If there is great difference between the content on your Facebook page and the status of your belief on your page then there is a problem. Sorry for the bluntness but people are watching you to see if those match. More importantly, you should be concerned if they don’t. Which brings up the question: Why are you talking about Facebook? Well, it’s a great way to explain the fact that your life should reflect what you believe.
Facebook is the perfect example of people’s religious status and the content of their page being completely different. Saying they are Christian and then when you look at the content of their page it’s filled with a high level of sketchiness. Now, there are a lot of things that are probably innocent but because of the context or the lack there of on Facebook, things can come across as super sketchy. That is why it’s so important to use the same discretion with Facebook as you use in life as a Christ-follower.
As a Christian, you should be compelled to live an honest life, striving to be more like Jesus Christ. It’s not that you’re obsessed with being perfect. You are just striving to honor God with your life in all that you say and do. Which means not involving yourself in things that are immorally wrong or things that could be perceived as wrong or just sketchy. We are also responsible not to cause each other to stumble. I’m definitely guilty of rarely thinking about the responsibility of causing other believers to stumble by my actions. Romans 14:21(NIV) 21 It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother or sister to fall. Our motivation to live a life that does not cause our brother or sister to fall must not be about looking perfect. It must be about modeling a real relationship with Christ that depends and relies on Him. You will mess up and you won’t do everything right, and when that happens you should strive to model humility and do what’s right.
I can remember playing the part very well. I would be at church praying out loud, lifting my hands during worship, etc. I was even active in the ministry, but none of that translated to the other areas of my life. I was just a “Facebook status Christian”, but if people ever looked at my page they would see a huge difference. I was only acting as a Christian when I felt it benefited me (when Christian people were watching). When I was around non-Christians I acted like a non-Christian because it benefited me (when non-Christians were watching). It wasn’t that I didn’t believe in God. I just wanted to do things my way and then at times fit God into my plans and the idea of Christianity.
I eventually got serious about my relationship with Christ and removed the differences between my status as a Christian and the way I lived my life. Unfortunately, it wasn’t until I actually needed my relationship with Christ to be real because of some crazy things that had gone on in my life. I needed real peace, comfort and purpose. I was tired of pretending and the mask I was wearing was getting harder to keep up. I decided to stop short changing myself. I wanted all that God had for me and I was ready to serious about my relationship with Christ. The one thing I regret, is not starting sooner. I felt like I missed a lot and I would be further along in life had I just been real and not just a Facebook Status Christian.
Don’t just be a Facebook Status Christian, where your faith goes no deeper than the scripture you post. Be real and allow the pages of your life to match your religious status. Whether you get it right or mess up. People are watching you and it’s ok if they see you mess up. They just also need to see you strive in humility to do the right thing.
hope it helps!!
ac
