2 Samuel 6:14 (Misinterpreted Scriptures)
And David danced before the LORD with all his might; and David was girded with a linen ephod.
Misinterpretation: This Scripture is often used to tell people that there is something wrong with their spiritual life (usually pride) if they do not dance during worship.
Facts: There is nothing wrong with dancing in worship. As a matter of fact, dancing as a form of worship to the true God has a long, long heritage. It dates at least back to the Israelite exodus from Egypt, when Miriam, the sister of Moses, led some of the women of Israel in dance (Ex. 15:20). However, just because David danced does not mean that people have to dance.
The problem with the UPC presentation of David’s dance is that they often say that if a person refuses to dance during worship then something is wrong with their spiritual walk. If this is true, then we all should have to wear linen ephods to truly worship the Lord. After all, that’s what David was doing!
March 1st, 2008 at 8:24 pm
Brother,
You are right; we do not have to dance before men… even David made it clear that he was not dancing before men, as for them to see, but before God. It was a beautiful sacrifice of humility for the new king. It is a shame that men will peer upon others to judge their worship. But I will say, that sometimes we do strange things that enable us to get past the flesh and really connect with God. If dancing does that, fine; if kneeling, great….but just to reach into the holy place and experience his presence is worth anything.
All the Best on your walk!
July 16th, 2008 at 4:26 am
Could someone dance and truely not be converted by God’s Grace? Shouldn’t we focus on what is really importaint? I have no problem with somebody dancing in a service, but lets get the donkey in front of the cart. Do we go to church so we can practice our dancing skills?
August 9th, 2008 at 12:00 pm
I too was raised in the UPC and was an Apostolic minister for nearly 13 years of my 17 years in Ministry. This is a widely misquoted scripture by many. And so many I have ministered to have left church thinking there was something terribly wrong with them because they were not as vocal in their worship or did not dance and run the isles. I know many great saved folks who have not shouted and dance and ran but they are saved.
The Apostle Paul in his second letter to Timothy the 4th chapter and the 2nd verse, He said “Preach the Word” not ones opinion. Lets love the Word of God enough ti just preach the word. It will really change people.
In His Grip,
Rev. Josh Sparks.
January 27th, 2010 at 6:27 am
I’ve just stumbled across this post. I’m a dancer who wants to encourage people to dance for the Lord, but I’m shocked that anyone would suggest that someone who doesn’t dance has a spiritual problem. It’s basically spiritual abuse, for which the UPC is notorious.
February 11th, 2010 at 12:17 pm
Just a thought… Please notice that David was not in the Tabernacle when he danced! Neither was Miriam. This was a Jewish thing, not a Christian thing and no where in the New Testament church is dancing recorded in the church. Also note that David was not in the “right” during this time because he should not have been wearing a Levitical priestly item like the ephod. This was a priest’s garment to be worn in the Tabernacle – David was from the tribe of Judah, not Levi! This could be one reason Michal looked on him with such hatred. He was being hypocritical in his worship. We are not necessarily told that it was right for him to be dancing or wearing an ephod, it is just recorded that this is what happened. Michal had been ripped from her husband who loved her and wept when she was taken away II Samuel 3, only to be added to David’s harem of other wives II Samuel 5:13. And yet the kings were commanded in Deuteronomy 17:17 “Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away:” so David was in disobedience to God in this area. Does anybody see a repeating pattern with David on this? He took away a man’s wife who clearly loved her, so he could have her for himself. Remember Bathsheba and Nathan the prophet’s story? My point to all this is that just because someone does something in the Bible that might LOOK like worship, does not necessarily mean that it is right or that the person’s heart is right with God at the time the event is recorded. David had good intent when he tried to bring the ark the first time, he just did it the wrong way. Sometimes we want so badly to do something for God (like worship) that we can do it in all the wrong ways. We should seek to worship God like HE wants to be worshiped, not what we like or what makes us feel good. God is a Spirit and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in Truth John 4:24
May 24th, 2010 at 7:23 pm
KT girl, go back and read the scriptures. Michal was David’s wife before her father gave her away to the other man. Whether her adulterer husband cried is of no importance. He had to have known that she didn’t really belong to him.
As King, if David had not asked for her back, it would have made him look weak to some as if he didn’t keep what was his. As to his righteousness, I believe that Michal’s lack of childbearing speaks to that. If David was being hypocritical, it was up to the priests, prophets and God to punish it. None of them did a thing until the Bathsheba incident, which was a different story.
May 24th, 2010 at 7:27 pm
After reading my prior submit, I thought I should clarify my thoughts concerning Michal. Michal’s contempt brought childlessness upon her, which was seen in a horrible light in that time. Other women would have seen her as cursed! She had no right to speak to King David in that way. Her disrespect for him could have had her killed.
