Last week, we examined the justification for the use of modern dancing by some in the denominations. The sectarians cite approved "dancing" in the Old Testament and claim the passages justify modern "dancing," assuming a parallel between the two. Yet, the examples of "dancing" they cite from the Bible are simply joyful demonstrations (Lam. 5:15; Psa. 30:11; 149:3; 150:4). Such "dancing" was done by one alone or by groups of the same gender (Jer. 31:13; 1 Sam. 18:6; 21:11; 29:5; 2 Sam. 6:14; Ex. 15:20; Judg. 11:34). No approved example of "dancing" is found involving men with women, like we see in modern dancing, because that kind of dancing is clearly condemned (Matt. 14:6-11; Mk. 6:22-28; Ex. 32:19). The Bible condemns movements enticing the carnal appetites as "lasciviousness" (Gal. 5:19; Eph. 4:19;1 Pet. 4:3; Rom. 13:13). Lexicographer Henry Thayer noted that "lasciviousness" (aselgeia) involved "wanton acts or manners, as filthy words, indecent bodily movements, unchaste handling of males and females" (Greek-English Lexicon of the N.T., pp. 79-80). That description comes far closer to describing modern dancing than does the leaping, jumping or demonstrations of joy found in the Scripture. Remember those "dances" were even part of their worship (Psa. 149:3; 150:4). Can anyone seriously believe that a ballet, tango, salsa or other modern mixed dancing could ever have been approved by God in worship?
We should expect our denominational friends to pervert Scripture in an effort to justify their unlawful ideas, but it should cause both shock and sadness to see a fellow brother in Christ make much the same justification of some modern dancing. In a recent sermon by brother Marty Pickup at the Valrico church of Christ here in our area, brother Pickup had some startling things to say about dancing ("What the Bible Says about Dancing, 7/18/04). After he cited several passages saying that some dancing is presented as "good and fine and proper" (e.g. Ex. 15:20-21 mistakenly referenced as Ex. 20; Jer. 31:13; Psa. 149:3; 150:4; Eccl. 3:4), Marty made some excellent and well needed points on Bible passages warning against sensual and lustful actions that incite sexual passion (e.g. Gal. 5:19-21; Eph. 4:17-19). But his failure to clearly distinguish the "dancing" of the Old Testament passages from the typical "dancing" of our time was not the most disturbing part of our brother's sermon. It is what our brother considers acceptable that is most disturbing:
But I think it's a mistake to just use the term "dancing" as an umbrella to just say that anything that would possibly come under that heading of dancing must be sinful. Well the Bible certainly doesn't allow us to draw that kind of conclusion. You've got other forms of dancing - ballet dancing, and again, I think there might be some questions we'd want to ask as far as the attire that might be worn and that kind of thing. But again I don't know that necessarily you'd have to say that there's anything wrong with this kind of beautiful ballet dancing which is an artistic form of expression and I don't think is intended to incite lust and to be enticing passion.
There "might be some question" about the attire worn in ballet dancing? No, there is no question that skin-tight, form-revealing, neckline-plunging, full-leg-baring attire is not just questionable - it is sinful (1 Tim. 2:9-10). Neither is that the only problem with ballet dancing. If my sons had placed their hands on a young lady where the men in ballet place their hands on the women, let me assure you that the "expression" they would have received from my hands would not have been "an artistic form." Furthermore, ballet is designed to accentuate the human form. The attire and movements of both men and women participating make that fact clear. How any Christian could think such a public exhibition of the human form is in harmony with the Bible teaching on modesty and morality is astonishing! But our brother continues with more perplexing comments on acceptable dances:
And again, you can talk about various kinds of formal, classical dancing and evening dancing and all that and you have to ask those kinds of questions. Sometimes does it cross the line and become something sensual? I think so. Now I don't know that it always does. But that's a question that people have to ask and people have to be thinking about that and again, not just give some broad answer, well, all dancing is okay or give some broad answer all dancing is wrong. The Bible just doesn't indicate that. But you have to look at individual cases. I can't think of anything that would be more pure than what you see in a wedding celebration, the first dance of a bride and groom. We just recently had that and I think that's something which I can't imagine anything more pure than that or the father-daughter dance... I'll just have to tell you I can think of nothing that would be impure about that at all.
Our brother cannot even say that classical or evening dancing is normally wrong because of its sensuality, but only that he thinks it "sometimes" does "cross the line and become something sensual." Amazing! But would there be any sin involved if a man (the groom) danced with his wife (the bride)? No, because they have the lawful right to each other's body according to Scripture (1 Cor. 7:4). However, that lawful right has no place being exercised in a public gathering any more than they could properly exercise other marital rights to intimacy in public. There is no passage teaching the "purity" of a father and his daughter engaging in modern dancing, nor can I fathom a Christian seeking to justify it. As an aside, our brother's examples bring a question to mind: how and where did his "pure" dancers learn to dance? Had I decided to dance with Leslie on our wedding day (or any day since then), neither of us would have known how to do so. Why? Because we never learned to dance! We did not go to dances or take dance lessons because we both knew the movements and activity at such places were not compatible with godliness. One wonders how two Christians would have learned to dance and why they would think to do so at their wedding, much less the father-daughter dance. But there is more:
Let's just draw some conclusions from all of this. Is any and every kind of dancing wrong? Absolutely not! The Bible does not teach that. Is every kind of dancing obviously lasciviousness? No! And I've heard some preachers make that kind of umbrella statement. That's just not true and the Bible certainly shows us that. On the other hand, because the Bible commends certain kinds of dancing, does that mean that every kind of dancing is okay? Absolutely not! Absolutely not. And, folks, we need to be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. You know, Jesus made that statement. We need to be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. In our Western culture, if you just look at us historically, what we have done in our culture is we have taken dancing and we have made it something in our Western culture that is most of the time a male-female kind of dancing - couples dancing - which doesn't necessarily make it wrong or sensual or sexual, but you know as well as I do that the line between something which is pure and something which becomes sensualistic is a very, very thin line. And especially when your bodies are together in that way it's very easy for one of the two parties, if not both of the two parties, to cross a line and be engaging in thoughts and doing things that really are sensualistic. Sometimes something might just be very, very poor judgment or it may be something that you just have to put the brakes on and just say now wait a minute. We're not gonna go to that particular party or we're not gonna go to that particular event or we're not gonna engage in that particular thing, not because something is inherently and necessarily a sinful action, but it may just be the kind of thing where that's not good judgment because of how easily the line can be crossed, especially when, especially when you're with people of the world who, as we have seen, they're callous to this issue.
Parents, is this the kind of preaching about dancing you want your children to hear as they face temptations to engage in modern dancing? Are they to decide the issue on the basis of personal judgment or on the fact that modern dancing is not authorized by God, but is a violation of the principles clearly revealed in His word? Our brother makes clear the kind of dancing he has in mind. It is the kind where "people of the world" are involved and may produce "sensualistic" thoughts. It is the kind "when your bodies are together" and it is "very easy" for one or both to "cross the line." Dear reader, when a male and female have their bodies together in modern dancing with movements that may (and will) incite sensual passion, they have already crossed the line! There is no passage in Scripture that would justify such action, but several that would condemn it as "lasciviousness" (Gal. 5:19; Eph. 4:19;1 Pet. 4:3; Rom. 13:13). Years ago, the typical dancing among young people was known as "dirty dancing" and not because the floor was dusty. Does our brother think it has become more pure with the passage of time? No, modern dancing is not pure! Uncertain sounds point young people in the wrong direction. They need to hear clear, certain, Bible teaching on the sins and dangers of modern dancing.