Therefore, it is not the tattoo, or tattooing that undermines your testimony, it is your worry about tattoos.
Yes of course, I worry about that.. But not because I confused my declaration and image with my faith, nor the judgement or rebuke of the church.. What I'm basing that on is that declaration goes with faith, like "keeping watch of life and doctrine (1 Tim 4:6)".. Of course, tats is a little thing on the 'life', as you say it's but a wound.. That's why I think I said, uhh, and other acts that betray the truthfulness of who the lord of my life is..
I know the verses you sited.. Yet they aren't only the ones written.. Also, for the verses you sited, the Lord exposes the reality of the 'declaration' or the acts they make: it's not for the glory of God, as you've said.. It's for themselves.. Their hearts made the seemingly correct act filthy.. That's my point.. I think I cannot say I'm inking for the Glory of my Lord Jesus Christ! And for other 'acts' if I may:
- I'm practicing guitar while I don't even lift a finger to help my wife with the chores, and I say I love the Lord!
- I'm not preparing the songs I will sing in advance and praying about because I'm pretty used at worship leading, and I will say I sing for the glory of the Lord!
- I have a slight headeache, and reason out I'm not feeling okay to excuse myself from worship team practice, and I will say I live to worship you Lord Jesus!
I've said and done those things.. I've listened to some youth pastors lament the hypocrisy in their teams.. Why? Because like me, I've started with no one saying 'take good care of your testimony.' That I'm surrounded by a great cloud of witness, those who hear and see the declarations I make of my faith.. Then what, my actions just showed I didn't know what I was talking about..
Taking from an example right here, ron_rd57 quipped in here before, to say to have tats to win souls is absurd.. Why'd he thought of that, I don't know.. But I can opine that the inked sharer may be saying he/she wants to share the gospel and thus have her/himself inked; to ron, the sharer just wants to appear cool to the audience.. The sharer may innocently or maliciously thinks he/she does it for Christ, but nay, it's not..
And now I'm straying far from tats..
Sorry.. Ayun lang talaga, na mag-ingat sa pag-decide ang isang Christian in having tats (or better to not have it), and so much more with the day to day lives they live.. Like what you said, the fruits of what we do, the one manifesting the contents of inside, is what counts.. If someone who profess his faith think tats will produce no ill fruits or effects, and in no case will display an askew motive of heart or faith, that's their own discernment.. It's a little thing, yes, but our ability to handle little, external things may as well communicate how we will handle greater or more intimate things..