One of the greatest dangers of living in the digital age is that we can be shaped without realizing we're being shaped. Every day, algorithms learn our preferences, reinforce our opinions, and serve us content designed to keep our attention. Over time, what we repeatedly consume begins to influence how we think, what we value, and even what we believe. That's why we face a challenging question: Which do we revere most—culture or God's commands?

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While Matthew 15 was written long before smartphones and social media, the tension Jesus addresses feels remarkably modern. Religious leaders approached Him with a concern about tradition. They noticed that Jesus' disciples weren't following a ceremonial practice that had become deeply embedded in their culture. To them, this wasn't a minor issue. It was part of what defined a faithful person. But Jesus responded with a question of His own: "Why do you, by your traditions, violate the direct commandments of God?" In other words, Jesus was asking, when did human expectations become more important than God's truth?

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‍The Power of Repeated Formation

The Pharisees didn't wake up one day and decide to ignore God's commands. Their traditions had developed gradually over generations. Many of them began with good intentions. The problem wasn't that traditions existed. The problem was that those traditions eventually gained more authority in people's hearts than God's actual Word. That should cause us to pause, because the same thing can happen today. Most of us are not tempted to elevate ancient religious traditions above Scripture, but we are constantly tempted to elevate cultural assumptions, political ideologies, social trends, online personalities, and popular opinions above God's truth. The algorithm doesn't just show us information; it disciples us through repetition. What we see repeatedly begins to feel normal. What feels normal eventually feels true, and what feels true often shapes how we live. This is why spiritual drift is so subtle. We rarely abandon God's commands overnight. Instead, we slowly allow other voices to become louder than His.

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‍Culture Makes a Terrible Savior

One reason this matters is because culture is constantly changing. What is celebrated today may be rejected tomorrow. What is considered wise in one generation may be considered foolish in the next. God's truth is different. The commands of God are not driven by trends, popularity, or public opinion. They flow from His unchanging character. When Jesus challenged the Pharisees, He wasn't attacking culture for the sake of being different. He was exposing the danger of allowing anything to take the place of God's authority. That same challenge confronts us today. When we encounter a teaching of Jesus that conflicts with our preferred worldview, which one wins? When Scripture challenges something our culture celebrates, which voice carries more weight? When obedience becomes inconvenient or unpopular, which authority do we ultimately trust? These are not easy questions, but they are important ones. ‍

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The Battle for Attention Is a Battle for Formation

One of the central ideas behind Discipling the Algorithm is that attention is never neutral. Whatever consistently captures our attention will eventually influence our formation. The Pharisees had become so focused on preserving tradition that they missed the very heart of God's commands. In a similar way, we can become so immersed in digital noise that we lose sight of God's voice. This doesn't mean culture is all bad or that technology is the enemy. Technology is a tool. The issue is whether we are intentionally filtering what shapes us. Followers of Jesus are called to be discerning. We don't simply ask, "What is everyone else doing?" We ask, "What is God saying?" That requires slowing down, opening Scripture, and allowing God's Word to challenge assumptions we may not even realize we have adopted.

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For the believer, Jesus' question invites honest self-examination. Are there beliefs, habits, or priorities in your life that have been shaped more by culture than by Christ? Are there voices you trust more quickly than God's Word? Spiritual maturity often begins when we have the humility to recognize that we have been discipled by influences we never intended to follow.

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For those exploring faith, one of the things that makes Jesus unique is His willingness to challenge every human system, including religious ones. He consistently pointed people back to what mattered most: a genuine relationship with God. Christianity is not about blindly accepting cultural norms or religious traditions. It is about discovering truth in the person of Jesus and allowing that truth to transform your life from the inside out. ‍

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A Restoring Truth for Today

Everyone is being discipled by something. The question is not whether you are being formed, but what is forming you. Culture will always have a voice, but only God's Word has the authority to restore, transform, and guide us into life. When culture and God's commands collide, the path of restoration begins by choosing to trust the One who never changes.

Father, thank You for giving us truth that stands firm when everything else shifts. Help us recognize the voices that are shaping our hearts and minds. Give us wisdom to discern what is true and courage to follow Your commands above cultural expectations. Teach us to value Your voice more than the opinions of the world. Shape us by Your presence, Your Word, and Your Spirit so that we become more like Jesus each day. Amen.