Is it wrong to have a tattoo?
ANSWER: Your assumption that it is a sin to have a tattoo may be based on Leviticus 19:28; “Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the Lord.”
The problem with the conclusion that we must obey this law from the Old Testament is that we must then obey ALL of the Old Testament laws. The Bible teaches us that if anyone is under the law, “...that he is a debtor to do the whole law. Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace” (Galatians 5:3).
“For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all” (James 2:10).
We cannot approach the Word of God with a smorgasbord mentality, picking and choosing the sections we like and passing over the others. Paul teaches us that if we believe in Jesus we are no longer under the Old Testament law. It has been fulfilled in Christ and we are part of a New Covenant …the New Testament! (Romans 10:4).
Perhaps a better approach would be the wisdom of getting a tattoo. Show your teen your high school yearbook and point out that your hair was actually in style! That is how ridiculous their tattoo will look in a few years; at least you can change your hairstyle. The tattoo is very close to permanent.
I would exhort you to work with your teenager to make a good decision together. Blatant opposition may result in a tug of war where no one really wins. Consider your son or daughters level of maturity, their past track record and what the tattoo will look like as you determine how involved you want to be in this decision. If a deadlock is the result, perhaps the two of you could agree upon a trusted third party to mediate the discussion.