God Versus Social Media
Speaker: Pastor Darin Browne
PLAYING DEFENCE
We live in the age of social media. Rumour has it that Elon Musk, before he bought Twitter and changed its name to X, wanted to buy out social media entirely. He wanted to form a super company, to include Facebook, YouTube and Twitter. He was going to call it, You Twit Face!
Social media is one of the most powerful forces on the planet today. It can spread information, misinformation, opinion, bring down governments and ruin reputations. It can be used for good, to connect people, and it can be used for evil purposes. Daniel prophesied what the world would look like just before the return of Christ…
Daniel 12:4
But you, Daniel, shut up the words and seal the book, until the time of the end. Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase.”
Since the advent of the internet, and the rise of social media, we have never seen an explosion of knowledge like today. We now have too much knowledge. People are overwhelmed, often going down all kinds of rabbit holes and chasing all kinds of false claims, instead of concentrating on what really is truth. This pattern is repeated throughout history.
WHAT STARTS AS A GOOD THING DOESN’T STAY THAT WAY
I recently read a report that discussed the introduction of new media sources throughout history. To quote Nicolas Carr, “It’s vertigo inducing how a given tool or platform can have one effect in its infancy, and the opposite one in its maturity.” New technology applied to a situation can bring new productivity, and carries with it fresh hope and optimism, but later the same thing can be reversed and used for far greater evil.
PRINTING AND THE TELEGRAPH
The printing press was invented by Gutenberg. It saw the Bible disseminated on a scale never seen. In the late 1700s, the Philadelphia Typographical Society declared the Press “the Tombstone of ignorance and superstition.”
In the mid-1800s, the telegraph was celebrated as making journalistic fraud and deception almost impossible. But in later years both of those mediums have proven to promote the opposite of what they originally promised, falsehood instead of truth.
THE SPIRIT BEHIND SOCIAL MEDIA
It’s astonishing to us that people believed that the telegraph would eliminate fake news and misinformation, but let’s not forget that people had high hopes for Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, etc. Just fifteen years ago, Twitter was touted as the means by which democracy would spread through the Middle East.
Today we see an unbelievable amount of lies, fake news and destructive posts right across every social media platform. Today I want to look at social media, what it tries to do, how it affects our lives as Christians, and how we can defend ourselves against it.
2 Corinthians 4:4
the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
1: SOCIAL MEDIA ATTEMPTS TO SHAPE TRUTH
Galatians 1:6-7, 9
I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel – not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.
As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.
Social media is the new, alternate gospel. It is changeable and variable truth, shaping and warping the minds of those weak enough to believe it and swallow it.
Social media is the most powerful, mind altering, opinion forming drug on the planet, and many of us get lure in to everything it peddles. With distrust of traditional media at an all-time high (rightly so), many are inadvertently relying on social media to form their values for them.
WE HAVE BEEN SOLD A LIE
Studies show false or misleading stories are 70% more likely to be reposted than truth. We live in a world where people believe that their truth is different to everyone else’s truth. We have been sold the lie that truth is dependent on how we feel, or in our perspective. Truth that changes was never truth in the first place. Real Truth has to be absolute, not relative!
We have also been sold the lie that every opinion matters. This is patently untrue. An opinion on a football match given by a coach is more valid than one given by a dance teacher. Not every opinion is equal, or valid! Moral judgement is changeable. Therefore a God who has standards and unchanging truths is considered irrelevant.
Social media promotes the idea that truth is subjective. Therefore every individual is entitled to their own version of reality and if you truly love someone, instead of speaking truth, you are mandated to buy into their delusion.
John 8:31-32
So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
God’s truth is life, it is liberating. That’s why social media is so hell bent, (and I use those words deliberately) on shaping minds, and shaping their version of truth. Speaking the truth in love confronts in love rather than enabling another person’s delusion.
2: SOCIAL MEDIA ATTEMPTS TO CONTROL YOUR OPINIONS
Even as Christians, our opinions can be shaped by social media. Many Christian teachers and leaders use social media to push a particular agenda. Henry David Theroux stated that too much sensationalist news will cause “brain rot”, and he is not far wrong! If we don’t have our lives grounded in the Scriptures, social media will leave us flapping in the breeze. Paul warned people about changeable opinions…
Ephesians 4:14
so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.
If you do not have a strong relationship with the Lord. If you are not plugged into a Bible believing, Word preaching church, then you are wide open to having your opinions shaped by Facebook and YouTube. Social media is being used every day subtly by the enemy to capture souls and shape minds, but the Bible says…
Romans 12:2
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
Is God’s Word transforming your mind, or is social media conforming it to its mould?
3: SOCIAL MEDIA ATTEMPTS TO CONTROL (Core) BELIEFS
2 Timothy 4:3
For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions,
I have seen people come to Christ, then find some aberrant, twisted, pseudo-Christian teacher with a YouTube channel who tickles their ears with self-serving heresy and leads them away from truth. If you want to make your own doctrine, then social media is a way to attract others just as deluded as you! A clever post can change your basic beliefs if you let it.
