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Is it wrong for a christian to dance to secular music?

My church doesn't support people dancing or hearing music of the world. They refer me to a verse in the bible saying, "Anyone who is a friend of the world is an enemy of God." Can you please explain?

Clarify Share Report Asked August 28 2014 Image Andrea Ramirez Supporter

Community answers are sorted based on votes. The higher the vote, the further up an answer is.

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Mini Hairy Animals Supporter
There is no such verse in the Bible. The closest would be James 4:4.

"Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God."

Your church has used this verse completely out of context. Here, it is talking about adultery, killing, fighting, war, and the lusts of this world. What it has to do with secular music I do not know. I think there is nothing wrong with listening to secular music. Personally, I listen to only Christian music, because secular music tends to have a lot of junk in it and I want to protect my mind and heart from that junk. Thessalonians 5:21-22 says 

"Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.
Abstain from all appearance of evil."

Phillipians 4:8
"Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."

Colossians 5:1-2 says

"If ye then are risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth."

There are many, MANY other such verses in the Bible that tell us to stay away from the ways of this world. Also, Psalm 1 says

"Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
But his delight is in the Law of the Lord, and in His Law doth he meditate day and night. He shall be like a tree, planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither, but whatsoever he doeth shall prosper."

Joshua 1:8

This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

Deuteronomy 17:19
It is to be with him, and he is to read it all the days of his life so that he may learn to revere the LORD his God and follow carefully all the words of this law and these decrees


The Bible clearly tells us to meditate (think about all the time) on the Law, the Bible, God, etc. That is the reason I only listen to Christian music. I'd rather have a worship song running through my head then worldly junk.

August 29 2014 5 responses Vote Up Share Report


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Stringio Frank Scimeca Supporter
If you are referring to "worldly" music there is no Biblical reference for it and if there is someone please show me.

Having said that, certainly God would not want you to pollute yourself with lyrics that promote sinful acts or prompt a sinful nature in you.

But there is a lot of great music out there including Rock that is clean and wholesome and has great messages of good. 

I suggest you read the lyrics before listening to the catchy tune.

August 29 2014 1 response Vote Up Share Report


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Stringio Helena Jones Supporter
Hello, I appreciate this question so much as an artistic individual who loves to both dance and listen to music, mostly instrumental type, but nonetheless it is classified as secular music. I honestly have to say to you that my answer is coming more from my heart than from any scriptures I've read. I would need to study to give a scriptural inclusive answer. 

To share, I grew up within a home of a minister mom, and deacon father. I was naturally inclined to dancing, mostly ballet in the beginning, but then I branched off to other types of dancing when my access to different types of music became available to me.

When I asked my Christian mother if I could take ballet lessons she answered no, because God considered the attire I would be required to wear as improper and sinful, showing too much skin. When I told her that very little skin was revealed and we are required to wear leotards, she argued any attire that close to the skin is a sin. Nor could we listen to much of the secular music, again a sin. 

Now that I am a mature Christian, I have been given visions of myself dancing before a crowd who were mesmerized, not by me, but by the story my dancing was telling. I had this vision out of nowhere when I wasn't even thinking about dancing. My natural ability to dance is a gift from God and he was showing me that one day I will dance professionally before an audience, in the heavenly realm. 

Our God is not a tight, ridged stiff-wad. He is fun. Did we not read from the scriptures of King David that he danced, and even he was ridiculed? I am guessing that he danced to music of tambourines, flutes and all the musical instruments they had on hand? Didn't David go into the King and play his musical piece with a flute? 

I agree with what one has said to listen to the lyrics. I have made mistakes in the past by only focusing on the beats or music and the Spirit convicted me and now I no longer listen to certain secular music that I once listened to because the wrong lyrics are gateways to inviting the enemy in.

Amos 5:23 is scripture referring to the wrath of the Lord for a rebellious people. A people who believed that they could perform traditions, often times festivals during that era, which included music, and remain in God's good grace. This is God's way of telling them he is not pleased with their festivals and sacrifices as long as they continue to disobey and do not repent. 

Also, I could not find a I Corinthians 31 not even a II Corinthians. Perhaps the respondent slipped at his fingers when he was typing? To the author, be young, be blessed, do not allow one to despise your youthful years, and remember that time is a precious thing to waste. Have fun, but be watchful of all that you do. 

Remember, if you do sin, God will forgive if you repent and turn it around. God uses our sins to glorify him, not so that we can sin repeatedly, but so that we can grow from our mistakes that we ALL make.

August 30 2014 1 response Vote Up Share Report


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9aa51e4b447252291b959c696fb96539 400x400 Jeremiah Kaaya Supporter Pastor at Springs of Power Church, Teacher by professional
Yes it is wrong for a Christian to dance to secular music. For what you feed on is what will dictate what product you become and how you are modelled. For we should live our lives as a testimony for Christ. There must be a cutting edge between a Christian and a non Christian. People must be able to tell who a Christian is and one who is not. What would a Christian be expressing by dancing to secular music? Most of such music is dedicated to spiritualities which you may not be able to tell and by dancing to it, you are expressing divided allegiance, which can't be, for you are either one side or the other.