June 1st, 2010 at 10:05 am
There are some that would judge the UPC for their so called “spiritual abuse”. I feel that they use the thinking and judgment of some of the people in the church as example of the official stance and doctrine of the UPC church in general. There will always be IN EVERY CHURCH, groups or clicks of people, that portray opinions of their church beliefs that are actually outside the true stance of the church. If you are going to judge the UPC please quote the official stance and doctrine of the UPC and not some person or group that you have run into that portrays otherwise. I go to a UPC church and am Pentecostal and we do not “require” people to dance in the Spirit as a absolute sign of being saved or spiritual.
June 1st, 2010 at 10:50 am
Frederick, thanks for your feedback. In the introduction to the “Frequently Misinterpreted Scriptures” section of this Web site I wrote:
“Disclaimer: I created this list of Scriptures from my own experiences in the UPC. I am not saying that the ‘misinterpretations’ that I list are the views that are officially endorsed by the UPC or any other Oneness organization. I am only giving the interpretations that I heard time and time again during my years in the UPC.”
With that said, I was in Oneness churches for the first 26 years of my life, and all but one of them told people that if they did not ever dance in the spirit then they were proud. It was not pressed over the pulpit every sermon, but they all brought it up at some time or another.
If your church is one of the ones that does not accuse the non-dancers of pride then I think that’s great! Unfortunately, though, many churches do.
In Christ,
- Josh S.
August 17th, 2010 at 4:49 pm
I have been in a couple worship services where while I was worshipping someone came up to me, grabbed my arm and about jerked me out into the aisle. I was startled and angered as I believe anyone would be. they told me that I needed to jump around and dance like others were doing. I asked them if God told them to tell me that. When they said no, I told them that they should never put their hands on me again because the next time you interrupt my conversation with God, I will not be so civil.
I found that the people who do this, while meaning well, are extremely immature spiritually. I have seen those same people chase off new converts with the same actions.
NOONE should tell another person how to worship God, except the worship leader in the context of the order of service. Worship is a personal expression of love to God and everyone expresses themselves differently.
October 20th, 2010 at 5:42 pm
man this UPC bashing is depressing to wathch :( MAYBE ITS JUST MY CHURCH but really you let yourself go as far as you let yourself in the realm of worship i know iv learned worship brings the spirit and well we all get deeper in different ways .. has anyone expierenced this at MULTIBLE upc churches or just there 1 past?
October 22nd, 2010 at 10:07 am
Joanna,
This Web site is not a UPC bashing site. In the various introductory pages I clearly state that I use “UPC” interchangeably with “apostolic” or “Oneness Pentecostal.” I chose to do that because the UPC organization is the largest Oneness Pentecostal organization–especially when I created this Web site, which was before the recent splits that have devastated the organization. However, this Web site is not out to bash anyone, UPC or other.
Regarding my personal history with this article: I heard the “you have to dance” message preached at numerous UPC, ALJC, and independent Oneness Churches during my 26 years in the movement. A person can also go on Youtube and find the “you have to dance” message repeated in various forms by people like, say, Anthony Mangun. You might not hear them say “you have to dance to be saved” (although I have heard that), but you will hear them say “your blessing is contingent upon your worship…if you haven’t danced you’d better dance,” etc. In my mind that is effectively the same as telling a person they have to dance. After all, if a spiritual leader persuades you that you will not “break through” unless you do a particular thing, then it creates enormous psychological pressure to do what they are telling you to do.
I have had quite a few people get upset about this article because they claim that A) the “you have to dance” message is not an official doctrine of the UPC, and B) they have never heard their church preach that message.
In both regards those people are quite right. But A) I never claimed that it was an official doctrine of the UPC (or any other Oneness organization) and B) I never claimed that every church preached that message. All I said was that “This Scripture is often used to tell people…” etc.
If your church does not teach that people have to dance then that’s great! But I have personally heard it preached in so many churches that I do believe that it is a widespread doctrine in Oneness churches (even though it is not an “official” doctrine). And because it is so widespread I chose to deal with it on this Web site.
I hope that clarifies things =)
God bless,
- Josh S.
May 1st, 2011 at 8:30 pm
Hi,
I was in an Apostolic church here in Southern California for over 13 years. I was harassed for not “dancing” as I was not “spiritual” and I was more “concerned with what other people think than pleasing God”> My retort was that I would not do so unless God impressed upon me to. I have had people tell me that women who wear makeup (in my case very light make-up) were Jezabell’s and that God had dogs lick up her blood. They would say “you don’t want to be a Jezabell do you”. Majoring on minors is a big deal there. I found a church that a pastor started who used to be Apostolic. I love my new church. It was a hard transition and every thing is so crazy in Apostolic churches. Things are allowed there that are not things that would fly elsewhere. Molestation was treated there just like the Catholic church treats it. It was literally everywhere. People would rarely go to jail. They would pack up and go to another “Jesus Name” church within the organization. It is sick. I know of SO many instances of incest and physical abuse. If you tell on people you are either made to feel dirty (very close friends of mine left because of invalidated, provable, abuse, or you are made to feel like you can’t be depressed because of it because “good Christians don’t get depressed” they believe that people are in the wrong for having hurts.
