I don’t want to get too far offline here, and I sure am not looking to put anybody under condemnation, but I will say this:  The fad, the move today toward tattooing.  You didn’t have to be a Christian to realize that was subculture and has become now acceptable.  I know many of you have tattoos, and I said, “Don’t get under condemnation.”  I’m trying to make a point with this.  How far do you let it go?  Who are these people?  What is their real objective?  Where does it end with implanting horns and distortions and tattooing your faces?  Where does it end?  “All things are lawful, but they are not”—let’s just say, they are not expedient (1 Corinthians 6:12); amen?  And the compulsion to have to do more and more doesn’t necessarily fit in with Paul’s theology.

It’s the same in fashion today.  We’re a holy people.  We’re set off by boundaries.  Where is that line?  I can’t set a line for you.  I can’t determine your conscience, but can I encourage you?  Live far away from the line.  Wherever you drew a line, don’t go up to it.  Don’t go over it.  Don’t live on it.  Let’s energize ourselves to pursue God and Christlikeness and separation.  What we do know, “How much is too much?”  You won’t even be asking those questions when you’re seeking God with all of your heart, with all of your soul and with all of your strength.  Amen?  Those are not questions asked by a man who’s pursuing God with all his heart, who’s panting after God’s righteousness as the hart does the brook (Psalm 42:1).

And we see the different ways that this can lean both in Romans and in Corinthians, but we have to deal with those issues, don’t we?—of meat.  What’s offered to an idol?  What’s not?  What offends my brother?  Those are issues that have to be dealt with in the church, aren’t they?  And the reality, what we come to conclusion was, is you—you are your brother’s keeper.  Pray for them.  Intercede for them.  If you see something that’s scriptural—that is biblically, clearly sin—reprove and rebuke them; amen?  If it’s not clearly sin, then mind your own business.  Amen?  Live unto the Lord and by faith live according to your conscience, because whatsoever’s not of faith is…?

That’s why we do not invite others to live by our conscience.  If they start trying to do what we’re doing without faith, without truly believing that this is acceptable, we’re leading them into sin because they don’t really believe that.  They’re doing it because they might be pressured, because that’s what’s cool, because whatever else.  But it’s got to be by faith.  You’ve got to believe you’re right with God.  And if you don’t, don’t do it.  Amen?  And if somebody can come up and show you in the Scriptures that that is not freedom of conscience, that is flesh and sin, then you repent.