouldn’t get a tattoo because the Bible says not to.” And the conversation escalated that quick and she was wrong but I didn’t want to argue with her.

[MementoMori777]

Sounds to me like your sister is slowly depriving from God, sounds like where your mind is right now is perfect and we all make decisions, they aren't always good decisions and it won't always be good decisions but there's nothing religious about following or even wanting to follow the words and guidance of God, religiousness is more of a routine and a schedule and certain organization you apply too, if you were being religious, you'd be doing religious things and that's for example being extremely judgmental towards your sister and for how she chose to follow God, you don't seem religious, you seem like a good Christian woman, your sister just seems to be falling out of the guidance of God, she's picking and choosing on what she wants to listen too and that's clearly not how it should be, you wanting to follow all the guidance just makes you a follower of Christ and someone that tries to fully listen to the holy spirit which is how it should be, your sister sounds more like a lukewarm Christian

[Exterminatore]

“You shall not make any cuts in your body for the dead, nor make any tattoo marks on yourselves: I am the Lord.”
‭‭Leviticus‬ ‭19‬:‭28‬ ‭NASB2020‬‬
As I understand this scripture it is God prohibiting Israel from adopting the pegan funerary practices of their neighbors, rather than a wholesale prohibition on tattoos. Israel was to be a distinct nation from the pegan nations that surrounded it.


As far as your sister who believes, but essentially does not do as you more or less put it:



“By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments. The one who says, “I have come to know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; but whoever follows His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him:”
‭‭1 John‬ ‭2‬:‭3‬-‭5‬ ‭NASB2020‬‬

“In the same way, faith also, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself.”
‭‭James‬ ‭2‬:‭17‬ ‭NASB2020‬‬
Faith is not just the mere belief in who Jesus claimed to be nor in what the Bible says. It implies action. The living out of the beliefs.



“You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder.”
‭‭James‬ ‭2‬:‭19‬ ‭NASB2020‬‬

[Asker]

Oh I understand that faith is more than just believing and that faith without works is dead meaning if you have true faith, naturally, good works are produced (Fruits of the Holy Spirit). Our mind is renewed each day because as sinners we’re gonna fall short.

[Asker]

And yes, Demons believe as well. Even the demons who possessed the man at the cemetery knew who Jesus was, so belief will never be enough.

[Exterminatore]

You are exactly correct. Good works/ obedience are the byproduct of salvation. They are not the mechanism of salvation but rather the proof of it.

[provokeesmokee]

If you believe in the religion, then you're going to Hell.

You do not pick and choose what of God's rules and decrees you observe.

You observe them all, faithfully, or you are doomed to Eternal Suffering.

You're the worst sort of religious. You're a hypocrite.

[Asker]

Wait, when did I pick and choose what of God’s rules and decrees I observe? I made a joke about tattoos, that related back Devine revelation”Mark of the Beast” the Joke was that tattoos WILL BE the Mark of The Beast because I know the word doesn’t say that. Plus, I myself has a tattoo, she has tattoos and we were literally talking about getting matching ones which is why I said I get what God has said about cutting into our flesh but I also understand, that just choosing not to get a tattoo just because God is against is merely just good works not true belief. True belief starts with believing in your heart Jesus Christ is the son of God, who died on the cross for all our sins and resurrected and through that belief comes with faith and through faith comes naturally good works, coming from the fruits of the Holy Spirit, not forced good works. Which is why I Acknowledged that I did and do plenty of what isn’t desirable to God, the flesh, the world, Satan and Adams sin, we all fall short but each day I work on strengthening my relationship with Christ so that I will naturally turn away from what isn’t desirable to him due to the Holy spirit opening my eyes to the truth of my sins and wrong doing. Religious people, most at least, just tell you you’re going to hell if you go against what God says and leaves out all that I just said.

[provokeesmokee]

You say you believe in your religion, yet you defy it?

God doesn't like tattoos and yet you're marked up with them. One or ten, it matters not.

