Can social media be the downfall of a Christian?

 

For quite sometime now, or if not for a longtime now I have been thinking about how social media can effect or how it effects a Christians life. Now I know there are benefits to social media of course and I won't deny such thing. Clearly the benefits are as such, keeping in contact with loved ones from afar; like friends and family. Also sharing your faith and spreading the gospel. But have you ever asked yourself if that's the only reason you use it? Or do you use for entertainment? Do you doom scroll because there's more than enough content to grasp your attention and take you away for a minute from the real world? Or does it make you ask questions about things that you didn't know you had questions about, or maybe bring you back to a different time of your life? There maybe more reasons for it. But I personally think these would be the most common of of so many more I would assume. 

Now the thing is, or at least the question becomes. Is it good for your spirit? Is it aligning you with God? Is it allowing you to grow spiritually? I know that these are a lot of questions and a lot to think about. But these are honest questions. These are things that we as Christians should be thinking, and not just being dismissing of. Now I will say this, personally for me I can't stand social media. My main source however of entertainment and somewhat of social media is YouTube. I have seen my screen time on my phone numerous times and even compared it to someone like my wife. And I can honestly say that Facebook, Instagram, Truth Social, and others I am rarely on. When I say rarely I mean I probably get on 2-3 times a week and for a very short time. Probably anywhere from 3-7 minutes average. A long day of usage for me would be 15 minutes. 

My wife would normally ask me the question, "Why have social media if you're not really on it?" I wish I could say that my answer is simple. And to an extent it is. The reasons why I have social media is one my friends and family. Though I don't reach out often to them I like to know every so often how they are doing. Being able to get on Facebook and seeing a updated status gives me somewhat an update on their lives. Since it almost feels like most people like putting their whole entire life on it. However, for me it benefits me to see that they are doing good or if I should reach out. Now I know that sounds somewhat terrible. But I have a big family and we don't all live nearby. To reach out to each and everyone of them would probably take me a few weeks with the little time I have for myself. 

Outside of that reason, I have the reason of wanting to make content and build on creating things. Example, like this blog and the podcast. We live in a very technological time period where social media is what you need to market and make known what you are doing. To not have social media to grow a platform is like a death sentence for whatever you are working on. Most companies have been advertising on social media for some time now because they understand that this is the modern age. Lastly, for entertainment; I can't deny and say that I don't watch funny shorts as I scroll around on social media when I open it up. There's something about pulling up social media, checking up on some friends and family and seeing if you missed any notifications. Then scrolling to see funny videos or videos that are God driven. 

Which now brings me to the negative part and potentially what I think can cause the downfall to a lot of Christians. Though there are a lot of funny things, educational things, spiritual things, etc. There are also things that isn't good. See the algorithm of a lot of these platforms are a toss up. Pornography is everywhere, hate is everywhere, violence is everywhere. Now before most of yaw say something about we have to be strong in Christ and a lot of other things. We have to ask ourselves one of the hardest questions there is, "Would Jesus be okay with me on this platform?". Now I know that some people are going to talk about spreading the gospel online, as well as Jesus sat with the sick and the sinners. Yet, we all individually are different. We are all called to different things. Though there are things we all have to do as Christians, it does not all look the same. If that was the case there would only be pastors, or preachers, or evangelists. All just one kind, but that isn't the case. 

We all haven't lived the same life, experienced the same thing, have the same strengths, and the same weaknesses. The truth is we're all different, and just because one person can doesn't mean the other person can. We have to identify things through our relationship with God. There are some people that live on social media that are Christians and when they see something that they don't or want really bad envy and jealousy can creep itself into your heart. There are others that if they see someone in a bikini because they were scrolling through their feed fall into lust/adultery or maybe even fall further into temptation. You have others that fall back to their past lives because of things that they see and want to listen to a song from their past that made them feel a certain type of way. Possibly opening a door that God closed for you when you came to Him. 

The truth is we ought to be careful, personally I do to some extent believe that social media can become the downfall to a lot of Christians. If your not completely right with God, growing in the Lord, just getting to know God, and so many other things. Social media can easily make you take steps back. Or even kick you off the hill. And yes there are plenty of Christian content out there and Christian content creators and social media pages. But lets be honest here. There's also a lot of drama. There's a lot of he said she said. A lot of this person is wrong, a lot of disregard, and division happening even in that space. I'm not saying you shouldn't watch them. What I am saying is have discernment. Get in the word of God everyday. Pray to the Lord everyday and have a serious relationship with Him. Because the only one that is 100% right and teaches everything correctly is Him and we learn His lessons in the scripture. 

Lastly I would love to leave this scripture here. I understand there are many more scriptures about hearing. But this is one I would like to share. Remember what you are listening to is very important. Watch what you hear and watch what you are watching on social media. Sometimes it is best to get away from it rather than stick with it. 

Romans 10:14-17 ESV

14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard?[c] And how are they to hear without someone preaching? 15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” 16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” 17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.