Setting Daily Limits for Social Media Use Biblically
While the Bible does not directly address "social media" as a modern phenomenon, biblical principles offer guidance on how believers might approach its use, including setting limits. The concept of "media" itself can be understood in its older sense as a "measure" or "habit" [1], suggesting a need for intentionality and discipline in its consumption.
One foundational principle is found in the writings of John Calvin, who emphasized using the world without abusing it, and acquiring possessions as if one were selling them (1 Corinthians 7:30-31). He cautioned that this is a "slippery place" with a "great danger of falling on either side," advocating for careful self-regulation to avoid intemperance and luxury [2]. This perspective suggests that believers should not allow worldly things, including digital platforms, to become hindrances rather than helps [3]. Calvin also noted that God's good creatures, such as "ivory and gold, and riches," are "permitted, nay destined, by divine providence for the use of man," and it is not inherently wrong to enjoy them, but rather the abuse of them that is problematic [6].
The idea of discipline extends to daily life. The Apostle Paul, in Hebrews, encourages believers to "exhort one another daily" to prevent unbelief and apostasy [7]. This daily exhortation can involve discussing divine things, praying together, and instructing one another in the doctrines of the Gospel [7]. This highlights the importance of intentional and edifying daily practices, which could implicitly contrast with undirected or excessive engagement with social media.
Furthermore, the Bible emphasizes the importance of not adding to or diminishing from God's word, as seen in Deuteronomy 12:32 and Proverbs 30:6 [4]. While this primarily refers to divine law, it underscores a broader principle of respecting established boundaries and not creating new, unnecessary rules or distractions that might draw one away from God's commands. Charles Hodge, in his Systematic Theology, elaborates on this by stating that no person or group has the right to declare something sinful if God has not forbidden it [5]. However, he also notes that it is a "violation of the law of love" to use one's liberty in a way that causes others to sin [5]. This suggests that while social media use itself is not inherently sinful, its excessive or unedifying use could become so if it leads to neglect of duties, spiritual harm, or causes others to stumble.
Sources
- Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: Media — measure; habit; covering”
- CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 65: us to use this world without abusing it, and to buy possessions as if we were selling them ( 1 Cor. 7:30, 31 ). But as this is a slippery place, and there is great danger of falling on either side, let us fix our feet where we can stand safely. There have been some good and holy men who, when they saw intemperance and luxury perpetually carried to excess, if not strictly curbed, and were desirous to correct so pernicious an evil, imagined that there was no other method than to allow man to use corporeal goods 2032 only in so far as”
- CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 65: must indulge as little as possible; on the other hand, 2034 it must be his constant aims not only to curb luxury, but to cut off all show of superfluous abundance, and carefully beware of converting a help into an hinderance. 5. Another rule is, that those in narrow and slender circumstances should learn to bear their wants patiently, that they may not become immoderately desirous of things, the moderate use of which implies no small progress in the school of Christ. For in addition to the many other vices which accompany a longing”
- CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 92: a standard, it will readily appear that it is not a property of the Church to disregard the limits of the word of God, and wanton and luxuriate in enacting new laws. Does not the law which was once given to the Church endure for ever? “What things soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it” ( Deut. 12:32 ). And in another place, “Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar” ( Prov. 30:6 ). Since they cannot deny that this was said to the Church, what else”
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 3, section 39: of indifference, but in causing others to offend. The rules which the Scriptures clearly lay down on this subject are: (1.) That no man or body of men has the right to pronounce that to be sinful which God does not forbid. There was no sin in being circumcised, or in eating meat, or in keeping the sacred days of the Hebrews. (2.) That it is a violation of the law of love, and therefore a sin against Christ, to make such use of our liberty as to cause others to sin. “Take heed,” says the Apostle, “lest by any means this liberty of yours be”
- CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 74: who are full, who laugh now, who “lie upon beds of ivory and stretch themselves upon their couches;” “join house to house,” and “lay field to field;” “and the harp and the viol, the tablet and pipe, and wine, are in their feasts,” ( Amos 6:6 ; Isa. 5:8 , 10 ). Certainly ivory and gold, and riches, are the good creatures of God, permitted, nay destined, by divine providence for the use of man; nor was it ever forbidden to laugh, or to be full, or to add new to old and hereditary possessions, or to be delighted with music, or to drin”
- Hebrews (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Hebrews 3:13: But exhort one another daily,.... In order to prevent unbelief and apostasy. The phrase is sometimes rendered, "comfort one another", or, "yourselves together", as in Th1 5:11 which the saints may do, by discoursing together about divine things; by praying together; by instructing one another in the doctrines of the Gospel; by putting one another in mind of the covenant of grace, and its promises; and by observing the near approach of everlasting happiness with Christ. And though the business of exhortation greatly belongs to ministers of the word, yet it ought not t”