Mike,
Thank you for your response.  However, I did read your article prior to sending you this email and I am still a little uncertain about something.  The teenagers in our bible study want tattoos.  As parents we understand trends.  However, they think getting cross tattoos would symbolize something different.  We are not sure how to explain or defend this. Can you help?  All we have are the Laws of Lev 19:28 “Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I AM LORD”. Yet these are the Laws of Moses.
Sincerely,
S____

Hi S____,
I am sorry I did not pick up on what was your situation. Your children definitely do not need to be trying to improve upon God’s handiwork by piercing themselves and making outward signs of their commitment to God. God is not the least bit impressed with outward signs of righteousness, and He certainly doesn’t want us to be slaves of fashion. Here are His words on this subject:

Mat 23:27  Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness.

Rom 2:28  For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:
Rom 2:29  But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision [ is that] of the heart, in the spirit, [ and] not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.

If God does not want outward circumcision, then He certainly doesn’t need outward crosses or any other outward sign of righteousness. Here instead is what He does want:

1Pe 3:3  Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel;
1Pe 3:4  But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, [ even the ornament] of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.

If God has sent an evil spirit to your children that is telling them to get themselves outwardly adorned, then that is what God is doing with them at this time. The day will come when they “will let it not be outward adorning,” but will “let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.”
There it is for all who can receive it. “Let it not be outward adorning… but let it be the hidden” adornment of the heart, the adornment of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.”
Yes, I know this is speaking of women, but Christ applied this same principle to men:

Mat 6:3  But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:
Mat 6:4  That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.
Mat 6:5  And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
Mat 6:6  But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

Do your children want to have faith? If so let them have it before God, by obeying His command to not let their adorning be outward, but let it be hidden and inward.

Rom 14:22  Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth.

Never allow your children to pit the first part of this verse against the second part, and for that matter, never allow your children to set the rules of the house. If you forbid tattoos, then their desire to please God should center around “honoring their father and mother” rather than impressing their friends with some outward show of their faith. There should be but one reason we do any thing that we do, and this is that reason:

1Co 10:31  Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.

If that is truly where our heart is then we will be seeking only God’s will. That is very unlikely in the case of children and that is why God gave children parents. Give your children God’s directions. Love God and love your children, but never allow your children or anyone else to deceive you as to what is the love of your fellow man or  the love of God. Both are one and the same and anything less is nothing more or less than enabling your brother or sister in Christ to “continue in sin.” Here is the only definition of love that God acknowledges:

1Jn 5:2  By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.
1Jn 5:3  For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

One of His commandments is “let it not be the outward adorning but let it be inward and quiet…”
I hope this is of some help to you as you seek to guide your children.
Your brother in Christ,
Mike