The E-Responsible Believer

The reality of times and seasons is one that has become synonymous with the Earth Post-Noah. It is consistent with the “Noah-ic” covenant.

The Preacher in the third chapter of Ecclesiastes gave us some crucial insight into this reality. If were to have a summative statement on, it would go thus: To everything there is a time, to every purpose there is a season.

And this will hold true so long as this Earth remains the Earth.

We are in the Information Age, and as the age advances, we are seeing remarkable progress made whilst we are still asking fundamental questions such as, what is the all-important end point of this age? What is the decisive difference that the information age has made?

Whilst the answers may be apparent or shrouded, an important pointer is to analyse the kind of people that the age is producing.

A good place to start is the ecosystem of our interactions with each other.

Social media, an ubiquitous expression of the age, has drastically altered our experience of life — infact it has written and rewritten the rules that govern our interactions. It has allowed for passive anonymity and a significant rise in unaccountability or, at best, limited accountability.

People can now stay behind the comfort of a ‘screen’ and see, do or say whatever catches their fancy, without due regard for others (and, dare I say, without due regard for their own selves).

How can the Christian engage these times? How can he be an E-responsible Christian?

[1] Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;

[2] That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.

1 Peter 4:1-2 (KJV)

First; the believer must consider that the most decisive act in human history — the idea that changed the world for all time — is the Cross of Christ. Thus, the only ‘side’ that should have sufficient stature to direct his/her life is Will of God put on display by the sufferings of Christ. The Will of God, not social media, should be the decisive factor and influence over our lives.

Second; the parameters in scriptures that govern our thoughts, patterns and bents still apply in the context of the information age. It was Paul that said:

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

Philippians 4:8 (KJV)

If we simply also applied the above verse to our social media consumption, we would notice a significant, even staggering, difference.

Lastly;  there was a time that the primary mode of communication was talking, then later writing. Now, these primary modes have given birth to secondary and tertiary expressions, and so on and so forth. Again, we have some scriptural railings to guide us and ensure that in these, we don’t fall out of bounds:

Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

Ephesians 4:29 (KJV)

Our communication should aim for the highest good of our hearers, not simply because we have something to say or that we have a means to say it. If we utter corruption when communicating, we are not being responsible.

Even so-called ‘neutral’ communication is not our standard. We are called to seek with discipline, deliberateness and intentionality the mode, the content, the attitude and the motive that converts our interactions to not just mere interactions but extensions of Grace to our hearers.

In a world rapidly tending towards anonymity (facelessness and namelessness), the believer remains a strategic person of influence.

We are not to go with the tide, but be decisively different and bring grace and taste to a corrupt and bland world.

Amen.