When only 20% of those in the US have read their whole Bible, it’s no surprise that we are easily deceived by crafty politicians, manipulative media pundits and smooth-talking YouTubers who do not carry the heart of God.
If we don’t know Gods word, then we have no ability to discern that which sounds good from that which is truly biblical. We are left gullible and easily manipulated by the latest conspiracy theory going viral on social media or propaganda being promoted by government bureaucrats.
We need to be sensitized by Scripture and the Holy Spirit so that we can sniff out the lies, deception, manipulation and misinformation that is rampant in our culture. Immersing ourselves in the Bible helps us to recognize the “tone” of God’s voice, and when people speak something in a different tone, it is obvious to a Scripture-saturated believer.
So much of our infighting as Christians is fueled by spending more time absorbing media than the word of God. I have been guilty of this too. So rather than uniting around biblical truths and values, we find ourselves bickering over the latest partisan issue that is presented to us on the news. In fact, many times we Christians end up aligning with completely unbiblical ideas and attitudes because they are being promoted by our political “side.” At times, we don’t even realize we are in contradiction to God’s kingdom. Even when we are affirming truth, we may be doing so with impure motives or communicating in an ungodly way. The word of God helps us avoid these pitfalls.
What does God’s word actually have to say about what’s happening in our lives and the world around us? Have we taken the popular verses and read them in context? Have we done some word searches? Have we read commentaries on confusing passages? Are we regularly reading through the entire Bible to get a feel for the overarching themes and narrative? Are we praying, singing and meditating on verses the Holy Spirit highlights to us?
If we do these things, I believe we will be more prepared to discern unbiblical ideas and attitudes and to unite as the Church around the principles and truths of the kingdom of God as found in the Scripture.