Paul asks what the believers have to do with non believers (1Corinthians 6:14). Not that we as Christians should live in isolation, but we must express a detachment in the spiritual. For we are in the world, but are not of the world (John 15:18-20), (John 17:16). From this, we learn that much is we are in this world and literally look more or less like anybody else, but we must not conform to the patterns of this world (Romans 12:2). As Christians, we are not simply to do whatever we may love to, for we must always love to understand how and what people will learn from our actions. For what the heart is full of, that will manifest in the physical (Luke 6:45), (Matthew 12:34).

To be able to express our Christianity, we must take keen interest in knowing the intentions of what we seek to engage in. When after having categorized myself as a Christian, go on to dance to secular music, what perceptions am I creating? Whose is my attention, is it to God or somebody else? What did the author of the song love to see at the end of the song? Many people will seek to know and see how we conduct our lives after we allow and confess Christ into our lives. Every bit of our lives should be used to serve God. Christianity is rich in all music you can ever speak of. What would the one single reason I have to listen and dance to secular music? Couldn't there be a force behind?

The fact that the Bible doesn't tell you should not dance to such music is indeed true, but neither is there anywhere in the Bible where it allows you to dance to it. But even when the Bible doesn't tell we shouldn't dance to such music, this is the very reason Jesus promised and left us the Holy Spirit (John 14:18-20). The Holy Spirit is here to guide us especially where scripture can't. For we are in the age of the Holy Spirit, not to allow ourselves freedom to do whatever we wish simply because it is not written about in the Bible. What is most important is the conviction in the heart. The law is limited in the sense that it directs but doesn't bring about conviction.

Our lives should be outstanding so that we carry on to preach the gospel. Every time we are weakened in character, our appeal becomes less and less appealing. After having participated with a non believer in dancing to a secular song, what would be the drive to express Christ to such a person? For we must learn that it is not simply a right to be Christian, it is only accessed after the acceptance and confession of Jesus, who paid heavily for the salvation of which we boast and from which we derive our confidence. 

To handle this Christianity lightly and go on not to take it preciously is an abuse of the grace of God. We are stewards and we must make sure we carefully keep what we have been entrusted with. How preciously we take care of our Christianity stands to attract others to come to the Lord. For the world should come to the church, not the other way round. Christians should reach out to the world, but we should never be conformed to the ways of the world.

We must therefore learn to love what is Christian. Music speaks volumes, we must use and identify to it to the glory of God, just as we do with any other areas of our lives. Everybody must be able to envisage something unique about Christianity. On that account therefore, I can't advise that a Christian dances to secular music.

September 05 2014 8 responses Vote Up Share Report


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1406839007 Elvis N N Supporter
Yes your church is right. However to properly understand what kind of music you should listen to, you have to first of all know what secular music is. Secular music is any music which does not glorify God but glorifies the world or the lusts thereof. You will usually notice that each time you listen to secular music, it never draws you closer to God. It quenches the Spirit. Your church is not being religious. They are right.

Satan was the worship leader in heaven, and when he fell, he still continues in the business of gratifying the lusts of the flesh through earthly musics. If you must remain pure and up to standard, then you must abstain from worldly musics or movies, or watching or listening to things that are unwholesome, as they desensitize you.

This is the way God feels about secular musics "Take thou away from me the noise of thy songs; for I will not hear the melody of thy viols (Amos 5:23 KJV)"

Of course our fleshly nature as man will always try to make us justify things that gratify the flesh.But if we really want to make it to heaven, then we must destroy the little foxes that spoil the vine. I personally don't believe anyone can sing a secular music to glorify God.

But nevertheless a music might not directly glorify God. But if it is enough to educate another, lift up their spirit, inspire them in line with God's word, then it is okay. For example, Nursery rhymes don't glorify God, but they teach our kids. It is not glorifying God, but it is indirectly glorifying God by building up the kids positively.

As for the carnal lustful musics we have today which does nothing but subconsciously distract us away from God, it is best to avoid them for Secular musics are no better than pornography.
This is what God expects of us in terms of music "Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord (Ephesians 5:19 KJV)"
The above verse on its own gives us a clue of what God expects of our kinds of music as believers.
Either make the tree good or it's fruits good or the tree bad and it's fruits bad.

August 29 2014 5 responses Vote Up Share Report


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Mini Carrie Burr Supporter Christ's work in progress, saved by grace. Widowed.
You're asking if dancing- not just listening - to secular music is wrong. I think it depends on what music, and the manner in which you are dancing. Some secular music is harmless, actually quite good lyrically and musically. Likewise, some dancing - to secular music -is quite beautiful, a celebration of life. That being said, in my opinion, some dancing is okay - UNLESS it is provocative, lewd (example, "twerking"), or used for inappropriate motives.

August 30 2014 0 responses Vote Up Share Report


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1374958334 Ben Amanambu Supporter Engineer,estate developer, pastor,hospital chapel Abuja nig.
As Christians, even though we live in the world, we are not of the world. A christian must abstain from any thing that does not glorify God. We know that worldly music does not glorify God, because those who compose worldly music are enemies of God. It is not everything that is lawful that is expedient...1Cor 10: 23,31. All things must be done to the glory of God.

