Which Influencers Do You Follow?
Brother Bob Pellien: Do you ever give thought about who you listen to and are influenced by? Which social media and spiritual influencers are impacting your life? Who is your spiritual influencer? The Bible is the basis of our teachings in the Church Of Christ. To answer questions about proper worship, right relationship with God, and most importantly, salvation – That’s in the Bible!
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Brother Bob: I’m Bob Pellien. Welcome to the program, That’s in the Bible.
Today, we’ll take a look at mainstream spiritual influencers and how many people allow themselves to be influenced by others and, too often, in a negative way. There are many internet personalities that are very well known in their respective fields, for example, like acting or sports and politics and so many others. And they express opinions and provide advice to anyone who will listen to them about morals and social issues.
There are also many people, people online, especially, claiming to be advisers and spiritual influencers who present themselves as definers of spirituality. There are many people who regularly listen to them and tend to support their content and the beliefs presented, which is exactly why such individuals are called influencers in the first place, right? Do you allow such internet influencers to shape your moral standards, influence your attitude, outlook in life, your beliefs, values, and most especially, your faith in God? Whose influence will benefit you most and influence you in a positive way?
Today, we’ll study this topic by tackling the following questions:
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Should we allow any random popular people to influence us?
How can we protect ourselves from being influenced by negative influencers?
Who should we allow ourselves to be influenced by to secure our best future?
Brother Bob: So, dear friends, should it be our friends or even random popular people on the internet that we listen to and allow to influence us? Here in the Church Of Christ, we always turn to the Bible for answers to questions like these, and let’s do that now. We turn [to] 1 Corinthians, chapter 2, verse 13 reads this way:
We don’t have to rely on the world’s guesses and opinions. We didn’t learn this by reading books or going to school; we learned it from God, who taught us person-to-person through Jesus, and we’re passing it on to you in the same firsthand, personal way.
[1 Corinthians 2:13 The Message]
Brother Bob: So, dear friends, even though a certain influencer may seem to be intelligent and what he or she is saying may seem to be right, good, or may even coincide with an emotion that you may feel, it may not be something, however, that we should immediately conform to or even support by interacting or engaging with their content. Why not? The Bible said, “We don’t have to rely on the world’s guesses and opinions.”
Wouldn’t it be better to first check if their opinion on any particular issue is worth believing? Shouldn’t you verify it? For us, members of the Church Of Christ, we will always compare any popular opinions to what is written in the Holy Bible.
Don’t such sports personalities, actors, as well as intelligent people or the so-called spiritual influencers online, are they not able to provide us the guidance to attain high positions in life, some may say, or wealth and even personal success? Can’t they do that? We turn to the Bible for guidance on this as well. And that’s recorded in the Book of Ecclesiastes, chapter 9. Let’s listen together, read together. You can see it on the screen there. Verse 11:
I realized another thing, that in this world fast runners do not always win the races, and the brave do not always win the battles. The wise do not always earn a living, intelligent people do not always get rich, and capable people do not always rise to high positions. Bad luck happens to everyone.
[Ecclesiastes 9:11 Good News Translation]
Brother Bob: Here, dear friends, we can clearly see that although a person, well, they may attain great accolades from people in this world, right? And they may truly emerge as an influencer in the life of others, it does not mean that because they are popular themselves or that they can do many things, that they will or can lead another to attain anything positive and good in their life, according to the Bible. There may be positive influencers online, yes, but all of them must be tested and checked based upon the words of our Creator. Why? To ensure they’re not detrimental to us, right? Or in any way leading us away from the true faith that we receive through the teachings of God in the Holy Bible.
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Should we allow any random popular people to influence us?
Brother Bob: So, no matter how knowledgeable influencers are on specific issues, we should always remember that since they are human beings created by God, just like the rest of us, there is a limit to what they know and a limit to what they can do. So, they also should submit themselves to the will of God who created all of us, right?
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How can we protect ourselves from being influenced by negative influencers?
