[Biblemat] S:> Dancing and Lasciviousness
Ethan R. Longhenry
disciple_of_iesus at hotmail.com
Tue May 8 16:21:15 CDT 2007
http://www.deusvitae.com/faith/outlines/index.html
Dancing and Lasciviousness
I. Introduction
A. We come to a topic that is rather contentious and hard for many
to understand
1. Romans 12:1-2
2. 1 Corinthians 2:10-3:1
3. Importance of understanding things according to the spirit
and not according to the flesh
B. It is good to speak about the matter of dancing
C. Dancing is a socially acceptable means for young people
especially to associate
D. Is it, however, what God intends for young people?
E. Let us consider dancing and what the Scriptures say regarding
it
II. Caveats
A. We are not speaking about any and all types of dancing
B. Dancing between married persons in private is certainly fine
(Hebrews 13:4)
C. There are also many other forms of dance that would not be
considered lascivious or any such thing
D. Our concern today is principally with many of the forms of
dancing seen involving young persons in particular in various
social settings
III. The Nature of Dancing
A. Dancing is really nothing new
1. Almost every culture has some form of institutionalized dance
2. Almost always the dances are designed as opportunities for
boys and girls to get together
3. According to biologists, the purpose is to demonstrate one's
fitness and virility-- the attempt to attract a mate based on
physical competence
B. This impulse is enshrined today in the modern high school dances
primarily, homecoming and prom
C. This is also seen in the prevalence of clubs and other dancing
places that usually serve alcohol
D. The nature of the dancing today is highly problematic
1. Much of modern dance leaves little to the imagination!
2. Highly sexual
3. No one would allow such persons to do such things in public
if the music were turned off or the lights turned on!
4. Even the tamest types of dancing involve significant physical
contact
E. What do the Scriptures say about such things?
IV. The Scriptures on Dancing
A. The Scriptures do not explicitly speak regarding these matters
1. Miriam and the women engage in some kind of dance when
singing a song to God in Exodus 15:20
2. On the other hand, the Israelites danced on account of the
golden calf in Exodus 32:19
3. David danced before the LORD in 2 Samuel 6:14, but his wife's
reaction seems to show that it was not a normal or expected
occurrence
4. Jesus speaks of it only in a metaphor (Matthew 11:17,
Luke 15:25)
5. In all these matters, then, we have no commands regarding
dancing
6. There is one negative example-- Herodias' daughter before
Herod and his bad decision (Matthew 14:6-7)
7. Nevertheless, has God left us without direction?
B. While God may have not explicitly spoken regarding these matters,
God does give us a brain and expects us to render righteous
judgment
1. Hebrews 5:14-- maturity consists of proper discernment to
distinguish good from evil
2. We should not expect for God to tell us in exacting detail
every little thing that is right or wrong
3. 2 Timothy 3:16-17: Scriptures equip for every good work
4. Romans 14:23: whatever is not of faith is of sin
5. Therefore, we must search the Scriptures to see if a practice
is commended or commendable or not commended
6. How, then, can the Scriptures guide us in these matters?
C. Galatians 5:16-25
1. Paul establishes emphatically that we who are in Christ have
crucified the flesh and its passions (v. 24)
2. Said passions are listed, although not exclusively, in
vv. 19-21
3. The alternatives are listed in vv. 22-23
4. Therefore we must investigate and see: to which does such
dancing concord?
D. Let us consider the work of the flesh known as "sensuality" or
"lasciviousness"
1. Thus is defined the Greek term aselgeia
2. Lasciviousness, according to Webster's, is defined as
looseness; irregular indulgence of animal desires;
wantonness; lustfulness; tendency to excite lust, and promote
irregular indulgences
3. Lasciviousness/sensuality, then, can be defined as any
activity that is lustful or promotes lust
E. What is going on with dancing?
1. When we consider dancing, especially the modern types of
dancing that we see in high school dances and in clubs and
so forth...
2. Do such dances concord with goodness, faithfulness, peace,
self-control (Galatians 5:22-23)?
