A.W. Tozer once said, “What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.” What we think about God determines how we live today and where we’ll spend eternity, so it matters! But, too many of us get our theology—our thoughts about God—from places that are not godly. We allow culture, social media and the opinions of others to shape our God-thoughts instead of anchoring them in Scripture.
The average person spends several hours a day on social media and checks their phone over 300 times a day. Whether we realize it or not, our theology is being shaped by what we consume. We scroll, like, post and consume endless streams of content. We stay updated on the latest news, trends and debates. And all of it—every single thing we take in—affects our minds, our hearts and ultimately, our faith.
I can’t tell you how many times people approach me with a new “truth.” They pull out their phone and send me a link to a blog or a post or a tweet. But just because somebody tweeted it doesn’t mean it’s true.
Just because it’s on someone’s reel doesn’t mean it’s real. We have to be able to discern right from wrong and truth from a lie.
In John 8:32 (NIV), Jesus said, “Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.”
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Jesus doesn’t say you’ll know just any old truth or multiple truths. He says, you will know the truth and the truth will set you free. The truth is not relative. The “You do you” mentality sounds nice, but it falls apart quickly. Relativism claims that there are no absolute truths. But saying there are no absolutes is itself an absolute statement.
See the problem? It self-destructs. The world operates on absolutes every day. Gravity is real whether you believe it or not. Two plus two equals four, whether you feel like it or not. And God’s truth remains true whether culture accepts it or not.
Why is this so important? Because when Christ-followers believe any old “truth” from culture, they begin to doubt the truth of God’s Word, deconstruct their faith and walk away from God. Eternity is on the line. So how do we discern truth in a world full of opinions, tweets and trending topics? We go to the source—God’s Word. Here are three ways we can build a timeless faith in a culture built on trends:
1) Decide that God is your authority. Everyone has to ask themselves this question: Who is going to be the authority for my life? We have two options. We can decide to let the world be our authority or the Word. The world’s opinions constantly change depending on what’s trending.
You might wonder: Why can’t I be my own authority for my own life? You can certainly try, but there’s so much about life you don’t know. And that’s the problem: You don’t know what you don’t know. And what you don’t know can hurt you. But there’s nothing unknown to God, and He wants to help guide you into an abundant life. Make God the authority of your life, and He will guide you into truth.
2) Don’t let your feelings, culture or circumstances dictate truth. Feelings are valid, but they aren’t always right. Truth isn’t based on what you feel; it’s based on what God has already established. So, the next time something “just feels right,” make sure you look to God’s Word so you can filter your feelings.
We also can’t allow our favorite news anchor, politician or celebrity to influence our faith. We don’t get to vote on truth. Just because something is politically correct doesn’t mean it’s biblically correct. Truth is not up for debate and it doesn’t change with time or circumstances. We can’t bend the truth when it’s convenient.
When I was facing a hopeless situation with my son, my feelings and my circumstances were in a vulnerable state. It was a season of doubting God, but what helped me through was continuing to declare God’s truth over my circumstances instead of looking online to validate my doubt.
3) Spend less time scrolling and more time in Scripture. When you’re struggling with doubt and bombarded with conflicting messages, go back to what is unwavering, unchanging and absolutely true. Go back to Jesus and His Word. His truth isn’t just information—it’s transformation. And when you truly know it, it sets you free.
A good lie always contains a little bit of truth—just enough to sound convincing. The devil will try to deceive you the same way, mixing just enough truth to make the lie appealing. But what if, instead of letting our feeds shape our theology, we let God’s Word shape our hearts? What if we spent as much time (or more) in Scripture as we do scrolling? Imagine the impact of trading mindless consumption for intentional transformation.
Psalm 1:2-3 (NLT) gives us a picture of what happens when we root ourselves in God’s truth: “But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night. They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither and they prosper in all they do.” That’s the kind of life I want—flourishing, fruitful and deeply rooted in God’s truth.
So, what’s your feed feeding you? Is it drawing you closer to God or pulling you away? Remember Tozer’s words, “What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.” Stay on guard and make sure the world’s ideology isn’t influencing your theology.
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Todd Mullins is the senior pastor of Christ Fellowship Church, one of the top 10 largest churches in America. Under the leadership of Mullins and his wife, Julie, Christ Fellowship has grown into a multisite congregation that gathers on 16 campus locations across South Florida. His new book, “Don’t Let Doubt Take You Out,” debuts Feb. 11, and is available now.
