A Bible Study on Music and Dancing

This article is about Music and Dancing in regards to the Christian faith. I will be addressing such issues as should musical instruments be used in church services, should Christians listen to secular music, and is dancing a sin? Let's get started.

Regarding Musical Instruments in Modern Worship

Some church denominations do not condone using musical instruments in their worship services. They do this on the grounds of and claim that nowhere in the NT does it have the church praising God using them. Is this true? What about the book of Revelation isn't it a part of the NT? In Rev 15:2-3 we read of those that had gotten victory over the beast and over the mark, etc having harps and singing praise to God.

Even if they were correct in they're statement and musical instruments weren't mentioned in the NT does that mean Christians can't praise God with them. In my opinion absolutely not. If it was permitted and in fact encouraged in the OT and not forbidden under the NT then why shouldn't Christians praise God with them?

Some Instruments that are mentioned in the bible include tabrets (1Sam 18:6), cornets (2Sam 6:5), harps (1Chro 13:8), psalteries (1Chro 15:16), cymbals (1Chro 16:42), trumpets (2 Chro 29:26), timbrels (Psa 68:25), stringed instruments (Isa 38:20), cornet, flute, sackbut, dulcimer (Dan 3:5), and the viol (Amo 6:5). 

See also 1Chr 23:5, 2Chro 30:21, 2Chro 34:12, Neh 12:36, Psa 87:7

Should Christians Listen to Secular Music?

The next thing that I want to address is whether or not Christians should listen to worldly music. There are several points regarding this topic that I would like the reader to consider. When a person gets saved we see that their desires change, they become a new creature (2 Cor 5:17, Gal 6:15). They follow after the Spirit and not the flesh (Rom 8:1). The works of the flesh are evident in secular/worldly music as its lyrics talk about fornication, hatred, uncleanness, idolatry, heresy, drunkenness etc (Gal 5:19-21). We can see then how that it's not surprising for a Christian to shun these kinds of songs. 

Furthermore we are told to not be conformed to or love the things that are in the world (Rom 12:2, 1Joh 2:15). So we see that there should be a distinction between the people of God and the world.
As Christians we should be redeeming the time (Eph 5:16) and not waste it by listening to music that doesn't edify us.

Having said all that there are wholesome love songs by secular artist out there that doesn't glorify sin. So I just want to advise Christians to listen to their consciences and use their own discretion concerning this. There is the passage of 1 Cor 6:12 and 1Cor 10:23 which tells us all things are lawful but are not necessarily expedient for us, so we should take that into consideration as well. So in other  words it might not be sinful to listen to secular music however it also isn't beneficial for us to listen to it and therefore should be avoided.

Some Instructions on Singing

Now I want to cover several bible verses about singing in order to glean some information on how we are to sing to the Lord. We can praise the Lord according to or sing of his righteousness (Psa 7:17, Psa 145:7), we are told to sing unto the Lord with the psaltery and an instrument of ten strings and to play skilfully in Psa 33:2-3. Psa 47:6 tells us to sing praises a total of four times in that verse alone, and Psa 147:1 tells us that singing praises to God is a good thing to do. We can follow the example of Psa 59:16 and sing of God's power and mercy, or we can sing for joy (Psa 67:4).

As great as our old time hymns are we should also sing unto the Lord with a new song as well (Psa 96:1, Psa 98:1, Isa 42:10). In Psa 98:5 we see that a harp and voice of a psalm should accompany our song to the Lord. We should also sing with the spirit and with understanding too (1 Cor 14:15), and in the midst of the church (Heb 2:12). The type of song that we as Christians should be singing are psalms, hymns and spiritual songs (Eph 5:19, Col 3:16). Lastly we should sing psalms when we are merry (Jam 5:13).

Is Dancing a Sin?

The last Issue that I want to address today is whether or not dancing is a sin. The answer is, it depends. If you are going out to the club and dancing in a manner that provokes others to lust, e.g. twerking, or using it in the worship of idols then yes it is a sin (see Mat 5:28, Rom 14:13, 1Co 7:1)! If however you are dancing unto the Lord (2 Sam 6:14, Psa 149:3, Psa 150:4), or with your spouse, or dancing that is innocent then it is not sinful.

See also Exo 15:20

In Conclusion we see that Musical instruments are permitted in church worship, that listening to secular music though permissible is not expedient for us, and that dancing (except for dirty dancing / dancing unto idols) is Ok for Christians to do. 

Extra Verses on Music 2Chro 5:13, 2Chro 7:6, 2Chro 23:13, Ecc 12:4, Lam 3:63, Lam 5:14, Dan 6:18, Luk 15:25.

Extra Verses on Singing 1Chro 16:9, 1 Chro 16:23, Psa 30:4, Psa 100:2, Pro 29:6, Isa 51:11,

Thanks for Reading Please Share!!!