Perhaps that isn’t a question you’ve asked. That could be for various reasons, but there are two common extremes. The first says that it’s always wrong to modify your body. This is the case for everything, from earrings to implants. The second claims we’re totally free to do anything to our bodies. Typically, the former is a kind of legalism and the latter reveals licentiousness. Both are wrong. God is neither nitpicking nor indifferent. As a loving Father, he cares about our bodies. The question around body modifications that aren’t medically necessary goes deeper than a simple yes or no.
Identity, Motivation, and Body Modification
In this short video, using questions around the conscience in Romans 14, Femi argues that our desires and hopes are integral in answering this question. Is is a sin to modify your body? Well, why do you want to do it? What’s driving that decision? What is your motivation? God hasn’t merely provided us with a list of rights and wrongs, commands and prohibitions. Instead, he’s granted us great freedom as we follow after him. However, that freedom shouldn’t be spent on self-aggrandisement or selfish pursuits.
If your motivation for doing it is that you find ultimate identity in your appearance, that will make it flat out wrong.
Furthermore, we must consider where our identity rests. It’s no secret that much body modification, especially in the West, seeks to prolong youth and preserve beauty. In other words, it’s grounded in an identity other than the one we have in Christ. So we must examine what we believe about ourselves and our identity when considering to modify our bodies. Who am I hoping to become by doing this? What do I hope to communicate about myself to others by it? What is my hope?
Ultimately, Femi concludes by pointing us to the Christian hope; to the resurrection. For like Christ, at the resurrection our bodies will not only be restored by glorified. Thus he says, “God plans on carrying out the best body modification surgery on all those who follow Jesus.” Maybe, just maybe, if we truly believed that we would see less need to alter and modify our bodies now.
Other Content On This Topic
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Mental Health and the Question of Causality
Your Health and Well-being Matter // African Bible Study
Transcript
Clarification
Well, it’s not a sin in general, but it may be a sin for you. And before I expand on my answer, let me begin by explaining what I mean by body modification: this is simply the intentional alteration of this human body for non-medical purposes. I should also make clear that I am addressing extreme modifications like scarification and implanting, you know like breast and bum implants, and not simple modifications like body piercings and tattoos.
What Scripture Teaches
Now to expand in on my answer. In Romans 14, Paul, in addressing the secondary issue of whether all Christians were required to follow specific dietary requirements of the Old Covenant, concluded in both Romans 14:14 and Romans 14:20 that we are not required. That seems clear enough, right? Yet in Romans 14:23, he goes on to say if you genuinely didn’t think his position was scriptural, and then went on to break that Old Covenant rule, you will be sinning because you disobeyed what you believe God commanded. Clear enough?
You see, scripture doesn’t teach objectively that body modification is sinful—it just doesn’t. And yet, it will be sinful for some of us to have them done when you really believe the Bible teaches otherwise.
What Is Your Motivation?
Then, there’s a question of your motivation for doing it and the legitimate cultural and identification and aesthetic reasons for having them done. But for some of us, because your motivation for doing it is that you find ultimate identity in your appearance, that will make it flat out wrong. For others, it is wrong because your medical condition means you’ll be pushing the boundaries of your safety just so you can express yourself or get the approval of others. Please don’t do it for these reasons.
Our Future Hope
Now finally, while the Bible in 1 Corinthians 6:13-14 warns us against submitting to bodily desires in a way that disobeyed God’s commandments, it roots that warning in the fact that God cares more about our bodies than we ever can. How do we know this? Because he ultimately plans on carrying out the best body modification surgery on all those who follow Jesus. It’s called the resurrection and our resurrection bodies would never decay forcing nor will ever die. What guarantees this will happen? Well, he’s already carried that out on Jesus. So, rather than engage in body modification in violation of your conscience or for the wrong motives, why don’t you wait on God’s timing? I promise you: you won’t regret it.
