Why don’t you judge for yourselves what is right?
Luke 12: 57 (NIV)
Scripture: Exodus 20: 1-17
All through the Bible, God has shown us how He would like us to live by giving us guidelines. In His Word, we can find the answer to any question we have. This devotion discusses how we sometimes struggle if we find conflicting verses.
I truly believe that we can find answers to all our questions in the Bible. No, it might not specifically speak to certain actions, but it does speak to the forces guiding those actions.
Sometimes, though, we may feel like we get conflicting direction from the Scriptures. For example, many people question if dancing is a sin. Ecclesiastes 3: 4 says that there is “a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance” (NIV). Psalms 30: 11 says, “You turned my wailing into dancing” (NIV). Psalms 139: 3-4 says, “Let them praise his name with dancing and make music to him with timbrel and harp. For the LORD takes delight in his people; he crowns the humble with victory” (NIV). So, dancing can be used in worship.
Secular dancing is often questioned because many feel it is associated with the drunkenness and wild parties that are included in Galatians 5: 19-21 with the “… other sins like these …” reference (Gal. 5: 21 NIV). Others point to I Corinthians 15: 33, which says “bad company corrupts good character” (NIV).
However, Jesus mentioned dancing in the Parable of the Prodigal Son. “Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing” (Lk. 15: 25 ESV). Do you really think Jesus Himself would have mentioned it in a story if it was a sin? Jesus cannot and would not condone a sin.
And notice – it wasn’t depicting worship. To me, this tells us it could be the circumstances surrounding the dancing is what determines if it is a sin.
What Does This Mean?
In the Bible, we can find His Will for our lives by carefully studying His Word, prayerfully asking His guidance, and keeping our hearts open to hear His Will. God does, however, leave the choice to us.
We have free will to make our own decisions. “I am giving you the choice today between God’s blessing or God’s curse!” (Deut. 11: 26 LB). Do we want to follow His Will? God isn’t a God who will force His authority over us down our throats.
God gives us the choice to decide whether it will be yea or nay. He is like a parent giving a child advice. It is up to us to take His advice or leave it.
“‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future’” (Jer. 29: 11 NIV). God said He had a plan for each of our lives. But that plan was built because He already knew the choices that we would make. The plan wasn’t built on predestination; it was built on our choices that served His kingdom expansion.
How Do We Apply It?
“And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. ‘And I will be found by you,’ declares the Lord...” (Jer. 29: 13 NASB).
God wants us to seek Him to help find the answers to our questions. He makes it easy for us to find Him. All we have to say is, “Hi, Lord,” and He’s there. He is willing to come halfway, but we have to take the first step.
“Obeying these commandments is not something beyond your strength and reach; for these laws are not in the far heavens, so distant that you can’t hear and obey them, and with no one to bring them down to you; nor are they beyond the ocean, so far that no one can bring you their message; but they are very close at hand -- in your hearts and on your lips -- so obey them” (Deut. 30: 11-14 LB).
God gives us encouragement to obey His Will. He wants His Will to be more than do’s and don’ts for us. He wants us to have His Will as the utmost important guide in our lives and have it shape our lives.
Many times, we want it to be a one-size-fits-all distinction. Is it a sin or isn’t it? It doesn’t always work that way. On the big things, yes, God tells us point blank what to do and what not to do. Other times, He doesn’t. He has us decide if it is something in which we are putting Him first.
Does that mean that — in certain circumstances — dancing can be a sin and in others it isn’t? I don’t know. Maybe. I think motivations can play a big part in whether it is a sin or not.
What if God is calling you to witness to someone, and you run the other way and go dancing instead? Not doing what God is calling you to do would be a sin, but wouldn’t that make the dancing sinful?
Now, one big word of caution here. Our goal is not to finagle sin so it fits our way of thinking. We have to fit our way of thinking — thus, ourselves — to make sure we avoid sin — or confess the sins we commit.
We do not get to judge if it is a sin or not. That is God’s call.
“Choose to love the Lord your God and to obey him and to cling to him, for he is your life and the length of your days ...” (Deut. 30: 20 LB).
So, it all comes down to will we or won’t we? Will we come to Him for the advice? Will we acknowledge that He knows what is best for us? But most importantly, will we listen to His advice?
Lord. You are the Supreme Ruler of the universe. You know what is best for all of us. You don’t just sit up in heaven watching us try to muddle through down here on earth. You allow us to tap into Your vast knowledge to try to decide what we should do. Lord, You know what is best for us. But Lord, You then let us decide for or against Your advice. Show us, Lord, the advantages for choosing Your ways. Lord, forgive us where we go against Your Will. Thank You for caring so much for us. Amen.
“Show me the path where I should go, O Lord; point out the right road for me to walk. Lead me; teach me; for you are the God who gives me salvation. I have no hope except in you” (Ps. 25: 4-5 LB).
What do you think? In what areas do we find the most gray as to whether or not it is a sin? How do you determine if it is nor not? Leave me a comment below (about this or anything else) or head over to my Facebook group for some interactive discussion.
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