What About Dancing?
INTRODUCTION.
A. Dancing is a most interesting Bible subject. I have found 25 verses that refer to dancing. In all of these verses, not one of them pronounces dancing as sinful. Despite this fact, for years we have been taught that dancing is wrong.
1. When I was in the eighth and ninth grade, I believed that dancing was wrong. This is what I had been taught. I went to a band banquet. After the dinner, the tables were moved aside, music was started and the kids danced. I stood off to the side with some other boys. Believe it or not, I was asked to dance by two or three girls. I told them no. The reason I gave was that dancing was against my religion.
2. As I have grown older, I have realized that to say that dancing is against my religion is not enough. I have not found the Bible to support such a statement.
B. In order to determine whether or not dancing is wrong, we must turn to the Bible. Using Bible facts and bible principles, we will be able to establish whether or not dancing is wrong. With the approaching prom season and end-of-the-year dances, I find it especially needful that we help our young people to make the right decision.
I. DANCING SEEN IN THE BIBLE.
A. There are three types of dances mentioned in the Bible.
1. Dances of rejoice and thanksgiving.
a. “Then Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took the timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances.” (Exodus 15:20, NKJV)
b. Jephthah’s daughter greeted him with timbrels and dancing. (Judges 11:34)
2. Dances in worship to God.
a. “Let them praise His name with the dance; Let them sing praises to Him with the timbrel and harp.” (Psalms 149:3, NKJV)
b. Consider also Psalms 150:4.
3. Dances associated with idolatry and lustful enticements.
a. Dancing was associated with the Israelites rebellion and the worship of the golden calf. (Exodus 32:19,20)
b. The daughter of Herodias danced before Herod and pleased him. The normal assumption is that this type of dancing was intended to please the onlookers in a lustful way. (Matthew 14:6-8)
B. All of the 25 verses that refer to dancing will fit into one of the above three categories, with maybe one or two exceptions.
C. After having reviewed dancing as seen in the Bible, let us now move onto some questions that you should ask before choosing to dance.
II. QUESTIONS TO BE CONSIDERED BEFORE CHOOSING TO DANCE.
A. What are your reasons for dancing?
1. Consider the following reasons some people give for dancing.
a. I dance because it is exercise. {Exercise does not make a particular deed a sin.}
b. I dance because it is fun and I enjoy it. {If the deed is not directly forbidden, having fun and enjoying an act does not make the deed a sin.}
c. I dance because it gives me an opportunity to be with my friends. {Spending time with your friends is not a sin, unless they are bad influences.}
d. I dance so that I will fit in. The peer pressure is too great.
e. I dance to show off. I am good and good looking. I know those girls just can’t wait to watch me.
f. I dance so that I can get the attention of the boys. It is easy to entice and excite them.
g. I dance because I want to be “turned on.” I enjoy watching those girls dance as well as dancing with them.
2. There are problems with the last four reasons. These reasons challenge a Christian’s modesty, sobriety, and shamefacedness.
a. A Christian should not conform to peer pressure. (Cf. Romans 12:2)
b. A Christian’s goal should not be to “show off” his or her “good looks.”
c. Other than your spouse, a Christian should never seek to create a sexual attraction between him and the opposite sex. Think of all the potential sins that could lead to.
d. A Christian who watches the opposite sex to get “turned on” is only asking for trouble. Consider the number of sexual sins which could be easily provoked.
B. In what type of environment will you be dancing?
1. Many dancing environments are filled with revelling which is wrong according to Galatians 5:19-21.
a. Revelling - “feasts and drinking parties that are protracted till late at night and indulge in revelry.” (Thayer)
b. Revelling is basically any type of party or gathering of people where behavior gets out of hand and sin is committed.
c. A lot of dancing environments fit into this description. Consider the night clubs, bars, and parties wherein many people dance and drink alcohol.
2. Consider other aspects of many dancing environments.
a. The dancing goes on until the late hours of the night.
b. Dancing is done in dimly lit rooms.
c. Many people who dance do so in clothing which is designed to sexually attract the opposite sex.
d. Depending on the type of dance, you may be called upon to hold someone close to you and possibly engage in indecent and suggestive bodily contact.
e. The sexual emotions, which can build within the dancing environment, are often driven by suggestive words in the music.
f. Many dancing environments can dull your moral and spiritual senses by exposing you to sexual emotions and desires.
C. What thoughts are provoked by dancing?
1. Many of the modern dances promote and incite the opposite sex in a sexual way. To promote or incite lustful thoughts is considered lascivious behavior which is also wrong according to Galatians 5:19.
a. Lasciviousness - "indecent bodily movements, unchaste handling of males and females." (Thayer)
b. Many of the modern dances feed on the sexual desires within the male and the female.
2. If it is not possible for dancing to produce lustful thoughts, then consider the following questions.
a. Why do teenage dances require chaperons?
b. Why is it that some young ladies have lost their virginity, even become pregnant, after high school proms and other dances?
c. Why do dances involve boys dancing with girls? Why the attraction to dance with the opposite sex?
d. Why do boys and girls hold each other close on the slow dances?
3. Although we are discussing the subject of dancing, I must point out that any activity which produces lustful thoughts, outside of the marriage relationship, should be avoided.
D. What are the "fruits" of your dancing? (Matthew 7:16,17)
1. In order to determine whether or not the dance you are considering is right or wrong, please answer the following questions to determine the “fruit” of the dance.
a. What type of influence and effect does your dancing have on others? Will your dancing with or for them cause them to have lustful thoughts about you?
b. Are you dancing because of peer pressure? If you are dancing because of peer pressure, then you will stand a good chance of doing other things because of peer pressure, such as drinking, smoking, premarital sex, etc.
c. Will you still be considered a “light” to the world after having been seen dancing?
d. What type of friends will you meet while dancing -- godly or ungodly?
e. What type of atmosphere results from the dance you are considering attending? Will there be drinking and uncontrolled, do-what-you-want type of behavior? Are you going to be able to maintain your Christianity?
f. After the dance, what behavior will you be tempted to engage in -- godly or ungodly? Are you going to be able to maintain your Christianity?
2. You must decide whether or not the particular dance in question good for you by looking at its fruits. If the fruits of certain types of dances are evil, then avoid those types of dances.
E. Could the dance detract from your living a godly life? Will dancing keep you from being pure and unspotted from the world? (James 1:27)
CONCLUSION.
A. I realize that there are many different opinions on the subject of dancing. Some preachers may stand before you and tell you that all forms of dancing are wrong. If they do, it is because they have good intentions. However, other preachers may tell you that the Bible does not legislate rules regarding dancing. Neither conclusion can be established with Bible scripture.
B. It is my hope and prayers that parents and young people will take the Bible for what it says when considering the subject of dancing. Parents, if you tell your children no to their request to go to a dance, please be clear and help them to see why.
C. Remember, as a Christian, you are a holy person of God. (I Peter 2:4-10) You are to walk according to the Bible’s standards. Ignore peer pressure or the standards of the world.
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What About Dancing? -- April 6, 2003
by John Duvall - Preached in Lawton, OK -- File #: 2191 - Dancing