PERNICIOUS PERSUASION

The song says, “It can’t be wrong, when it feels so right.”  Persuasive but not true.

The lusts of the flesh and a carnal mind jump to agree with the spirit of seduction encouraging pre-marital sex contrary to the Holy Spirit and the Word of God.

Then sin is compounded when evil persuades women to abort their babies conceived out of wedlock by telling them that there exists within the womb only a bunch of cells that can be conveniently discarded.   Evil shouts, “You have a right to all the sex you want!  You have a right to abort!”

Having been an eyewitness at the Austin Capitol this month to the events regarding the bill to protect babies in the womb from abortion, I can say that evil had sway over many of the pro-abortion, pro-lust, pro-licentiousness crowd.  Their rude, crude signs were vulgar and spoke volumes as to who was the chief instigator behind them.  Some even chanted “Hail, satan!”.  Their own words reveal their evil influence!   I can’t even repeat the vulgarities on their signs,  some even blasphemous regarding the LORD Jesus Christ.  Yes, many want illicit sex without the inconvenient consequence of babies.

Interestingly, many of those pro-abortion anarchists were also very, very tattooed.

Since many in the cult of lawlessness are flaunting tattoos, it makes me very suspect indeed as to what the enemy is doing.   And now some in the Church are condoning tattoos?   Is the Church being influenced by the lawless culture rather than being salt in the world?   What is the enemy up to?   As always, some pernicious persuasion!   It’s worked effectively since the Garden of Eden!

We all have fallen for some pernicious persuasion in some area, at some time.  We are all guilty.   I have fallen for it in regrettable ways.  So now, having experienced such evil deceptions, but moreover having received the grace of God for repentance, restoration and deliverance,  I would warn those younger in the faith of the wily ways of the enemy who seeks to kill and destroy.

This is not to condemn or judge any individual who may have been naive or foolish or uneducated.    God will forgive repentant ones their abortions through the blood of Christ.  And God will forgive repentant ones their tattoos covered in the spirit by the blood of the Lamb, although the ink is indelible on the flesh!  But while God  does forgive,  GOD DOES NOT CONDONE SIN IN ANY FORM!

So it saddens me that some leaders in the Church are now condoning this pagan practice.  Why are they not more discerning of the evil promoting this pagan practice?  Tattoos have historically been considered sinful in the Church.  It is only relatively recently that this fad has been condoned by some pastors.  Church leaders should preach the Word on any issue, not yield to popular culture!   Why the compromise?   Do some want to justify their own indiscretions?   Are some afraid of losing tithes or offending an audience?  Why is this issue even being debated in the Church when for so long hardly anyone disagreed with the Word of God on it?  What is the enemy up to?   Pernicious persuasion as always!

Now let’s compare the six words “nor tattoo any marks on you” (Lev. 19:28) to the six words “thou shalt not eat of it” (Gen  2:17) given to Adam.   Both are seemingly simple commands.   Yet Adam fell due to pernicious persuasion.  He ate of that tree, deciding for himself what was good rather than leaving that determination of good and evil in the domain of His Creator.

Our Creator spoke “six words” against tattoos relegating it to a pagan practice.   But the enemy wants people to doubt that God meant what He said.  A few words on a subject should not negate the words, if the meaning is clear.

Yet the six words “nor tattoo any marks on you” (Lev. 19:28) of the LORD seems not  enough to convince everyone that the LORD does not want His people to get a tattoo.  But there are actually more Scriptural arguments against this pagan practice.  See Should a Christian…

The Church generally has recognized some sins when there is not even one word in the Bible forbidding its practice.  For example,  “Ouija boards” are not mentioned in the Bible.   But most leaders I hope would agree it’s sinful and dangerous coming under the general heading of witchcraft.    God’s people perish for lack of knowledge.  If one is not aware that “Ouija boards” are a vehicle for demonic activity and a form of practicing witchcraft, then one might think it was okay to do.  But pastors should be warning their congregants of evil and current cultural pitfalls.  Witchcraft is so insidious.  It is sinful yet many do not discern it always, when it comes disguised as an angel of light or a chant in a popular children’s book.

Likewise, many are not aware of the pagan roots of tattoos.  You certainly wouldn’t find it sanctioned in our Judaic heritage!  Tattoos originated with pagan blood covenant rituals.  Oh, but one argues that is no longer the case today.   How sly is the evil one!  What a liar!

I once used a chant because I was not aware that it was calling on a demonic entity.  I was perniciously persuaded that the chant would put me in rhythm with the universe!   I was young and naive and bought the lie.   Even though I had been born-again as a child, I had no good working knowledge of God’s Word and His holy instructions back then.  I was an easy target to dupe.   How I cringe now to think I was unknowingly praising a demon!

The enemy can’t touch the born-again spirit hidden in Christ.  He does, however, trick us in the mind, persuading us to do things with our bodies to praise him or dishonor God.  He is stealing the praise that belongs only to God.   He is defiling the Church in this world, but HalleluYAH!  – the devil has no access to our born-again spirits hidden in Christ and seated in the heavenly places!

Now the devil doesn’t usually come up to people and say, “Come on. Let’s do some evil today.”   Rather, he subtly persuades us that evil is good.  He asks the same old question, “Has God really said…?”

Has God really said that it is wrong for a man to lie with another man?  Yes, He has called it an ABOMINATION!  A devil persuades people that it is all right to have homosexual relationships because that’s how “God made them.”  Sorry, God didn’t make them that way.  The devil perverted them that way through incest or abuse or some other access.

A devil persuades one to think that any religion is as good as the next.   Yet there is only one way to the Father: through faith in the Messiah, Jesus Christ!

A devil will persuade many that is all right to take the mark of the beast.  After all, everyone is doing it and there will be a very practical reason for it.   Is this surge of tattoos preparing a society to accept being branded?

So has God really said not to get  a tattoo?  Yes!

As one who was delivered from Babylon, New Age, and pseudo-Buddhism, I am more familiar with witchcraft than maybe your average American Christian.   I  recognize that tattoos come under the spirit of witchcraft and rebellion.    That is why I adamantly speak out against them.    The devil’s tactic is to take an inch and then a mile.   You can see that in every area of our society where there has been a downward spiral into immorality.

The enemy is marking his people and unfortunately some of God’s.  Tattooed bodies will die.  But, thank God, that the enemy cannot touch or kill “the spirits of just men made perfect”,  those who have the seal of the Holy Ghost!  (Heb 12:23)

But that is NOT justification to condone something which GOD told His people NOT to do!  It just demonstrates God is merciful.  Forgive the sinner.  Preach the word against sin.

May the teachers in the Church, who are called to a higher accountability, come under the conviction of the Holy Ghost instead of the seduction of political correctness.  May they be more willing to please a holy God  than mortal man.   May we act and preach with the discernment to spot the enemy’s pernicious persuasion  knowing that “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.”  (2 Tim 3:16)

“For what fellowship has righteousness with unrighteousness?”  (2 Cor 6:14)