the biblical warning about social media

In today's world, we are all captivated by modern technologies, well if it wasn't for the knowledge given to us by God, we couldn't create anything. But did God give us knowledge so that we could create things for our own desires, to exclude worshipping the Creator. Well that is the old lie, that we are our own god's, this was the deceivers message to Adam, you could be like God. I am one that has always marvelled at technologies and what they can achieve, but they have man's heart involved and the Bible clearly states that God says our hearts are evil.

Jeremiah 17:9–10

9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? 10 “I the LORD search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.”

Obviously technology, computers, microwaves, cars, planes can have such advantages to make our once difficult lives much better. But, we live in a fallen world, the curse of SIN, that even the earth groans in pain.

Romans 8:22-23

22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. 23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.

We have now come to a critical point in Social Media, that's even alarmed the Secular World, so much so that the Health Agencies for Mental Health are calling to have a WARNING label added to social media. Why, because of the immense Mental Health harm its having on people, the US Government says more than 80% of the total participants reported frequent exposure to social networks.

The results revealed that 48.3% of the participants were found to have depression, 22.6% suffered from anxiety, and 19.4% had both. We can actually understand that this increase surged because of lockdowns during the COVID ERA where suicide rates surged. But lets not fool ourselves, we love the things of the world over the creator. They believe that by adding a warning of Mental Health Issues, such as depression, anxiety. stress, loneliness, poor self-esteem and addiction can be attributed to Social Media.

But will it work, will man be able to fix the problem, it hasn't thus far and we see that with even the cigaret labeling with horrible pictures on the packaging, did this stop or deter smokers... well, hard to find the answer I was thinking of, but the NIH says the below:

Smokers who noticed the warnings were significantly more likely to endorse health risks, including lung cancer and heart disease. In each instance where labelling policies differed between countries, smokers living in countries with government mandated warnings reported greater health knowledge.Well I guess that takes the weight off the conscience of the government I guess, but did it really work, not the way man thought it would. When you take God out of the society, does it collapse?

The Bible has warned us long ago that self promotion, idolatry and self focus are a devastating outcome. In fact the opposite of BE THE BEST ME is true, that a Christ focused mindset will bring you a peaceful and healthy mind. Man has always been at war, enmity with our Creator since the fall. He has told us, exactly what is needed and what He wants, exactly why He created us... to worship HIm. So if you worship self, or as it says in Romans:

Romans 1:25

25 because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.

And for those who are unbelievers, the Creature referred to above is you, me the mortal man. It is laid out for us in the below Bible verse,  To Your Name Give Glory

Psalm 115:1

115 Not to us, O LORD, not to us, but to your name give glory, for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness! 2 Why should the nations say, “Where is their God?” 3 Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases.

I feel so sad for the people of this generation that hate God, for He loves you so... you probably know John 3:16, yet have never been taught what it means, you probably believe it means somehow He loves you even in the state you're in, a sinner, but that is not correct. You see the true follower of Christ, or true Christian, not the one that feels culturally associated and yet looks and acts like the world, but the ones that act and follow the forefathers of the first century, did you know the disciples were first called Christians in the city of Antioch (Acts 11). A christian is not a perfect person, there is only one that was sinless, and lived a blameless life and that was the Lord Jesus Christ. Believers, also like unbelievers live in the flesh, and the flesh is what desires what the spirit does not, and this makes the walk of a true believer, a christian one that is less about self, and more about humbling ourselves before a Holy, Righteous and Just God.We can still sin as a christian, and if it persist to make us stumble we are told to go to the extreme, this is a hyperbole statement below from Jesus....

Matthew 5:29-30

29 If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell.

we are told to cut it off, if its social media or pornography, then cut it off from your life..... disconnect those things if at all possible to not even use them. As believers, we find a Brother or Sister in Christ to hold us accountable to our fight in cutting off sin, the consequence of sin is deadly.... fear can be your friend in helping you to stop doing these things. I want to see you in Paradise, not gnashing of teeth and weeping in hell.

In the Genesis account, we see God created the world perfect, in fact when He made the Creation of the World, 3 times He said it was good and at the final He said it was very good... so if it was very good, what happened. Well that's the history of our Dad and Mum who walked with God, designed to live forever with God, glorifying God. But there was a deceiver among them, and He had been cast out of Heaven for PRIDE, He saw his opportunity to break God's creation and he knew that Adam would not fall for his deceitfulness, because Adam had seen God make creation before His very eyes (Genesis 2:19). So he went to the woman, who was weaker in the sense of her belief, and he deceived her, but not a victim for she also knew not to take the fruit. (See Man & Woman the Fall).

Since the beginning we have been sinners, we wanted to be gods among ourselves, prideful, self lovers and idolaters and all sorts of perverse loves. Throughout the Bible we are told about our great sinfulness, and that there is nothing that you and I can do to cleanse ourselves of our brokenness (See BROKENNESS - IT's essential in our Testifying to god's goodness). Sadly so many churches and preachers are selling a lie, that you can get into heaven just as you are, that God loves you just as you are. This is a tragedy, a lie and those whom lead astray others will be dealt with harshly by God himself. The fact is, the God of Israel, the God of this world is a Holy and Righteous and Just God, perfect in all ways... and a Just God must have justice paid for the debt you've accrued in your sinful life,,

Romans 6:23

23 For the wages of sin is death

so like all of us, we have fallen short of the Glory of God told to us in Romans 3:23. So what can you do about this, well there is one thing that God did for guilty sinners like you and me.... He sent His only begotten Son to pay the Ransom, a ransom that was so heavy a cost to give us His glorified Son, a King of Kings who came into this world to live in the flesh among the very enemies He came to save. In the perfect time in history, the one who was fully man and fully God went willingly to the cross to die for His enemies. He would be crucified, murdered by His enemies so that He would take upon Him the sins of the world so that He would take the wrath of His Father that we so deserved. So that when God sees the cross He sees us as righteous, as if we lived the life of Him who died for us. But what does Jesus say we must do, what does the Old and New Testament say we must do? REPENT, and turn from your wicked ways. Believe on Jesus, that He died to pay your debt, and rose again on the third day defeating the final SIN, that was death. He was the first among many... you can be one of the many if you cry out to God today for His forgiveness of your sins, believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and today die to yourself, or as we are commanded by Jesus... Take Up Your Cross and Follow Jesus

24 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 26 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? 27 For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done. 28 Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”

Matthew 16:24-28

We are available by email to talk, to help in your salvation.

By God's Grace

Dean Brady