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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | Praise Dance Wrong Worship? | Ps 149:3 | Tamara Brewington | 205650 | ||
Dear Forum members, What do you think of praise dancing? Have you ever seen it done? I have seen churches of all denominations and colors doing this? Some churches see this as shaking your bottom in public and think all dancing is the work of the devil. I personally like it and it has been done in my church by the youth from time to time although I strongly objected to the choice of music and wonder despite the lyrics how such music could be said to even be praise music based on the music, if you could call it that. We know David danced right out of his clothes in a praise mode and his wife couldn't stand it and felt it was unholy. What do you all think? God's Day To You, Tamara |
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2 | Praise Dance Wrong Worship? | Ps 149:3 | DocTrinsograce | 205684 | ||
Dear Tamara, The regulative principle appears to rightfully express the sense of the full expression of Scriptures on the subject of worship. John Calvin stated it this way: "Moreover, the rule which distinguishes between pure and vitiated worship is of universal application, in order that we may not adopt any device which seems fit to ourselves, but look to the injunctions of Him who alone is entitled to prescribe. Therefore, if we would have Him to approve our worship, this rule, which He everywhere enforces with the utmost strictness, must be carefully observed. For there is a twofold reason why the Lord, in condemning and prohibiting all fictitious worship, requires us to give obedience only to His own voice. First, it tends greatly to establish His authority that we do not follow our own pleasure, but depend entirely on His sovereignty; and, secondly, such is our folly, that when we are left at liberty, all we are able to do is to go astray. And then when once we have turned aside from the right path, there is no end to our wanderings, until we get buried under a multitude of superstitions. Justly, therefore, does the Lord, in order to assert His full right of dominion, strictly enjoin what He wishes us to do, and at once reject all human devices which are at variance with His command. Justly, too, does He, in express terms, define our limits, that we may not, by fabricating perverse modes of worship, provoke His anger against us." I've yet to see any examples in North America of so-called "praise dancing" that reflected a reverential fear of God, and an effort to honor Him in the spirit in which He commands. Instead, it is always something man centered, with exceedingly fleshly aspects. Take the flesh out of it, and there might be some measure of hope of the Holy Spirit's involvement (Galatians 5:17). In Him, Doc |
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3 | Praise Dance Wrong Worship? | Ps 149:3 | Tamara Brewington | 205689 | ||
Dearest Doc, You said; I've yet to see any examples in North America of so-called "praise dancing" that reflected a reverential fear of God, and an effort to honor Him in the spirit in which He commands. Instead, it is always something man centered, with exceedingly fleshly aspects. Take the flesh out of it, and there might be some measure of hope of the Holy Spirit's involvement (Galatians 5:17). Could you please expound a bit more here about what you see would be the fleshly aspects and what would be a true display of the reverential fear? No aruguments or disagreements being fired here... How are we to know what is in folks hearts when they praise the Lord by dance? If we saw African Christians moving differently than American Christias move, would we say it was not reverential in the fear of God because it was different? David danced out of his clothes in pure worship of God in joy that the Ark was being returned to its proper place. His wife found that undignified, ungodly, and a disgrace before God and men, she was wrong. I am pretty sure David got fairly active there or he couldn't have danced out of his clothes. Would we, if we were seeing him have felt that his worhship was to "me centered" becuase it was not dignified or even reverential in form? I was under the impression that we should praise the Lord from the heart, whatever the mode and not worry about appearances, with all our heart. I am not insinuating that you are saying different and this is not the beginning of a fruitless argument or an entrance into an ignoring of good advice. You got me to praying and thinking some more about this is all. What do you think? God's Grace To You, Tamara |
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4 | Praise Dance Wrong Worship? | Ps 149:3 | DocTrinsograce | 205698 | ||
Hi, Tamara... I think everyone understands what I'm talking about without my going into unedifying details. You asked, "How are we to know what is in folks hearts when they praise the Lord by dance?" This question reveals the presupposition that the only measure of God honoring worship only can be measured from the heart. That is not a Scriptural doctrine. God can only be worshipped -- and will only be worshipped -- through His explicitly directed means (Leviticus 10:1-4). Nadab and Abih -- indeed, Ananias and Sapphhira, too -- were killed by the Lord for what they did, not for an attitude nor a lack of sincerity. The example of David's dancing is from a narrative passage. The purpose of that narrative was not to give us instruction on normative practices. We have no NT didactic commentary commending such behavior. Worship is never something that arises just from the heart. Worship involves the whole man: his hands, his habits, his head, and his heart (see post #193547). In Him, Doc |
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