This Ain't the 80's Yo!
Here's a news flash for ya, "times are changing"! I know its hard to believe but we just don't live in 1950 any more. Well, that may be stating the obvious. How about this, we don't live in 1980 anymore either. The facts are in and you don't have to look far to know this is true. Here are some examples:
In the 80's, Christians didn't get tattoos, guys didn't get their ears pierced (unless they were gay or in a rock n roll band or possibly both), everybody had their "Sunday best" and wore them on Sunday to church, Christians didn't drink or smoke and if they did they tried to hide it from church folk, and oh, church took place in church (not in homes, coffeehouses, health clubs or bars). Well, you get the idea.
Yesterday a tattoo free brother in Christ asked me how he would know it was OK to get a tattoo. It made for an interesting lunch conversation. I told him there were a lot of things to consider. Could it hinder future employment, what would his future wife think of it, get a good tattoo artist because they don't come off, etc. Parents have often said to me, "my kid wants a tattoo and they say I should allow them to get one because Pastor Gene has one". I tell those parents to tell their kid, "Gene got his first tattoo when he was 30 and when you are 30 you can make that decision for yourself!"
Something else happened last night that reminds me that this ain't 1980 anymore. My 12 year old son got his ears pierced! Wow! I can remember when "no christian woman should have her ears pierced" and later when girls had to be a teenager to get them done and now my own son has his pierced and no one under the age of 30 will even think he is gay! Have things changed? When I got married in 1989, I got one ear (the left one of course) pierced on my honeymoon. The following two weeks Paula and I had to live with my parents until we went back to college. When my dad saw my ear his exact words were "take it out or get out!" ...I took it out. I had no where else to go. By the way, my dad got his first tattoo last year at age 62. He was also there when Tabor got his ears pierced last night and he didn't have a cow! Amazing.
What is the point? Just because something becomes acceptable in society doesn't make it acceptable to God. Addiction to anything is still a sin. Coffee, dessert, cigarettes, energy drinks...ouch! Being drunk is still a sin and the scriptures plainly teach that the highest standard is abstaining from alcohol all together. Modesty is still the rule for believers. Cover yourself for cryin' out loud! Paul said in 1 Co. 6:12 and again in 1 Co. 10:23 that everything is permissible but not everything is beneficial. Just because it isn't frowned on by society or even the church doesn't make it a good idea.
We only have one chance. Represent well!
The Rev
In the 80's, Christians didn't get tattoos, guys didn't get their ears pierced (unless they were gay or in a rock n roll band or possibly both), everybody had their "Sunday best" and wore them on Sunday to church, Christians didn't drink or smoke and if they did they tried to hide it from church folk, and oh, church took place in church (not in homes, coffeehouses, health clubs or bars). Well, you get the idea.
Yesterday a tattoo free brother in Christ asked me how he would know it was OK to get a tattoo. It made for an interesting lunch conversation. I told him there were a lot of things to consider. Could it hinder future employment, what would his future wife think of it, get a good tattoo artist because they don't come off, etc. Parents have often said to me, "my kid wants a tattoo and they say I should allow them to get one because Pastor Gene has one". I tell those parents to tell their kid, "Gene got his first tattoo when he was 30 and when you are 30 you can make that decision for yourself!"
Something else happened last night that reminds me that this ain't 1980 anymore. My 12 year old son got his ears pierced! Wow! I can remember when "no christian woman should have her ears pierced" and later when girls had to be a teenager to get them done and now my own son has his pierced and no one under the age of 30 will even think he is gay! Have things changed? When I got married in 1989, I got one ear (the left one of course) pierced on my honeymoon. The following two weeks Paula and I had to live with my parents until we went back to college. When my dad saw my ear his exact words were "take it out or get out!" ...I took it out. I had no where else to go. By the way, my dad got his first tattoo last year at age 62. He was also there when Tabor got his ears pierced last night and he didn't have a cow! Amazing.
What is the point? Just because something becomes acceptable in society doesn't make it acceptable to God. Addiction to anything is still a sin. Coffee, dessert, cigarettes, energy drinks...ouch! Being drunk is still a sin and the scriptures plainly teach that the highest standard is abstaining from alcohol all together. Modesty is still the rule for believers. Cover yourself for cryin' out loud! Paul said in 1 Co. 6:12 and again in 1 Co. 10:23 that everything is permissible but not everything is beneficial. Just because it isn't frowned on by society or even the church doesn't make it a good idea.
We only have one chance. Represent well!
The Rev
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