CHRISTIAN YOUTH IN THE DIGITAL AGE:

I. SOCIAL MEDIA & CHRISTIAN’S SPIRITUAL WARFARE

A. What must a Christian youth needs to know about this Spiritual battle?

1. A Christian youth must understand that spiritual battle is real in a Christian’s life.
2. A Christian youth must understand that spiritual battle is not a physical battle but a spiritual one.
He is in spiritual warfare against the devil & his schemes.
3. A Christian youth must understand that spiritual battle is warfare against speculations that are
against the knowledge of God, and worldly philosophy which is not according to Christ.

B. What then is the relationship of our spiritual battle with Social Media?

As we have said, social media is a tool which can be used either for useful purposes (to the ultimate end of
glorifying God) or for non-beneficial, sinful purposes that against God and His word. It is a tool by which
we can disseminate & acquire knowledge easily. Therefore if our spiritual battle is about fighting against
errors from this fallen world which is under Satan’s influence, social media can be an effective platform
where the evil one can spread speculations against the knowledge of God.

II. THE TRUTH WAR IN SOCIAL MEDIA

In all knowledge that we get in the internet or anything we read in social media, do we encounter two or
more ideas which are in contradiction to each other? How do we view those? For example, we can read an
article that is saying” There is a God”, and on the other hand we see an article saying “There is no god”. As
we look to these two statements, are they both true? Of course the answer is no, because something
cannot be both true and not true at the same time when dealing with the same context (law of non-
contradiction). And social media is not free from these contradictions; we can read contradicting
propositions about God, creation, morality & other issues which are important to us. Unlike traditional
media (such as newspaper) that its content is checked by the editor and the publisher before it is sold to
the streets, social media has no device to filter all that is in it, therefore we must determine whether what
we read is the truth or an error.
 A. THE IMPORTANCE OF GOD’S WORD

The question we might ask now is “how can I determine the truth from error, how can I filter whether all
my accumulated knowledge especially through Social Media (with regards to the knowledge of God,
creation, social, political & moral issues, etc.) is the truth? The answer is we go to God, because all truth is
God’s truth, and God’s truth is revealed in the bible.

How is it important to man the Word of God?

The word of God is important to us because:

1. It is God’s self-disclosure, in it God reveals Himself; His character, will & purpose.
2. It is the means by which we can know & receive his salvation.
3. It is the Truth
4. It is the means by which we can grow in our relationship to Him, in our faith & our spiritual life.

B. SATAN ‘S ATTACK AGAINST THE WORD OF GOD

God’s word is not only the means by which we can know truth from error, but God’s word is also the
reason why there is error. Satan is behind all lies & deception which are contrary to the scriptures, or any
philosophy that is not according to the teaching of our Lord, because of his hate of God & His word.

What does Satan wants us to do with God’s word? (Genesis 3:1-7)

 Satan wants us to DOUBT God’s word.

 Satan wants us to DISTORT God’s word.
 Satan wants us to DISOBEY God’s word.
SOCIAL MEDIA & THE NEED OF DISCERNMENT (1 John 4:1-6)

How can we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error?

1. We can know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error if we examine all ideas presented to us
carefully. (v.1)
2. We can know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error by what it confesses about Jesus Christ.
(v.2-3)
a. The spirit of truth confesses that Jesus Christ is the incarnate God. (v.2)
b. The spirit of error does not confess that Jesus Christ is the incarnate God. (v.3)
3. We can know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error by the Spirit of God in us. (v.4)
4. We can know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error by what it speaks. (v.5-6)
5.