Truth vs. Misinformation in the Digital Age
Lesson Summary : Truth vs. Misinformation in the Digital Age
Bro. Billy Bland | Year-End Seminar | 15 November 2025
The world we live in today is vastly different to the world in 1954. Black-and-white televisions with outdoor antennas that had to be twisted toward the station, homes without indoor plumbing, and telephone “party lines” where eight families shared a phone with different ring tones. That was “technology” in those days. His father, born in 1916, grow & raise their own food, build barns and overhaul the engines of their vehicles. His grandmother, born in 1892 and living until 1994, saw more change in her lifetime than any generation before. Every generation sees a time vastly different.
Technology constantly changes — but some things never do.
From generation to generation, misinformation has always existed. Not only today through the internet — it was on the radio, in letters etc. But alongside misinformation, there has also always been truth. And the greatest reminder is this: God does not change.
“From everlasting to everlasting, You are God” (Psalm 90:2)
“For I am the LORD, I do not change” (Malachi 3:6)
“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8)
His Word is likewise unchanging:
“Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away” (Matthew 24:35).
“But the word of the Lord endures forever” (1 Peter 1:25).
We will never need a new God. He does not need to be updated, upgraded, or reinvented. He remains eternally omnipotent, omniscient and omnibenevolent. And His Word — in any language — is still the same unchanging Word of God.
Although the modern world moves fast — and misinformation travels faster than ever — the truth of God remains unchanged, unmoved, and eternally reliable. Christians, therefore, must be people of truth, careful with every word we type, post, share, or “like” (Ephesians 4:25).
The Digital World: Faster Communication, Faster Confusion
Today information arrives instantly — often without thought, context, or verification. Social media encourages quick judgments, quick reactions, and sometimes careless sharing.
Is it truthful?
Even if true, do I need to “like” it?
Do I need to share it?
People often say things online they would never say face-to-face. It becomes dangerously easy to gossip, slander, or spread misinformation with a simple click.
Correct information has never been more important.
Just because something is available online does not make it accurate.
Understanding the Types of Information Today
1. Information
Knowledge obtained by study or instruction — as in Acts 17:1–3, where Paul reasoned and explained from the Scriptures.
2. Artificial Intelligence
Digital tools mimicking human intelligence. They can aid learning, but they are not authorities on truth.
3. Misinformation
False information shared without the intent to deceive — often because someone didn’t check carefully.
4. Disinformation
False information shared deliberately to deceive.
We must watch for this.
5. Malinformation
Truth used to harm, deceive or manipulate.
Even Satan used Scripture — but out of context (Matthew 4).
Paul warned that some, with a “conscience seared with a hot iron,” would deceive others (1 Timothy 4:2).
6. Fake News
Intentionally false stories designed to manipulate — clickbait, propaganda, exaggerations.
7. Deepfakes
AI-generated realistic fake images or videos. Some look so real that it is nearly impossible to distinguish truth from fabrication. These require warnings and discernment.
Jesus said, “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32).
Believing a Lie: A Very Real Danger
It has always been possible to believe a lie.
Satan is the father of lies
“He is a liar and the father of it” (John 8:44).
We need to know God’s word to avoid being deceived
“And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” John 8:32
Falsehood did not begin with the internet. Consider:
Eve believed a lie in Genesis 3.
Jacob believed the false report of Joseph’s death (Genesis 37).
The young prophet believed the lie of the old prophet (1 Kings 13).
Satan’s devices are not unknown to us (2 Corinthians 2:11).
We must arm ourselves with truth so that we cannot be deceived.
God calls us to test and verify:
The Bereans “searched the Scriptures daily” (Acts 17:11).
“Test the spirits, whether they are of God” (1 John 4:1).
“Beware of false prophets” (Matthew 7:15).
Truth must be supported by evidence, not exaggeration. We must present God’s Word honestly, without embellishment, distortion, or manipulation.
Christians and the Internet: A Tool for Good or Evil
The internet can be a powerful tool for spreading the gospel. But Christians must think and act as God wants us to think and act:
“Whatever things are true… meditate on these things” (Philippians 4:8).
We must avoid Gossip, Backbiting and Sowing discord (Psalm 15:1–3; Romans 1:30)
God hates the one who sows discord among brethren.
“Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 2 : 5)
Some people are drawn to drama, manipulating information and manipulating others. It is discouraging to see how easily negativity spreads. Instead of using these tools for harm, why not use them for God?
Consider Paul: he wrote extensively, yet never as a backbiter or a stirrer of trouble. His writings uplifted, encouraged, and strengthened the church. In contrast, some today use online platforms to seek sympathy, fuel unhealthy attention, or feed emotional manipulation — and others unknowingly encourage it. We must be careful.
Yet, we are not left hopeless. Even though Satan attacks us, we can overcome him. God has equipped us with a mind — the ability to think, discern, and make righteous judgments. And He gives us strength and escape when temptation grows strong.
As Scripture assures us:
“No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13)
Because deception spreads so easily online, Christians must be wise and diligent. It is prudent to use fact-checking resources — such as FactCheck.org, Politifact, and Snopes — to verify what we share. We are all ignorant in different areas, but followers of Christ must strive to think truthfully, speak truthfully, and live truthfully in every space — including the digital one.
Conclusion: Be People of Truth
Technology is neither good nor bad — it is a tool. It can spread the gospel or spread destruction, depending on the heart that wields it.
Evil will exist until the end, as Jesus taught in the Parable of the Tares (Matthew 13:24–30), but truth will always prevail.
God gave us the ability to reason, discern truth from error, and honour Him in every word we speak. Let us be people of truth — in our conversations, in our choices, and in our online presence — in every word and in every post.
