Contents
Overview
Living in a digital world where people are connected through various social media platforms, makes us question what the Bible says about social media networks. To be fair, we have not come across any passages in the Bible that talk about or mention social media. If we look around today, people spend hours and hours on their phones browsing through their social media accounts.
But as Christians, do we really need social media to grow closer to God? Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and so on, did not exist when the Bible was written. Therefore, we don’t have much information on what the Bible had to say about social media. However, we can still discuss some passages that are relevant to Christianity, social media, and the Bible.
Our Purpose
As Christians, we have been taught since our earliest years that, our main purpose on this earth is God and only God which means, our life revolves around God and only him. To be a Christian living is to be a follower and a disciple of Jesus Christ. And as such, the only person we should be following in life is Jesus Christ. We are called to follow Jesus, not the world around us.
In Luke 9:23-25, Jesus said to the crowd,
“If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but are yourself lost or destroyed?”
From these verses, we should question ourselves about what benefits we get if we abandon Christ for the world. In today’s world where people are obsessing over their social media accounts, they are more concerned about how many likes and followers they have rather than how many chapters of the Bible they have read.
Is Social Media Dictating Your Identity?
We are also living in a society where, social media is dictating your identity, worth, status, and success. However note that Jesus himself said that, getting recognition from the world means absolutely nothing if you don’t follow God with your whole heart. And although people put much effort to notice in social media, the only recognition you would need is from God. OUr intention should be to become more like Christ in all that we do.
In 1 John 2:15-17, Jesus said,
“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride in one’s possessions—is not from the Father, but is from the world. And the world with its lust is passing away, but the one who does the will of God remains forever.”
Wrong Focus on Social Media
Social media has also become a platform for people to show off their assets, not just materialistic possessions and assets but their physical body assets as well. The Bible clearly mentions not focusing on worldly pleasures but it seems people clearly forget that when they are on social media. As Children of God, you are however expected to be decent even if and when you are on any of the social media platforms.
In the Bible 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, it reads,
"Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you at a high price. So you must honor God with your body.”
Spreading Love and Truth
There are people who use social media and have Christian accounts to talk about God’s word and glorify God to spread the love and truth of God. They spend time on social media to teach about biblical principles and answer any biblical questions people may have. And thus, impart Christian wisdom toward outsiders.
However one should note that, even if you open such accounts, you should not become obsessed with your selfish interests in gaining popularity and followers. Moreover, even if social media may not specifically mention in the Bible, it still relates to the teachings of God one eats or the other.
Covetousness
Life in social media shows only happy faces and memories and as such. But if you look carefully those pictures and videos may not all be happy behind the scenes. However, people start to compare their lives with others and hence they tend to become ungrateful to God for all blessings.
In fact, people use social media to reduce anxiety and escape the real world. The Bible clearly preaches about how one should not covet and be envious of the things the other person has.
In Exodus 20:17, it reads,
“You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”
Be grateful
When social media makes you feel insecure, pray to God and thank him for the blessings in your life. Go on a social media fast or take a break from social media and practice self-discipline. And also, the Bible teaches us that, humans should come together and bond in a community. So yes, even if you have thousands or millions of followers and friends on social media, it becomes pointless when God is not your friend and you do not have friends to connect with, in person.
Social Media references in the Bible
Ephesians 2: 1-3
"And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others."
Luke 21:34-36
"But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man."
Exodus 23: 1
“You shall not circulate a false report. Do not put your hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness.
Proverbs 14: 15
The simple believes every word, But the prudent considers well his steps.