UPC’ers may not like what it written here, but it’s because they don’t want to give up their “esoteric” beliefs. They LIKE being the only ones going to heaven even while they claim to be prosilitizing (spelling) for the Lord.
My husband recently came to my church from the local UPCI church. He admitted to me that even though it was difficult to leave, and that he loved his friends (I found things just as hard), he really doesn’t believe the Pastor is a decent guy…too many lies…too much inconsistency, too much hiding of sin, too much misuse of funds…and on top of that…to prove it is a cult….people treat you like the plague when you leave.
October 25th, 2011 at 7:56 pm
It’s fashionable these days to say “oh yes, I left the apostolic church” or “the lord lead me out of the pentecostal church” As if God’s church has a title other than “The Church” makes you wonder about the people who tell “Their Apostolic / Pentecostal horror stories” or post their “New” enlightenment.
November 4th, 2011 at 3:21 am
I may not, in one way or the other, be affected by what we have outlined out here.
Lets just make the BIBLE our final authority…and push aside all the opinions and philosophies of men
December 12th, 2011 at 2:37 pm
Having spend my whole life in Oneness Churches, (AAFCJ, UPCI), and with my experience with the church I currently attend, I can relate to this, and sooo many other things on this blog! I have many times been tugged to dance before the Lord, whenever I wasn’t playing keyboard. My mom and sister have been kicked out of ministries for cutting their hair, my whole family consists of victims of congregational judgement, and I have had friends who visited the church who have been told that they will not enter heaven without speaking in tongues(one even faked it to get the minister off his back). It always seems sketchy to me whenever I heard people, and myself, ‘speak in tongues’, because we were all repeating the same gibberish phrases. I have also been threatened to be removed from the keyboard ministry for joining the ‘No Shave November’ movement, and for wearing a Purity Ring. It pains me to have to take it off before service, because I know there is absolutely nothing wrong with any of things I get accused of, and there is so much spiritual, and emotional abuse going on, all of which gets laughed away. My pastor is a cool guy, but he is very authorative, and is a spiritual bully. I want so badly to express what I believe, and to leave the Oneness movement, but I have no idea how to do so. He has asked me to be his Youth Leader, but I refuse to have to teach lies to young people. I don’t know how to do it. How do I leave this lie of a movement? I’m not gonna lie, I am very afraid of getting labeled as a ‘Backslider’, even though I will be doing many great things in God’s kingdom without any denominational boundaries. I am willing to make this change. Can someone help? -A UPCI attending musician who refuses to identify with this movement any longer.
January 18th, 2012 at 3:17 am
UPCI_Pianist: I felt like I was living a lie as well, and the reason I felt that way is because I was. It’s miserable to be put on the platform on display and know everyone is assuming you believe things you don’t, and they assume it just because you’re on the platform. Leaving was the hardest thing I’ve done, but I’ve never regretted the decision. Not even for a moment. Now I hardly even think about the UPC. I’ve never felt a desire to go back. When I left, I left.
I know God will help you make the right decision :)
In Christ,
- Josh S.
January 18th, 2012 at 3:00 pm
Josh [Site Admin] – I read where you left the Oneness Church…does that make you Trinitarian now? If so…were you saved before you became a Trinitarian? I am an “Apostolic Preacher” if I must affifliate myself with something but I don’t view it in quite the same manner as other preachers. Yes, I beleive in the teachings of Jesus Christ and the Apostles…but denominational distinctions were just not prevalent in the Bible.
I see so many Apostolics condemning Trinitarians to hell based on God’s nature and a baptismal formula, and some Trinitarians reciprocate the same verdict to Apostolics but the fact of the matter is I received the Holy Ghost at an Apostolic church before I even knew of the Oneness vs Trinity stigma. I also received the “real” gift of tongues at home, alone, and prostrate before the Lord…not surrounded by yelling, clapping people at the altar. So, back to the question…those of you that say you “used” to be Oneness, where do you stand now?
Thanks,
Kingdom_Minded
January 20th, 2012 at 6:53 pm
Kingdom_Minded,
I didn’t think of myself as leaving the Oneness church when I left. I left for a variety of reasons, and Oneness vs. Trinitarian wasn’t a part of it. The only influencing factor was that I came to the understanding that “Trinitarians” do not believe in three gods. The doctrine wasn’t a corruption of Christianity and it wasn’t a pagan belief. The proponents of Oneness doctrine have made some grave misunderstandings of the Trinitarian doctrine, and it has lead to a schism that shouldn’t exist.
Later, perhaps 1-2 years after leaving, I did more reading on the issue and I realized that the Trinitarians had some really valid points. I realized that the Oneness doctrine just can’t adequately answer some of the Scriptures in the Bible and the Trinitarian doctrine can (I’m not going to go into a list of the things I’m referring to because A) this isn’t the place for it, B) it would take a long time to write out, and C) I’ve made it a point to leave the Oneness vs. Trinity debate out of this Web site because I believe that both groups are just as saved and going to heaven).
I hope that answers your question!
In Christ,
Josh S.