Facebook or the FACE of GOD

Google is a wonderfully efficient tool for obtaining information from the internet regarding just about anything.  All it requires is a Smartphone or computer. Through its various media platforms, you can find the most up to date news and sports, as well as information and advice regarding health and beauty, home improvement and auto repair, finance and investment, as well as cooking and parenting. You can access historical information, all forms of music and entertainment and yes, there is even religious content, for which I am thankful.

There are also what are referred to as social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or TikTok.  I searched a site called Wikipedia to find a definition for the term social media. There it is defined as “interactive technologies and digital channels that facilitate the creation and sharing of information, ideas, interests, and other forms of expression through virtual communities and networks”.

I Googled information regarding the number of Facebook users world-wide and found that at the end of the fourth quarter for 2021, 2.91 billion users were recorded.  About 65% of people living in the United States use Facebook, and over 70% have some sort of social media account(s).

On these various social media sites, you can “socially” interact with people around the world, sharing everything from your opinions and ideas to your past and present experiences, not just in words but with pictures and videos.

Like most other inventions of man, these platforms can be used in ways that are benign, beneficial or harmful to individuals and society. For the Christian, these platforms can be of some help or become a great hinderance to our efforts to grow in our knowledge of God, intimacy with God, love for God and conformity to the image of Christ in our nature and character; efforts that are not meant to be momentary or static, but eternal and dynamic – ever progressing through the course of our life in this world (2 Corinthians 3:18).

To this end God has commanded our priorities while in this world that are meant to keep our hearts and minds stayed upon Him rather than on the things of this evil and perishing world, a world that Jesus suffered and died to deliver us from (Colossians 3:1-4) (Galatians 1:3-4) (1 John 2:15-17).

These priorities include the command in Romans 12:2 which calls us to not be conformed to this world (its values and priorities), but to be transformed by the renewing of our mind to God’s values and priorities so that we can know and do God’s will.

In 2 Peter 3:18 we are instructed to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and in Ephesians 5:15-16 we are instructed to be careful on how we walk through this world, not as unwise but as wise, redeeming, making the best use of the time God has given us, because our lives are short and the days we live in are evil (Psalm 90:12).

Jesus gives us the priority that encompasses all of the above priorities when in Matthew 6:33 He calls us to seek first the kingdom of God (ever increasing submission to and trust in God’s rule over and care for our lives) and His righteousness (conformity to His nature and character),

The kingdom of God Jesus is referring to here has two aspects to it, one relating to the now, and the other to the not yet.  The Apostle Paul tells us in Romans 14:17 that the kingdom of God is present or manifested in the peace and joy we have with God through the indwelling Holy Spirit as He conforms us to the righteous nature and character of our Lord, using our lives as a witness to others of the good news (the Gospel) of His kingdom.  This kingdom though awaits a future fulfilment when it will be consummated, fully established at Jesus’ second coming; an eternal kingdom in which we will know only fulness of joy (Psalm 16:11); a kingdom He is now preparing us to rule and reign with Him as our infinitely glorious King (Daniel 7:27) (Revelation 3:21).

Admittedly, the internet and its various media sites and platforms can provide sermons and commentaries that can be helpful in our achieving the priorities Christ has set before us.  We also can witness to the truth of the Gospel on Facebook and other social media platforms (My thanks to those who have posted my posts to those sites).  However, there are numerous dangers in giving too much of our time and attention to the content of these internet sites and media platforms.

First and foremost is the fact that seeking the Kingdom of God is not a “virtual” endeavor, but requires serious face to face contact with God in His word and in prayer (Psalm 27:8).  It requires face to face contact with other Christians for teaching and learning and worship and prayer (Hebrews 10:25), while effective evangelism is always a face to face endeavor (John 4:21-26).

Facebook etc., represent the innumerable distractions put forth by the “god of this age” (the devil) that intrude into our lives, designed by him to keep us from seeking and seeing the glory of God in Christ, and from comprehending the infinite value and inestimable worth of knowing, loving and being loved by God in Christ (2 Corinthians 4:3-6). He (the devil) will use the endless stream of information and entertainment these various media sites provide to allure us into passing/wasting time rather than redeeming it as we are called to do.

We are told in Revelation 12:9 that the devil has deceived the whole world, and thus these platforms are inundated with anti-Christian thoughts and attitudes.  Much of what is provided “on-line” is meant to stir up in us pride and self-sufficiency, anger and anxiety, covetousness and discontent, even hopelessness and despair, rather than the peace, joy, hope and contentment that God offers us in Christ and His Gospel (Philippians 4:6-7).

These social media platforms provide an impersonal way of communicating and interacting with others where we can say things with anonymity that we would never say to a person face to face.  It is a place where we can put forth misinformed opinions or misinformation with little accountability, while having our self-worth and self-image evaluated by nameless, faceless “friends”, rather than by Jesus, a friend who tells us that He will never leave us or forsake us (John 15:11-15) (Deuteronomy 31:6).

In closing I want to point us to the one priority that must be given the upmost consideration in all that we do, which is God’s priority in creation – His glory (Isaiah 43:7).  Thus, in the spirit of the Apostle Paul’s admonition to the church in I Corinthians 10:31, I would encourage each of us who make up Christ’s church, that whether we eat or drink, work or play, read or post information on social or other internet media platforms, that we do it all to the glory of God.

Grace and Peace ×