3. Or do they seem much "more like" lasciviousness
(Galatians 5:19-21)?
F. Let us be honest with ourselves!
1. I ask you to think spiritually and think realistically
2. What is going on at dances? What are the intents?
3. The prom, for instance, is considered a "rite of passage" for
teenagers
4. ...but is it not also true in our culture that society has
created the idea of post-prom sexual relations as also part
of that "rite of passage"?
5. Are we to think that the dancing at the prom has nothing to
do with such things?
6. If you went when you were younger, what were your intentions?
7. In a recent "Dear Abby" column (5/7/2007), a man wrote in
being concerned about hearing about the prevalence of "prom
babies" and girls intentionally seducing their
dates/boyfriends into sexual relations after the prom to get
pregnant so that they would not have to go to college and
deal with "college stress"
8. Sure, such thinking is horribly misguided, but that is not
stopping some teens!
G. If we consider the matter soberly and with spiritual
understanding, the conclusion is evident: the close contact and
movements of dancing is there to promote lust, is therefore
lascivious conduct, and therefore a work of the flesh, a "thing
like these" (Galatians 5:19-21)
H. The warning is there: those who practice such things will not
inherit the Kingdom (Galatians 5:21)!
V. Disagreements Considered
A. This understanding is not accepted by many, and for various
reasons
B. Some do not think that the dancing is lascivious behavior
1. Many persons perhaps want to deny the idea of it being
lascivious because it is enjoyable and want to keep doing
it-- such persons are warned to crucify the flesh with its
passions (Galatians 5:24)!
2. On the other hand, there are some who perhaps being more
innocent of these matters do not see how it is lascivious
3. While innocence is good, and we are to be innocent in sin
itself, we still must be wise as to how sin works
(cf. Matthew 10:16)
4. It is not much different from Eve before having tasted the
fruit and not having the understanding of many things-- just
because she could not understand it in her innocence does not
mean that the danger was not there (cf. Genesis 3)!
5. So it is with many young people: it is good that they have
not tasted of such "forbidden fruit", but they need to
recognize that even if they don't see it, it is still there!
6. It's not innocent!
C. Some see no problem with attending without participating
1. Many may agree that the dancing is lascivious and therefore
will not actually dance but will still go anyway
2. What, then, would be wrong with going?
3. First of all, by going one opens themselves up for the
temptation to participate, and while they may not succumb,
it is not wise to open oneself up to temptation
(cf. 1 Corinthians 10:13, Proverbs 6:27)
4. Secondly, presence indicates approval at some level
5. Your attendance may influence another to go and perhaps they
will not avoid dancing; if so, you have sinned
(cf. 1 Corinthians 8)
6. Even if that were not the case, what kind of influence can
you possibly have on others if they see you doing everything
else the world does (cf. Matthew 5:13-16)?
7. Notice that those who give approval to people sinning are
doing no better than those sinning themselves
(cf. Romans 1:32)!
VI. Conclusion
A. We have considered today the nature of dancing and lasciviousness
B. We recognize, of course, that there are some forms of dancing
that are appropriate because the persons involved are married or
the dancing is not designed to promote lust
C. We can see, however, that the object of much of modern dancing
among unmarried young people is designed with lust in mind
D. While the Scriptures may not explicitly establish it as sin, we
can make proper and righteous judgment and see that such dancing
does not correlate with the fruit of the Spirit but indeed is a
deed "such like" lasciviousness, and therefore under the same
condemnation as sin (Galatians 5:19-21)
E. While it may not be easy, it is the right way
F. Let us not involve ourselves with such actions nor participate
in them in any way
G. Invitation/songbook
Ethan R. Longhenry/ disciple_of_iesus at hotmail.com
Evangelist, church of Christ in Norwalk, Ohio
(http://www.norwalkchurch.org)
Website: http://www.deusvitae.com
AIM: Deus Vitae / ICQ#: 28317056
MSN Messenger ID: deusvitae at hotmail.com
Yahoo! Messenger ID: discipuliiesus
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