August 29 2014 0 responses Vote Up Share Report


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Image41 Ezekiel Kimosop Supporter
Music has powerful emotional influence on the lives of listeners if repeatedly played. If you choose to allow secular music to entirely influence your thoughts, your spiritual worldview may eventually be affected. You may unknowingly open room for demonic influence into your life.

This is because some of the music such as rock or heavy metal have been cleverly designed to register filthy messages into the subliminal parts of the human mind so that they begin to affect emotions and thoughts. Some of these artists convey content that is often offensive and outright vulgar and therefore unacceptable to Christians. 

This is not to suggest that all kinds of secular music are evil per se. There are some country music which speak into the Issues of life or life stories that impart wisdom on the listeners and there is no reason to condemn such songs. Dancing to secular songs however, in my view, is inappropriate for a believer because our dance should be an act worship that is reserved to God alone (Psalm 100) 

Personally, I prefer to know the artist and understand their moral worldview. If for instance the artist propagates unbiblical views such as "gay-rights" or "pro-choice", I would rather avoid their music even if they are top rated chart busters.

We need to exercise wisdom and be sensitive to the leading of the Spirit whenever we select songs so that we guard our testimony and avoid bringing the church into disrepute. 

Some Christian gospel artist start their ministry in the church but when they refused to mark their spiritual boundaries, they ended up in the secular world where anything goes and some have lost the faith.


As a child of God I would encourage you to focus your heart on music that edify your spirit and glorify God and desist from anything that may contaminate your spirit and quench the Holy Ghost. We are required to flee from every appearance of evil. Our bodies including our emotional and mental faculties are the temple of the Holy Spirit (1Cor.3:16-17). We must therefore guard our faith against anything that may defile it (James 1:26-27).

August 30 2014 2 responses Vote Up Share Report


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Mini Kes Joh Supporter
Ok, first of all, for things we don't have a clear answer for in the bible, we need to pray and consider our conscience. 

For this question and whether to listen to secular music, my opinion is that we should set a godly example. Like don't listen to music that promotes bad behavior or has bad lyrics/concepts. In the same way don't DANCE to those songs either. If you do dance, make sure it's not inappropriate and won't cause someone else to think sinful thoughts. At the same time don't have a wrong mindset or when you dance either. Dance is simply a way to express yourself, and you should express Christ in you who does not promote indecency.

June 09 2015 0 responses Vote Up Share Report


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My picture Jack Gutknecht Supporter ABC/DTS graduate, guitar music ministry Baptist church
For the most part, dancing in the Bible was carried on by the women, the 2 sexes seldom and not customarily intermingling. The one who happened to be near of kin to the champion of the hour led the dance. In the earlier period of the Judges the dances of the virgins of Shiloh. (Judges 21:19-23) were certainly part of a religious festivity, and it was done by solely women. David, it seems, did not dance with a woman when he "danced before the Lord with all his might."(2 Samuel 6:14) 

The sexes among the Jews always danced separately. The daughter of Herodias danced alone (Matt. 14:6). I personally do not believe dancing with the opposite sex is right because it stimulates lust in the male.

April 02 2019 4 responses Vote Up Share Report


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Mini Eric Harlston Supporter Police Officer with a DTH
I am a Christian and believer in Jesus Christ. I also am a D.J. my main source of music is House music. I don't believe that there is anything wrong with dancing to music. I don't care for a lot of the Hip Hop (Rap) because of the lyrics, but its not my place to judge those who do. Paul wrote, “You, then, why do you judge your brother or sister, Or why do you treat them with contempt? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat… So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God. Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister” (Romans 14:10, 12, 13).

November 26 2019 1 response Vote Up Share Report


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Mini ybrahim pinto Supporter
John 2:1-5 Jesus was invited to a wedding and Matthew invited Jesus to feast with him and many others. Now through the beginning of the old testament man has always enjoyed the sound of music; both the godly and ungodly have enjoyed it. Now as we should know the world is full of many different cultures of their leisure dancing and enjoying good music. Matthew 4: 8-11 as believers we should not worship the pleasures of the world. If we dance the pleasures of the world what are we gaining as Christians? 

David danced, thanking and worshipping God. David played anointed music to Saul when he was been tormented by wicked spirits, Moses' sister danced, worshipping God, which God destroyed all of Pharaoh's soldiers. 

Then we know that if we dance in the spirit as David did it is a blessing, but if we dance through the secular world of music it is not blessing us, and is only a pleasure that has nothing to do with God. There is secular music to listen to that keeps us at rest and peaceful. We must be careful of their contents, the sounds and words. 

Acts Chapter 2 is what every believer should look to in making the right steps to deal with the pleasures of the world. Brother Paul lived it, ministering to cultures of this world and through the Holy Ghost wrote the Epistle to the church as to how believers should deal or confront these pleasures and desires. Remember John 3:16. God loves us no matter what trials we go through and will not leave us or forsake us. Lord bless you all, take care.

February 05 2020 0 responses Vote Up Share Report


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