Shall We Dance?
I am hopeful that both of our regulars actually read this post…and maybe even one or two more. Not so much for what I have to say, but more for what thoughtful responses people might have. Since we at Rhythm are generously and graciously sponsored by the RVBA (Roanoke Valley Baptist Association), and because a blog watching buddy suggested it, I thought I would look into the dilemma of Baptists and “Dancing.”
I find 3 things to be fairly consistent in my reading…
The first is, like most issues, people are fairly heated and opinionated on both sides of the issue. And most of the “heat” stems from history and pride rather than depth of insight.
Next comes common reason number one for the belief that people should not dance…and it is “cultural/worldy”. Meaning this…at the time dancing became “unacceptable” it was associated with either music and musicians whose obvious life choices were not in accordance with the church, or locations which supported and or made their money off of things that were “immoral” (i.e. bars, clubs, pubs, etc.)
Simply put the belief became that dancing music is played and supported by unholy people in unholy places and only leads to lust in such instances.
Finally comes common reason number two people are expected to avoid dancing…biblical stances. For the most part I could find 2 passages given out more often than others…the young Salome dancing before Herod just before he is asked to give up the head of John the Baptist (Matthew 14:6-9)…and David dancing naked in the streets (2 Samuel 6:12-22).
Interestingly enough, The passage on David is also used in defense of dancing.
It is here that I would love to interject my thoughts and opinions…but I am afraid my sarcasm would run wild and my perspective would skew the comments to come…so I leave the discussion to begin with a line from an individual that I read during my internet searches about dancing. The person basically said this…I hope that my faith and my belief in Jesus is judged on the things that I do for and about my faith and not the list of things that I do not do.
Talk amongst yourselves…I look forward to it.
CT
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Comments
Posted Dec 10th at 4:24 pm
this comment wont be as insightful or “deep” as most are but basically all i have to say is should we change the way we worship a never changing god because what we are doing is also done by “unholy” people??? isnt people wanting to be like us (christians) and do things like us and find what it is we have that makes us so different exactly what we want unholy people do???
Posted Dec 11th at 11:24 pm
Dancing is not different than turning on the light on Saturday. Huh? Yeah, seriously. An orthodox Jew will not turn on an electric light on Saturday because to do so might cause him to work, thereby violating the OT Sabbath rules.
Here’s the problem- God never said, “Don’t turn on lights on Saturday or I shall smite your land with lots of ugly, foul-smelling frogs!” The rule is a tradition of men.
Jesus wasn’t real down with traditions of men- they tended to take the focus off the original issue of the heart. See Mark 7 for more info.
The religious rules concerning dancing have more to do with men’s rules and supposed slippery slopes than with the real heart issues of lust, wayward hearts and divided allegiances. According to Colossians, “Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why, as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules: “Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!”? These are all destined to perish with use, because they are based on human commands and teachings. Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence” (2:20-23). In other words, legalism never actually keeps anyone from sin. Rather, it becomes a deception of self-righteousness that keeps me from actually following God.
OK- now do I have to stop being in a baptist-affiliated church? Bummer, dude.
Posted Dec 13th at 4:12 pm
I am a Baptist pastor and a lot of Baptist are still uncomfortable about many Biblical passages. There are seven Hebrew words for praise in the Old Testament and dance is one of them. Let’s dance for Jesus! Worship is not a spectator sport.
Posted Dec 16th at 12:30 pm
Let me just add this:
We can take most things, and allow the humanity and “adamic” nature within us to corrupt them. We would be wise to step back and look at the things we do/do not do and wisely assess the “why”? Then, in choosing to do anything with all our hearts, we should pass our actions through this filter…
” in whatever you do, be it word or deed, do it all for the glory of God” (Collosians, paraphrase mine).
CT
Posted Jan 6th at 9:19 am
Bro. Hilton – AMEN!
Brian, excellent comments. I’d like to recommend some reading you might enjoy. Book title: The end of Religion; author: Bruxy Cavey. He is a teaching pastor in Canada. A search of the title or author on Amazon.com should pull it up. If you are truly looking for a church, sounds like Pastor Jeffreys church may be a place for you.