Modern Dancing

MODERN DANCING (AND “SUCH LIKE”) Galatians 5:19-21

I. INTRODUCTON Perhaps many things that we consider trivial, God considers very important. We may consider Modern Dancing as one of those trivial things. However, our attitude shouldn’t be ‘what is important to me’, but ‘what is important to God’.

A. What IS Dancing? General Definitions:

a. Dancing is a rhythmical movement of the body, often to music

i. Camilla H. Wedgewood, “Dance”, Encyclopedia Britannica ii. New College Dictionary

b. Dancing can be used to express ideas or emotions

i. Encyclopedia Americana, Vol. VII, Pg. 447

II. DOES THE BIBLE MENTION DANCING? “Dancing” is mentioned in the Bible It is mentioned about 18 times without approval or disapproval Ex. 15:20 (Miriam); Judges 11:34 (Jephthah’s daughter); Job 21:11, etc. It is mentioned 4 times in direct connection with sin Ex. 32:19 (calf); Matt. 14:6 (Herod’s step-daughter), etc. It is mentioned 5 times in the Bible with approval Ecclesiastes 3:4; Psalms 149:3; Jeremiah 31:4, etc. Biblical “dancing” and modern dancing are NOT the same thing In almost half of the 27 times the word “dance” is used in the Bible, it refers to a musical instrument, or the music made on it. (Goebel Music, 1989) It is the Hebrew word Machol

2. In the other 13 times the word “dance is used, it has a reference to the way the word is defined (i.e. Judges 21:21 it means “to turn” or “to twist”).

3. However, NO mixed social dancing is found in the Bible…

a. It was solo dancing (2 Samuel 6:14, David at return of the Ark)

b. It was men dancing with men (Jeremiah 31:13)

c. It was women dancing with women (1 Samuel 18:6, After death of Goliath) NONE of these passages cited apply to mixed social dancing. (1) (2)

III. WHAT IS WRONG WITH MODERN DANCING? It is questionable. (Romans 14:23) “But he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith; for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.” If we “doubt” that dancing is completely right, we sin when we participate in it because we have violated our own conscience. It is a stumbling block (1 Corinthians 10:32) “Give no occasion of stumbling either to Jews, or to Greeks, or the church of God.” Would a teenager wear a sign to a dance that said, “I am a Christian”? Would a person (teenager or not) whisper into their partner’s ear during a dance, “I want to tell you about Jesus”? Dancing puts a stumbling block in the way of the Christian and in the way of the one the Christian is influencing. It is revelry and lasciviousness (Galatians 5:19-21) Revelry [KOMOS] “a revel, carousal, merrymaking, with music and dancing: it ended in the party parading the streets with crowned heads, with torches, singing and dancing…” (Liddell & Scott’s Greek-English Lexicon) “…of feasts and drinking-parties that are protracted till late at night and indulge in revelry” (Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament) “Originally a festal procession in honor of Dionysus, then a joyous meal or banquet, in the New Testament…only in a bad sense, excessive feasting… Carousing, revelry, Romans 13:13; Galatians 5;21” (A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and other early Christian Literature) No one can remove the fact that dancing is revelry, and those that Practice such, “shall not inherit the kingdom of heaven” REMEMBER: God’s thoughts are not our thoughts and our ways are Not God’s ways (Isaiah 55:8-9) (3) Lasciviousness [ASELGEIA] “licentiousness, wantonness, excess.” (G. Abbott-Smith’s Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament, pg. 63) “unbridled lust, excess, licentiousness, lasciviousness, wantonness, Outrageousness, shamelessness, insolence…wanton (acts or) manners, As filthy words, indecent bodily movements, unchaste handling of males and females, etc.” (Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon) “..licentiousness, debauchery, sensuality…give oneself over to debauchery. …live licentiously…pervert favor into licentiousness…follow the inclination to sensuality…especially of sexual excess…Romans 13:13; 2 Cor. 12:21; Galatians 5:19, in a long catalog of vices…indecent conduct…licentious desires…” (A Greek-Englis Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature)

IV. CONCLUSION Dancing is a rhythmical movement of the body Modern dancing is (mostly) males and females dancing together for sexual reasons. The modern dance is sinful because: It is questionable It is a stumbling block It is revelry and lasciviousness If we are to be faithful to the Lord, we must not engage in the modern dance, or “such like”