{"id":30961,"date":"2022-09-10T15:11:22","date_gmt":"2022-09-10T20:11:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/3-principles-to-apply-the-bible-to-social-media\/"},"modified":"2022-09-10T15:11:22","modified_gmt":"2022-09-10T20:11:22","slug":"3-principles-to-apply-the-bible-to-social-media","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/3-principles-to-apply-the-bible-to-social-media\/","title":{"rendered":"3 Principles to Apply the Bible to Social Media"},"content":{"rendered":"
camilo jimenez photo – Unsplash <\/p>\n

By Aaron Earls<\/em><\/p>\n

Before pastors and church leaders apply biblical principles to their congregational life, they first must learn and live out those ideals in their personal life.<\/p>\n

And according to Christian tech experts, the best place to start is the beginning. Just as humanity\u2019s relationship with technology goes back to creation, so do the principles that should guide our usage of it.<\/p>\n

God placed Adam and Eve in the garden and commanded them to \u201cwork it and watch over it\u201d (Genesis 2:15). In doing this, they would have to develop tools. But as God was placing humanity in a situation that required technology, He was also giving them the central concept they needed to develop and use tech. And when Jesus arrived, He fleshed out additional truths that guide our relationship with technology.<\/p>\n

1. Recognize the image of God<\/strong>.<\/h3>\n

\u201cHumans are created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27) and called to worship with \u2018heart, soul, mind, and strength\u2019 (Mark 12:30),\u201d says Amy Crouch, coauthor of My Tech-Wise Life<\/em>. \u201cThis core truth should guide all our use of devices.\u201d For Crouch, that leads to two principles.<\/p>\n

We need to be loving our neighbors (and ourselves) as whole persons, but tech can easily flatten fellow human beings into objects of envy, disdain, and hatred. \u2014 Amy Crouch Click To Tweet <\/p>\n

\u201cFirst, our use of devices should affirm the image of God in ourselves and in our communities,\u201d she says. \u201cWe need to be loving our neighbors (and ourselves) as whole persons, but tech can easily flatten fellow human beings into objects of envy, disdain, and hatred\u2014or its promises of efficiency can lead to our treating our neighbors as mere inconveniences.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

Second, Crouch says our call to worship God with our entire created self requires the proper use of our bodies. \u201cDevices make it all too easy to live disembodied lives; hours of entertainment and hours of work can fit into our back pockets,\u201d she says. \u201cBut it\u2019s essential for us to be spending time with others in person and engaging with the world in a physical way.\u201d<\/p>\n

Devices make it all too easy to live disembodied lives; but it\u2019s essential for us to be spending time with others in person and engaging with the world in a physical way. \u2014 Amy Crouch Click To Tweet <\/p>\n

2. Look through the lens of love<\/strong>.<\/h3>\n

To guide her social media use, Hunter Beless, founder and executive director of Journeywomen, points to Jesus\u2019 summation of the law in Matthew 22. \u201cThe biblical principle to love God and to also love my neighbor enables me to examine my personal practices by encouraging me to ask, \u2018Am I loving God first? And am I loving my neighbor (especially my littlest neighbors who live in the bedroom next door)?\u2019 If the answer is no, I desperately need to reevaluate,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

The biblical principle encourages me to ask, "Am I loving God first? And am I loving my neighbor?" If the answer is no, I desperately need to reevaluate. \u2014 Hunter Beless Click To Tweet <\/p>\n

Beless also pointed to four biblical questions she uses to take an honest inventory of her life and how she is using social media and technology:<\/p>\n