ACOC - Is Dancing a Work of the Flesh

Is Dancing A Work Of The Flesh?

Gary Colley

Each year there seems to arise the need to give scriptural teaching concerning dancing and its evils. Parents must meet the questions of their young people; young people must have answers for themselves and their friends on the question.

It is very important that we know what the works of the flesh are, as well as “such like” things that are mentioned in God’s Word. Because, “that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God” (Galatians 5:21). The words “world” and “flesh” are often used in the Bible to mean evil or worldliness, and thus it does in Galatians 5:19-21.

Is dancing a work of the flesh? The list of words that show us the works of the flesh in Galatians 5:19-21 are uncleanness, lasciviousness, and revellings. There are other words given, but these apply directly to the subject of dancing.

1. Uncleanness is from the Greek word AKATHARSIA, which is defined: “lewdness, impurity of motive, the impurity of lustful, luxurious profligate living.” This word is also found in Romans 1:24; 6:19; 2 Corinthians 12:21; Ephesians 4:19; 1 Thessalonians 4:7 (Thayer’s Lexicon).

2. Lasciviousness is from the Greek word ASELGEIA, which is defined: “intemperance, lasciviousness, licentiousness, wantonness; indecent bodily movements, unchaste handling of males and females” (Thayer’s Lexicon).

3. Revellings is from the Greek word KOMOI, which is defined: “a jovial feast with music and dancing; a carousal, a festive lascivious feasting” (Liddel and Scott Greek Lexicon).

We should not need scholars to explain to us that the modern dance is included in the three words defined above. We can see that the ‘such like’ of Galatians 5:21 does include the dance. No Christian, striving to live so as to please his Heavenly Father, should participate nor allow those under his care and guidance to be a participant in the modern dance. The Bible condemns it as wrong and evil work.

Yet, if there were no such book as the Bible, it seems one should be convinced of the destructive and dangerous nature of the dance simply by studying the reports of sociologists on the evil results of dancing. The fondling and embracing in dancing is proven to do great damage. Certainly no good thought or noble thing has ever come from dancing.

Christians cannot dance and abstain from every form of evil (1 Thessalonians 5:22), for dancing is evil! Neither can we keep ourselves unspotted from the world and deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, for ungodliness and worldly lusts are found in the dance (Titus 2:11-12).

The dance belongs to the world. The Christians belongs to Christ. Let us not then jeopardize our own soul’s salvation and the salvation of those we might influence by participating in the modern dance! May God help each of us to so live that Heaven may be our home.