2 Corinthians 11:13-15
For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds.
Your doctrine must be based not in the latest YouTube clip, or some online prosperity preacher, but upon the word of God. Just because some preacher or so-called prophet said it on social media, don’t make it true!
4: SOCIAL MEDIA ATTEMPTS TO CONTROL YOUR EMOTIONS
Social media is a platform for every idiot with an agenda or opinion to fight every other idiot. If you don’t think social media messes with your emotions, then try putting a pro-life or anti trans post up and wait five minutes!
Media studies suggest a strong correlation between personal abuse on social media and teen suicide. If social media can affect your emotions, it affects your soul, which is the mind, will and emotions. The anger and vitriol are never healthy, and always destructive to someone. Apparently, no one on Facebook has ever heard the verse…
Proverbs 29:11
A fool gives full vent to his spirit, but a wise man quietly holds it back.
Proverbs could be speaking about Facebook…
Proverbs 15:13-14
A glad heart makes a cheerful face, but by sorrow of heart the spirit is crushed.
The heart of him who has understanding seeks knowledge, but the mouths of fools feed on folly.
If social media affects your moods, makes you angry or scared, get off it! Don’t let it crush your spirit, and don’t let it feed you folly!
5: SOCIAL MEDIA ATTEMPTS TO CONTROL YOUR TIME
Most of us have social media, but the question is does social media have us? Here is a good measure of your walk with God. Do you spend more time with Facebook, on Instagram or watching YouTube than you spend with God?
Ephesians 5:15-16
Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.
Is the amount of time you spend on social media the best use of your time? Let me share with you a challenge I face every morning. I get up, have a shower, make a coffee then sit quietly. This is what I call my quiet time. Every morning I must overcome the temptation to get on social media. I must discipline myself to choose the Bible first.
Why is it that we are drawn more to funny videos of people tripping over or cats playing than spending time with God? In today’s world, Entertainment is apparently worth more than eternity.
6: SOCIAL MEDIA ATTEMPTS TO CONTROL YOUR SELF WORTH
So many people try to find a sense of worth from social media, and it is fragile at best. You can have 500 Facebook friends and be the loneliness guy on earth. Social media is changeable daily, so it can affect how you see yourself. The attacks, the arguments and vitriol online can destroy your self-esteem. People try to emotionally manipulate others by putting up posts like “feeling devastated,” and just wait for people to say, “What’s wrong?”
We live in the age of the Selfie. Never in history have so many photos been taken of so many people doing absolutely nothing! Experts agree that this generation is the most narcissistic in history, fuelled by social media. It’s all about me, my desires and my opinions. iPhone, iPad, I matter most. How many Facebook people does it take to screw in a light bulb? Just one. They hold it up, and the whole world revolves around them!
Don’t let Facebook or Instagram control your mind and determine your worth. You are created in God’s image. So, find your value not in what people say about you or how many likes you have, find your value as a person, fearfully and wonderfully made in God’s image. Jesus said…
Matthew 10:28
And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.
Don’t fear the opinions of others, fear God and believe that He created you and loves you and has a destiny for you.
HOW CAN YOU CONTROL SOCIAL MEDIA BACK?
Here’s how you can control social media, instead of having it controlling you.
1: CONTROL YOUR TIME
Limit the time you spend on social media. Do our Bible Reading Plan, spend time worshipping God, come to church. You don’t have to get off social media, just be wise.
Colossians 4:5
Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time.
2: CONTROL YOUR CONTENT
You can choose what you see, and how you respond. Be careful not to let worldly teaching, so called truth, seep into your mind. Unfriend a few people.
Philippians 4:8
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
Is what you are watching, or posting yourself, wholesome, true, honourable or excellent? Feed your mind on truth, and fill it with goodness, not rubbish.
3: CONTROL YOUR MIND
2 Corinthians 10:5
We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, (every post or tweet)
If you read something offensive, capture it and destroy it, don’t plant and water it.
Also, control what you put on social media, and ask, “Will this bring honour to Jesus?”
Matthew 12:36-37
I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
WHAT IS TRUTH?
Anti-counterfeit police are not trained by studying the fakes. They study the real thing, the true currency, so they can then easily detect the fakes. Your best defence against the fear, misinformation and vitriol of social media is to fill your mind with truth.
And what is truth? Is truth what some unknown Facebook fact checker decides is truth? Worked out well in COVID, right? No! Our standard for truth is the Word of God!
Hebrews 4:12
For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
Some of us may be mildly addicted to social media. Social media is attractive, seemingly innocent, but before long it consumes hours every day. Today I have outlined how you can defend yourself against spiritual damage on social media, but your greatest defence is knowing the real truth, the Word of God.
Today, will you commit with me to honour the Lord with your first fruits of time every day? Will you commit with me to prioritise God, to put Facebook and Instagram aside until you have had your quiet time with the Lord? Will you join us in the Bible Reading Plan?