Brother Bob: So, how can we protect ourselves, then, from being influenced by the world’s popular influencers? What is it that we need in life for protection? Again, we posed the question and turn to the Holy Bible. The writings of the Prophet Isaiah this time. Let’s read here in chapter 48, we’ll read verse 12, we’ll also read verse 17 and 18:
The Lord says, “Listen to me, Israel, the people I have called! I am God, the first, the last, the only God!
[Isaiah 48:12 Good News Translation]
The holy God of Israel, the Lord who saves you, says: “I am the Lord your God, the one who wants to teach you for your own good and direct you in the way you should go. “If only you had listened to my commands! Then blessings would have flowed for you like a stream that never goes dry. Victory would have come to you like the waves that roll on the shore.
[Isaiah 48:17-18 Good News Translation]
Brother Bob: So how can we protect ourselves from being influenced by those who may not have a good intent for our future, or even if they do have the best intentions, but they do not have the ability to truly give any beneficial advice? Dear friends, we have to listen to the one who, as we just read here, the one who wants to teach us for our own good and really has the ability to do so.
So that blessings and success should flow in our lives as described there. Who is that? Based on what we just read here in the Holy Bible, of course, that is none other than God Himself. What did He say? As I quoted there, He said, “I am the Lord your God,” … “who wants to teach you for your own good,” said God.
So, if we want good things to come in our life, do you dear friends, do you want good things to come in your life? I do! If we want such and we want success to flow as we face all kinds of challenges that come around us in this world nowadays, we must listen to the one who will guide and direct us on how to properly navigate through all these different troubles in life.
People who may be powerful influencers in social media and in online forums, or even the so-called spiritual influencers, they’re creating a lot of online religious content on Tik-Tok, Instagram, YouTube and other platforms. Why should they not be the ones to provide us the guidance for the sake of a bright future, or to attain high positions in life such as wealth and success? Why not? Because the Bible is our guide. God and His words are our guide.
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Who should we allow ourselves to be influenced by to secure our best future?
Brother Bob: Should the Bible be your primary source of influence to feed your spirituality? What’s another reason that we should allow God and allow His words written here in the Holy Bible to influence us for the good of our future, rather than individuals or human beings that we may come across or that we may meet in our journey, be it online or in our daily interactions in life? This time, we turn to the apostles. Let’s go to Apostle James, chapter four, we’ll read verse 12, 14 and 16:
God is the only lawgiver and judge. He alone can save and destroy. Who do you think you are, to judge someone else?
[James 4:12 Good News Translation]
You don’t even know what your life tomorrow will be! You are like a puff of smoke, which appears for a moment and then disappears.
[James 4:14 Good News Translation]
But now you are proud, and you boast; all such boasting is wrong.
[James 4:16 Good News Translation]
Brother Bob: So, dear friends, considering what we’ve just read here, if people do not know what will happen tomorrow, why then would we listen to them and make them our influencer? What is the mistake made by people who influence others as if they’re the ones who know everything? Apostle James taught here that it’s such a boastful way of thinking. And what did he call it? He said it’s wrong.
So instead, what we should believe in and allow to influence us are the teachings of God written in the Holy Bible that were taught to us by His Messenger, and continuously are being taught to us by the current Church Administration. That is what we listen to. That is what we should allow to influence our lives, so as to be sure there will be a positive outcome and a successful and happy future in store for you, for everyone who’s listening to this broadcast.
So, we started this discussion with a few main questions that we hope are clearly understood now and answered by the Holy Bible. We should not place all our trust in online or other influencers who have limitations, make mistakes, and thus may lead us astray from what is really good for us.
We can protect ourselves from negative influencers. How? By making sure that anyone we would listen to, anyone that we would value when they give advice and counsel, they are within the people of God and are using the Holy Bible as their basis.
So, let God therefore be our influencer. Why? He has no limitations. He knows all that is good for us and intends to show it to us and provide such for His children. And this is what we believe, because That’s in the Bible!
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Brother Bob: We’d like you to continue learning about the Iglesia Ni Cristo, the Church Of Christ. Please visit online and browse the different topics or set up an appointment to meet with a Minister of the Gospel. And if you have any questions about the Bible or salvation, please email them to us.
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Brother Bob: I’m Bob Pellien. Thanks for watching. See you next time, right here, on That’s in the Bible!
