We as Christians are to put forth a light that shines to the world around us and shows Jesus in all we do.  We are to teach with our lives as well as with our lips.  In order to do this we must stay away from things that are questionable and sinful.  In this lesson I will be trying to show why "Dancing" falls under this category. Some years ago Robert Taylor, Jr.  wrote an article entitled, "The Christian and Dancing," in that article he made this statement,
 
 
 

"Some years ago, the F.B.I. issued a report which listed six ways in which young people get hurt.  These six avenues consisted of activities that could ultimately lead young people into ruin.  It is interesting that dancing was number two on the F.B.I. list.  The other potentially dangerous activities include drinking, gambling, parking and petting, reckless driving and mixed swimming."
 
 
 

Isn't it interesting that even the F.B.I. can see the potentially dangerous effects of dancing on young people and yet we as Christians do not, or else we bury our heads in the sand and say, "I do not agree I am a Christian and can handle the temptaion."  Please do not forget that ". . .the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour." [1 Peter 5:8].  What does this mean?  It means that the devil is always on the lookout for ways to corrupt and to lead us away from God.  The devil will use whatever means he can to convince us that we can do this or that and it will not matter.  Let us look in the Word of God for reasons why dancing is not an activity in which a Christian should participate.
 
 
 

Galatians 5:19 - Paul lists *lasciviousness* as a reason that one who practices it will not inherit the kingdom of God [heaven].  Now you may ask what is lasciviousness?  Lasciviousness as used here by Paul is a Greek term meaning, "excess, licentiousness, absence of restraint, indecency, wantonness" [Vines]. So how does this apply to dancing?  It applies because the modern dance promotes *unchaste handling of males and females* and this applies whether it takes the form of dancing in a close embrace [which should only be between two married people] or if it takes the form of the suggestive, vulgar, indecent bodily movements that are made with some dances.
 
 
 

Matthew 5:27-28 - here Jesus instructs us about *adultery*, again you may ask how does this teach against dancing.  It is simple really, in verse 28 Jesus says that if one so much as looks upon a woman to lust [Vines says meaning of lust is, "denotes 'strong desire' of any kind"] after her then one has already committed adultery in the heart.  Young people, the modern dance promotes lust whether it is acted upon or not.  You can sit there and say, "Not me I don't lust I just enjoy the music and the beat and having fun," BUT can you be sure that EVERYONE there at a dance is having as pure thoughts as you are? Are you sure you are not causing someone else to sin by the movements you are making in public?  Think about it, then go and read where Jesus says we are the light of the world in Matthew chapter 5 and that we are the salt of the earth in the same chapter, then honestly ask yourself am I either of those things if I am causing someone else to sin by my actions.
 
 
 

Matthew 5:8 - here in the Beatitudes that Jesus gave in His Sermon on the Mount we find one extremely simple and easily understood reason for not dancing.  "Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God."  Are you, "pure in heart" when you are on a dance floor or even on the sidelines and you are watching others making lustful movements with their bodies?  Are you being "pure in heart" when being held so closely in a dance that nothing is left to the imagination about a person's anatomy?  Don't forget young people all of us have "been there done that" so to speak.  Adults may not be young, they may be *old-fashioned* in your way of thinking, but they have all been there already and have already learned from the experiences through which they have lived.  God, in His infinite wisdom, said for the older to teach the younger, therefore, we as Christians should respect and listen to our elders [older in age] when they try to help us to learn.
 
 
 

1 Corinthians 6:18 - "I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh; for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members to righteousness unto holiness." This is plain people, *uncleanness* is not a hard word to understand.  The sin of dancing is that it assaults a persons senses and causes them to sin by acting upon what lust has caused.
 
 
 

1 Peter 2:11 - Peter is very plain in his teaching which is inspired of God here, ". . .abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul."  No doubt here as to what is meant, we are to abstain from anything and everything that could cause us to lust and sin in the flesh.  Don't tell me that when the young ladies are in a huddle whispering about how gorgeous so and so is or how great so and so looks in that Tuxedo and so forth that they are not letting the flesh rule!  Don't tell me that when young men are watching every move a young girl is making in that beautiful dress that in a lot of cases, is too revealing in the first place, that their senses are not awakened!  Come on now young people, be honest when thinking on these things!
 
 
 

There are so many more places in the Bible that we can use to teach against dancing, these are just a few to help us to study and consider the Words of God to His children.  Remember that we have to be "a peculiar people" [1 Peter 2:9], we have to be the "salt of the earth" [Matthew 5:13], "Ye are the light of the world" [Matthew 5:14] and we have to "Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." [Matthew 5:16].  Can we be and do all these things and be on the dance floor participating in sinful, sensual movements that are a sin to a Christian?
 
 
 

In closing this lesson I would like to share with you something I learned years ago in a teenage class taught by my minister at the time.  We had a large group of young people where I grew up, around 80 in our group and the leaders of the congregation made sure we had teaching on the subjects such as dancing.  One of those classes was on a book written by brother P.D. Wilmeth called A Father Talks to Teenagers.  In that book he has a lesson entitled, "To Dance or Not to Dance," in this chapter (9) it gives three very good "Counts Against Dancing"--
 
 
 

1)  Its Effect on Others
2)  Its Effect on You - (2 Corinthians 6:14; 7:1)
3)  Arouses Passions
 
 
 

As you consider going to the prom or to school dances first take out your Bible and study on this subject.  Don't just read what I may teach or your preacher may teach or your elders may teach READ WHAT GOD teaches in His Word and read it with an open mind and open heart with the attitude of really wanting to "walk with God".  Consider the things brought up in this lesson of effect on others and effect and maybe the consequences on yourself by the passions that are ignited and that you are not ready to handle, even as much as you think you are.   When you have done this then get on your knees and ask God to guide you in your decision.