Your sister is right.
You're too religious, and simultaneously not at all religious.

[Asker]

Can I ask you, exactly what are you trying to point out about me?

[Asker]

And I don’t follow religion to defy it. I follow Gods living breathing word. Also, I never said the amount of my tattoos or any at all made me better or judged anyone for having more. You seem to be coming from a place judgement more than I am, yet you say I’m “Too religious.”

[provokeesmokee]

You asked a question. I'm just answering you

[Exterminatore]

@asker

““Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, or they will trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭7‬:‭6‬ ‭NASB2020‬‬

Provokeesmokee would be the swine Jesus is referring to hear as well as the dogs.

It’s good you stopped the conversation at this point.

See, her religion is the false woke religion. She would tell you to have tolerance for gays, but thinks nothing of not having tolerance for you. This is clear by her condescending remarks. She wasn’t just answering your question. She was using this as an opportunity to harass you.

She has tolerance for gays and Muslims I’m sure, but none for Christians. I’m sure she is not bothered by Jesus calling people like her swine and dogs. She is not afraid of Hell, or that Jesus will put all his unrepentant detractors there.

She doesn’t know scripture or Jesus, yet would counsel you on these matters. Not because she wants to help, but because she is a tool of Satan who hates Jesus and his followers.

Tolerance the woke followers preach, live and let live they say…. unless you’re a Christian. Tolerance for everyone but them. Even for the Muslim and Jew, but not the Christian. What a bunch of hypocrites and liars.

[Asker]

@Exterminatore I noticed that. I thought I was going crazy at first lol. But something told me to just stop responding because I would just be talking in circles. It’s good to know they’re other true believers who can stand on what’s right without being judgmental despite the “judgmental” or “You’re all hypocrites” label being put on every Follower and believer of Christ when in fact a lot of the people who label all Christian’s those two things are more of those two labels than we are.

[Exterminatore]

@asker

No, you’re not crazy. Woke folk hate God and the Bible and his followers. They are wise in their own eyes but actually fools.

They have tolerance for everyone and everything except straight people, white people, males and most especially Christians.

“And you were dead in your offenses and sins, in which you previously walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience.”
‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭2‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭NASB2020‬‬

“You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he tells a lie, he speaks from his own nature, because he is a liar and the father of lies.”
‭‭John‬ ‭8‬:‭44‬ ‭NASB2020

From those scriptures it is abundantly clear the sinner is supernaturally influenced by Satan. There is no middle ground. Either you’re with Jesus or Satan. The tools of Satan will certainly attack the followers of Christ. All this Woke nonsense comes directly from Satan.

Not that in saying all this I’m under any false pretense that she will read this and examine herself and repent. She was just being Satan’s mouth piece when she said what she said to you. She thinks it’s funny to mock Christians. Yet in the same breath these people use the word tolerance.

[boggboss]

I would say u are even if u don't di do certain religious stuff essently what u described is the thinking mindset og a Christian not the simple baises of believing in a god but the specifics of Christianity

[Asker]

Could explain more?

[boggboss]

What u described in the beginning is the framework of a chiristian specifically not just someone that believes in some type of god u call God but what Christianity is built on so for me no I wouldn't call u spiritual but religious that doesn't fully follow

[LiamJHayden]

I disagree with the idea of tats being automatically bad, as the prohibition specifically in the context had to do with the pagan practice of ancestor worship. But you have to be convinced in your own mind.

[Asker]

Well you know, I don’t believe tattoos in their selves are bad but I think, if you are a believer, the principles behind why you get the tattoo is what makes it wrong. The scripture I quoted is from the Old Testament. Since Christ died and was resurrected we’re no longer under that law but the principles of that scripture still live on. it should never be for superstitious reasons or to promote worldly philosophy, that is if you’re a Believer.

[Asker]

It’s like does your tattoos aid toward Christ or away from him? Do they misrepresent him? Are you getting the tattoos to fit in etc

[Cheerfull009]

Long story