What Does Jesus Say About Virtue Signaling?

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“I voted.” “Stay home, save lives.” “Mask up.” “Get vaccinated.” “I stand with Ukraine.” “I stand for the flag and kneel at the cross.” “Praying for this place that suffered such and such tragedy.” “Hashtag this. Hashtag that.” These are just a few examples of the messages with which we are inundated on Social Media. The term “virtue signaling” is now part of our daily lexicon to describe such actions.

According to Dictionary.com, virtue signaling is defined as:

“The sharing of one’s point of view on a social or political issue, often on social media, in order to garner praise or acknowledgment of one’s righteousness from others who share that point of view, or to passively rebuke those who do not.”¹

Now, don’t get me wrong, there is nothing inherently wrong with supporting a cause. If you vote, great. If you decide that wearing a mask or getting a vaccine is best for you, then go for it. Praying for our communities and for people around the world is a great starting point. However, we must examine our motives when letting our views known. Are we just jumping on a bandwagon to get likes on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram? Are you feeling social peer pressure because you haven’t chimed in on a topic? Do you just want to “raise awareness” without actually putting in any effort to help the cause or situation? Why do you even care what your Facebook friend from three jobs ago thinks about your stance on a vaccine or international affairs?

As The Bible tells us, “That which has been is what will be, That which is done is what will be done, And there is nothing new under the sun.” (Ecclesiastes 1:9, NKJV).

Thus, virtue signaling is nothing new, it’s just the name we call in in the 21st Century. In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus addressed such behavior regarding giving, prayer, and fasting, which can provide us with insight on how to navigate our lives.

“Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven. Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.” (Matthew 6:1-2, NKJV).

Jesus then raises the standard for us as He explains: “But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.” (Matthew 6:3-4, NKJV).

Jesus goes on to explain how we should pray and fast in the same manner (Matthew 6:5-18). Jesus says when you, which means there is an expectation of being charitable, prayerful, and fasting. However, Jesus teaches us not to do things for the approval of people. Public opinion is fickle and the social causes go out of style faster than the latest fashion trends. Don’t chase trends, but follow Jesus. Don’t do it for the likes and follows, do it for the Lord.

“And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” (Colossians 3:17, NKJV).

God bless.

1 https://www.dictionary.com/browse/virtue-signaling Accessed April 24, 2022.

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More Dangerous Doctrines and Pandemics

When the Covid-19 pandemic started in 2020, I shared and discussed a clip from televangelist Kenneth Copeland “blowing the wind of God” on the virus. As biblically unsound and dangerous as the Prosperity Gospel Cult with the likes of Copeland and his ilk are, the pandemic is beginning to show how people are worshipping at the feet of big government.

A cult-like infrastructure has been set in place because of the pandemic. The government knows what’s best for you and your family. Don’t question the official narrative, even if the narrative has changed, because you are spreading misinformation. Force your beliefs on other people, no matter the personal costs to them. And most importantly, do not under any circumstances, question our motives or possible medical side-effects to the vaccine. Sounds like cultish behavior to me.

However, New York Governor Kathy Hochul recently spoke at the Christian Cultural Center in Brooklyn, NY and invoked God, Jesus, and the apostles in order to encourage people to spread the word about the vaccines.

I cringe any time a politician invokes the name of God or Jesus because I’m cynical and skeptical of people pandering to get a vote. If Governor Hochul thought she could get votes from a Mosque or Buddhist temple, she’d co-opt their doctrines as well.

I will let the governor’s speech speak for itself. This transcript is from the New York Governor’s site. Here’s the link: https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/rush-transcript-governor-hochul-attends-service-christian-cultural-center.

“We are not through this pandemic. I wished we were but I prayed a lot to God during this time and you know what – God did answer our prayers. He made the smartest men and women, the scientists, the doctors, the researchers – he made them come up with a vaccine. That is from God to us and we must say, thank you, God. Thank you.  And I wear my ‘vaccinated’ necklace all the time to say I’m vaccinated. All of you, yes, I know you’re vaccinated, you’re the smart ones, but you know there’s people out there who aren’t listening to God and what God wants. You know who they are.

I need you to be my apostles. I need you to go out and talk about it and say, we owe this to each other. We love each other. Jesus taught us to love one another and how do you show that love but to care about each other enough to say, please get the vaccine because I love you and I want you to live, I want our kids to be safe when they’re in schools, I want to be safe when you go to a doctor’s office or to a hospital and are treated by somebody, you don’t want to get the virus from them. You’re already sick or you wouldn’t be there. We have to solve this, my friends. I need every one of you. I need you to let them know that this is how we can fight this pandemic, come back to normal and then start talking about the real issues that we have to – fighting systemic racial injustice which exists today and if there is a denier I will take you on every day because I’ve seen it, I know it exists and we’re not going to have a blind eye to this ever again any longer under my watch. That is my commitment to you.” [Italics mine].

Here is a link from YouTube with the speech as well: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NXaP76musWM.

During these last days, we must be hyper-vigilant concerning the false doctrine going out into the world. Here we have a politician in a church, encouraging people to follow here and spread her message. Why did no one in the church object? Why was she not shouted down we she told people to “be her apostles?” I’m afraid in our day and age the Church has gone soft and is more than happy to be intermingled with the government.

I’m not telling anyone to get the vaccine or not, that’s your choice. I’m not a Republican or Democrat, I am deeply concerned of politicians standing brazenly in a pulpit, invoking God and telling followers of Jesus Christ to follow her and spread the message of government. These are perilous times. Stay awake.

“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.” (1 Peter 5:8, KJV).