Christlike Communication in a Confusing World

False teaching is not new but the speed at which it travels is. This article gives you something practical and Biblically grounded to work with — worth reading slowly.

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As a Christian, I make it a point to be watchful in my walk of faith. By this, I mean that I am watchful of Satan’s deceptions — of false teachings, and especially cultish tactics.

As I’ve grown in my faith with Christ, I have come across many concerning ‘Christian’ posts, sermons, or ideas that do not align with Jesus and His Word. And it has come to my attention through the Holy Spirit and the communications classes that I am taking that Christians need to do a better job of verifying the information they are coming across.

We must remember to follow Jesus above all the lies, especially in the current communication climate we are in right now. Therefore, I am going to give some practical and Biblical tips for Christians, and possibly non-Christians, for this confusing time we are in.

In my Foundations of Communications class, I learned about a helpful tool that allows one to carefully think about the information they are presented with at any time. This tool was formed by Karl Wallace, and it is called the ‘Moralities of Ethical Communication.’ (PDF)

I will go through each of these moralities, and with each, there is a Bible verse that relates to its main idea. Without further ado, please enjoy Wallace’s Moralities of Ethical Communication.

1. Habit of Search: The ethical practice of researching and verifying information before communicating, ensuring claims are accurate and well-informed.

   
   

When we come across any post online, any sermon on a livestream, or in a church, we must be able to back up what is being said with Scripture.

And while some false teachers use Bible verses to verify their claims, they only use a portion of a verse that solidifies their words, rather than seeing the actual context behind the whole verse. We must be scrutinizing the words behind every church sermon, every video, and every post we see.

This doesn’t mean that you must be crazily suspicious and on high alert at every moment, but the habit of search encourages us all not to blindly follow anyone without proper verification. This past week, I was at a Bible study with other women at my college, and we came across a verse in Romans that perfectly encapsulates this ethical morality.

“I urge you, my brothers: watch out for those who cause divisions and upset people’s faith and go against the teachings which you have received. Keep away from them! For those who do such things are not serving Christ our Lord, but their own appetites. By their fine words and flattering speech they deceive innocent people” (Romans 16:17–18).

Many of the false teachers out there know what people want to hear, so they say it in a deceptively pleasing way to gain more followers. Just because someone’s speech is flattering does not mean that what they are saying is Spirit-led and accurate.

Many acts of sin also feel pleasing in the moment, but afterwards, there is a realization of the evil done. And if you are a teacher yourself, I urge you to research your words– read the Bible more in depth, and engage with the history of Jesus Christ before communicating anything.

2. Habit of Justice: The ethical practice of distinguishing between fact and opinion fairly– avoid overly emotional reactions.

When we come across these false teachings, we must be able to discern between facts and lies. Thankfully, we have the Bible to verify every single sermon, post, and video we see.

And when the teachings we come across are false, we have a duty to let others know that what they are seeing/hearing is a lie. We must help others not fall into the trap of deception, and instead point them towards Scripture.

Additionally, as humans, we obviously are going to form opinions– that’s just natural.

However, we must remember to avoid overly emotional reactions (such as blind faith or hatred) to any opinion and stay rooted in the Truth.

I think we often forget the term ‘patience’ and instead are inclined towards impulsivity.

As I said, just because a person says something that makes you feel good or supports your opinions, it doesn’t always mean their words are correct.

Don’t get me wrong, I believe that emotions are blessings and are wonderful aspects of life.

But as with everything a part of human life, we must learn to have self-control and not go overboard. Going overboard leads to sin, and with sin, we harm ourselves and others. Instead, we must get into the habit of praying patiently for God’s guidance instead of jumping to conclusions.

After all, Jesus endured the cross for us. We can endure the time it takes to verify and pray for guidance on a specific issue.

As Proverbs 4 says, “Have nothing to do with lies and misleading words. Look straight ahead with honest confidence; don’t hang your head in shame. Plan carefully what you do, and whatever you do will turn out right. Avoid evil and walk straight ahead. Don’t go one step off the right way” (24–27).

“Don’t pervert justice. Don’t show favoritism to either the poor or the great. Judge on the basis of what is right” (Leviticus 19:15).

As Christians, we are called to carefully think about our words and actions– especially because they play a larger role in how we conduct ourselves and treat others. So, if anyone comes across false teachings, avoid overly emotional reactions and patiently distinguish between fact and opinion.

3. Habit of Public vs. Private Motivations: The ethical practice of communicating with the public in mind, not for private motivations.

Whether we come across a false teaching or we are about to teach something ourselves, we must remember to keep the general good of the public in mind. Rather than communicating for selfish desires, we must remember that Christ’s salvation extends to all, not just ourselves.

