There seems to be an intense focus on various issues reported throughout the media that the Church, the body of Christ, appears to be affected by. There are dangers in this behavior. Therefore, I want to share wisdom (the appropriate application of knowledge) with you and provide information that will hopefully enlighten you and put things in perspective for you.
The media defined as a means of mass communication is doing a great job of spreading information. With plentiful and various methods of providing communication i.e. blogs, online news outlets, hundreds of television channels with streaming, cable, YouTube, satellite radio each increasingly vying for an audience. This competition in my opinion has caused a lack of actual factual news reporting and is driven more by sensationalism and controversy that leads to more coverage and opportunity for more audience. For example, consider the days when every outlet was reporting about the transgender issue. Each reporting the same news regarding Bruce Jenner yet each adding minor tidbits to capture our attention. All the repeated media coverage and hype magnifies the issue. However, if information was reported without bias and sensationalism we would hear that the transgender population is only .03% of the population. The whole issue is not as popular and widespread as the media coverage would elude. Media is business. All businesses want and need to make money to stay in business. We as a society engage and support their businesses even if it is to disagree or argue against (raise or hold some standard) what is being reported. As a medium, they have their jobs and are excelling at it.
How does the media affect the church? No more than the business of the local grocery store vying for our business. The devil isn’t driving the media. It’s not the antichrist. It’s not a conspiracy to destroy Christian values. It’s not that liberals are controlling the news. It’s not a sign that has some significance in the timing of the Lord. It is business. Business operating in the world. Now what we participate in, engage in and debate in or not is our choice. Pretty simple.
Paul exhorted the Romans concerning unity instructing them to not be conformed to the world (age, past and present not as many are taught the world being a system). To conform is defined as to be similar to or the same as something. The Roman Christians like us had many distractions in their world (age). Passions of the flesh and sin (missing the mark). However, Paul’s instruction is wisdom for us today as well. I exhort you to think of ancient Rome to whom Paul was writing. Although Roman religion was inextricably linked to their civil, family and social political sphere, Paul’s exhortation was to not consider the world they lived in but to consider Christ Jesus and the grace of God. We would do well to do likewise by conforming to his wisdom (the appropriate application of knowledge). Not entangling ourselves with the civic, family, social and political issues of the world but to live as foreigners here and citizens of the kingdom of our King Jesus. By conforming to Jesus there would be little left to discuss, debate or explain because our very existence would speak all we believe and loudly.
Foolishly, some Christians believe in error that somehow we are responsible for morality in the world. Or, as it is stated in many sects, “we must uphold a standard of righteousness in/for the world”. Please understand that Jesus prayed for his disciples as told to us by John saying, “I have given them Your word and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of this world. I do not pray that You should take them out of the world but that You should keep them from evil.” (Many translations have added the word one and men have interpreted in error “evil one” to mean the devil. The word evil translates here to hurtful, in effect or influence referring to essential character, which indicates degeneracy from original virtue and diseased but especially morally derelict) I would be remiss if I did not state here that only the Word of God Jesus, by the Spirit of God within His people is capable of keeping us as Jesus prayed from evil. John continues rehearsing Jesus’ prayer writing “I do not pray for these alone (not just his then disciples) but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; (that’s us) that they all may be one, as You Father are in Me and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.”
Jesus didn’t pray this prayer out of need for Himself or as a request/petition of God the Father for response/answer but for the benefit of the hearer. Remember Jesus said He knew that His Father always heard Him. Jesus is the Word of God. He came to manifest (clearly show, make visible) God to us. In this prayer, Jesus revealed God’s will. What He revealed (make known, clear or prove) is that He (God) wills that we would be one. That we would be united in Him just as the Father and Jesus are one. We can only be one as we in Him are kept by Him from the evil in the world as we are conformed to the image of Christ Jesus our Lord.
Now some may think how then will the world know Jesus. Remember this always, the people of the (world) age and every age just as you and I aren’t/weren’t convinced or persuaded by mere words neither are they. Even if we quote His very words they are without life when there is no life within us. His life within us is cultivated by conformity and practice through understanding knowledge of revelation of Christ Jesus abiding within us.
When Jesus said “you are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden,” He wasn’t referring to our votes, or tweets or post or preaching. He was talking about Himself, God the light of world for all to see in us. He was talking to us about demonstrating Him, the light and life of God that He demonstrated in the world while physically present. Now He is present and abiding in His church the body of Christ through those that have conformed to Him by His Spirit.
How the Church, the body of Christ, responds to the media is dependent on our knowledge of, our understanding of and our being in Christ and in the world. Sadly, the critical skill of thinking is lacking in the church. Exercising the ability to reason and determine the validity of something and/or to discern (to come to know or recognize mentally). Instead of hearing or reading something regardless of the outlet of information and determining for ourselves the validity of the information. I honestly can’t decide if the lack of thinking is because we so easily and gullibly swallow everything we hear from pulpits without thought and then carry that same mindset into our daily lives (in the world) or if it’s vice versa. Regardless it is dangerous and needs to stop.
In closing, I pray that you truly think of what is written in this post. Challenge yourselves to consider words foreign or different from what you’ve heard before. Think, search and prove if what I said is true or not. If you are His, He by His Spirit will lead you, guide you and teach you. I want to continue to grow to maturity in Christ however, I am very aware that we are one. In Him and through Him we are one body and therefore must grow together. Take heed. Be strong in the Lord. Follow truth.
