It was the famous Canadian communication theorist Marshall McLuhan who once observed, “We shape our tools and thereafter our tools shape us.”
McLuhan made that statement long before the invention of smartphones, social media, and streaming platforms, yet his insight seems remarkably relevant today. He understood that technology does more than simply deliver information. It shapes how we think, how we relate to others, and even how we perceive reality itself.
We live in a world that is more connected than any previous generation could have imagined. Millions of people spend hours each day online, scrolling through social media feeds, consuming news, watching videos, and interacting with others through digital platforms. Technology has brought many benefits. We can communicate instantly across great distances, access vast amounts of information, and stay connected with family and friends.
Yet Christians must ask an important question: What kind of people are we becoming? Are our digital habits helping us become more loving, patient, wise, and Christlike? Or are they fostering distraction, anxiety, anger, and spiritual complacency?
Jesus made this clear when He said, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments” (John 14:15). That is a call to whole-life obedience, not partial or selective faithfulness. As followers of Jesus, we are called to evaluate every area of life through the lens of discipleship, including our use of technology.
In Ephesians 5:8–16, the apostle Paul provides principles that are surprisingly relevant to life in the digital age. Although Paul never imagined smartphones or social media, the truths he teaches about living faithfully in a dark world speak directly to the challenges Christians face today.
Remember Who You Are
Paul begins with these words: “For you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light” (Ephesians 5:8).
Notice that Paul does not merely say believers once lived in darkness. He says they were darkness. Before Christ, darkness defined their identity. But through the saving work of Jesus, they have been transformed. Now they are light in the Lord. Those who are in Christ have become a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17). This change of identity should shape every aspect of life.
Too often Christians treat their online activity as if it exists in a separate category from their spiritual lives. We may carefully guard our conduct at church, in our homes, or in public, yet fail to apply the same standards when sitting behind a screen. But discipleship does not stop when we log onto a website or open a social media app.
If we are children of light, then we are called to walk in that light everywhere. Our posts, comments, messages, and online interactions should reflect the character of Christ. The question is not simply, “Can I do this?” but “Does this reflect who I am in Christ?” Our digital lives should be consistent with our spiritual identity.
Practice Intentional Discernment
Paul continues by describing believers as those who are “trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord” (Ephesians 5:10).
That phrase reveals an active pursuit. Christians are not called to drift through life on autopilot. We are called to think carefully about what honors God. This is especially important in a digital culture that constantly competes for our attention.
Every day we are exposed to countless voices telling us what to value, what to fear, what to desire, and how to interpret the world. Social media influencers, news outlets, entertainment platforms, advertisers, and online personalities all seek to shape our thinking.
The danger is that we can absorb these messages without ever examining them through the lens of Scripture. Paul addresses this concern elsewhere when he writes: “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2).
The renewing of the mind does not happen accidentally. It occurs when God’s Word becomes the primary influence shaping our thoughts and values.
Every Christian should honestly ask: Am I spending more time being shaped by Scripture or by social media? Am I allowing God’s truth to direct my thinking, or am I simply absorbing the assumptions of the surrounding culture? Spiritual formation is always happening. The only question is what is forming us.
Faithful digital discipleship requires intentional discernment. We must continually evaluate the messages we consume and ensure that our minds are being shaped more by God’s Word than by the endless stream of content flowing through our screens.
Stand Against the Darkness
Paul then issues a stronger challenge: “Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them” (Ephesians 5:11). Christians are not merely called to avoid darkness. We are called to shine light into it.
In our current culture, many ideas and behaviours that Scripture identifies as sinful are not only tolerated but celebrated. The pressure to remain silent can be intense. Speaking truth often invites criticism or misunderstanding. Yet Paul reminds believers that faithfulness sometimes requires courage.
This does not mean Christians should become argumentative, harsh, or self-righteous. Light exposes darkness simply by being what it is. In the same way, believers are called to speak truth with humility, conviction, and love.
When culture normalizes sexual immorality, whether adultery, fornication, or homosexuality, we lovingly but clearly say that is not God’s design. When pornography is treated as harmless, when abortion is defended as a right, when greed, drunkenness, and gossip are celebrated or excused, we do not pretend otherwise. We speak the truth because we know it leads to life, and because we love people enough to point them toward it.
The digital world often rewards outrage, hostility, and division. Followers of Christ must resist that temptation. We can stand for truth without sacrificing grace. We can disagree without becoming hateful. We can confront darkness while still reflecting the character of Jesus. Faithful discipleship requires both conviction and compassion.
Wake Up and Walk Wisely
Perhaps the most urgent words in the passage are found in verses 14–16: “Awake, sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you… Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil” (Ephesians 5:14–16).
Paul warns against spiritual sleepiness. This warning is particularly relevant in the digital age because technology often distracts us not through obvious rebellion, but through constant entertainment and endless distraction. We can spend hours scrolling, watching, and consuming content without ever reflecting on where our time has gone.
The greatest danger is not always outright sin. Sometimes it is spiritual drift. We become so occupied with digital noise that we neglect prayer, Scripture, fellowship, service, and meaningful relationships (Hebrews 10:24–25). We may remain busy while becoming spiritually stagnant.
Paul’s solution is simple: wake up. Live intentionally. Pay attention to how you are spending your time. Be wise rather than careless. The word Paul uses for “making the most of your time” literally means to redeem it, to buy it back. Time spent in drift is time surrendered. God calls us to reclaim it.
Every moment is a gift entrusted to us by God. The question is whether we are investing those moments in ways that advance His purposes or merely allowing them to disappear into endless distraction.
Technology itself is not the enemy. Our devices can be used for great good. They can help us learn, communicate, encourage others, spread the gospel, and deepen our understanding of God’s Word. But they are tools, and tools always shape those who use them.
That brings us back to McLuhan’s observation: “We shape our tools and thereafter our tools shape us.” The issue is not whether digital technology is shaping us. It certainly is. The real question is whether it is shaping us more than Christ is.
As believers, we have been called to something greater than passive consumption and endless distraction. We have been called to walk as children of light. That means remembering our identity in Christ, practising discernment, standing against darkness, and living wisely with the time God has given us.
The digital world does not have the final say over who we become. Jesus does. And through His Word, His Spirit, and His people, He continues to call us to a wiser, brighter, and more faithful way of life.