I’ll admit, I catch myself being selfish pretty frequently. I think others can agree to this, too.

It’s not easy living for Christ in a world that lives for itself. But when we remember that Christ suffered and died for all of us, we can learn to be more humble and loving towards one another.

“We have many parts in the one body, and all these parts have different functions. In the same way, though we are many, we are one body in union with Christ, and we are all joined to each other as different parts of one body” (Romans 12:4–5).

“Don’t do anything from selfish ambition or from a cheap desire to boast, but be humble toward one another, always considering others better than yourselves. And look out for one another’s interests, not just your own” (Philippians 2:3–4).

“Let us be concerned for one another, to help one another to show love and do good” (Hebrews 10:24).

Christians are called to have fellowship and work together for the common good– spreading the Gospel and the love of Jesus Christ. It is important when you are doing anything involved in communication that you are keeping the general good of all in mind, rather than following selfish motivations that lead to hurt and disarray.

This is a common danger that is prevalent in the new age community. Many new age and cultish teachings lead to isolation and complete independence, which tricks people into thinking that they are better off without community or that they are better off with a select few people.

I once fell into this rabbit hole, and it actually led me further away from my friends and constantly had me detaching myself from relationships if they weren’t going exactly where I wanted them to.

I’m still struggling with the repercussions to this day, and am praying to God for healing.

Additionally, when you are watching a post or a sermon that is clearly not keeping the public in mind, I urge you to remember the habit of justice and hold those people (the false teachers) accountable.

Fellowship is a gift from God, and it is to be cherished and held with respect– not to simply be seen as an option.

4. Habit of Respect for Dissent: The ethical practice of fostering a culture where challenging perspectives are welcomed as opportunities for growth, rather than seen as personal attacks.

Among all of the other habits, this one leaves a strong, finishing impact. As Christians, we will constantly run into posts that are filled with false teachings. However, we will also run into people and posts that disagree with Christianity or completely tarnish His image.

Although these are discouraging to run into, they are inevitable. And while they are disrespectful to Christ, we must remember to still respect others, even if they don’t respect us. We must not shy away from challenging perspectives.

On the contrary, we should welcome them and use them as opportunities to spread the Word. As I mentioned, if a false teaching is spread through a sermon or post, I encourage you to hold those teachers accountable and respectfully engage in debate with them.

With people/posts attempting to challenge Christ, I encourage you to learn more about why that person may have those beliefs and listen to their point of view. If the opportunity arises, share your testimony and why exactly you believe in Jesus. Instead of seeing these moments as personal attacks or moments of weakness, use them as ways to grow in your faith.

Use these moments as ways to point others to Jesus.

For holding believers accountable: “Do not rebuke an older man, but appeal to him as if he were your father” (1 Timothy 5:1).

For engaging in discussion, not arguments with nonbelievers: “Welcome the person who is weak in faith, but do not argue with him about his personal opinions. One person’s faith allows him to eat anything, but the person who is weak in the faith eats only vegetables. The person who will eat anything is not to despise the one who doesn’t; while the one who eats only vegetables is not to pass judgment on the one who will eat anything; for God has accepted him. Who are you to judge the servant of someone else? It is his own Master who will decide whether he succeeds or fails. And he will succeed, because the Lord is able to make him succeed” (Romans 14:1–4).

Through all the worldly lies, we can be assured that Jesus is with us every step of the way. By keeping Scripture nearby and having a dose of patience, we are able to be better communicators as Christians. Through this, we not only will be stronger in our faith, but we also will be pointing observers to Jesus Christ (because you never know who might be paying attention to you!)

I hope you all enjoyed this article, and I encourage you to research more about Karl Wallace and his four Moralities of Ethical Communication!

OTHER VERSES THAT RELATE

• “Treat wisdom as your sister, and insight as your closest friend” (Proverbs 7:4).

• “To the man with insight, it is all clear; to the well-informed, it is all plain” (Proverbs 8:9).

• “What you think is the right road may lead to death” (Proverbs 14:12).

• “Do not think of yourself more highly than you should. Instead, be modest in your thinking, and judge yourself according to the amount of faith that God has given you” (Romans 12:3).

• “And God, our source of peace, will soon crush Satan under your feet” (Romans 16:20).

• “Whoever thinks is standing firm had better be careful that he does not fall” (1 Corinthians 10:12).

• “By our purity, knowledge, patience, and kindness we have shown ourselves to be God’s servants– by the Holy Spirit, by our true love, by our message of truth, and by the power of God. We have righteousness as our weapon, both to attack and defend ourselves” (2 Corinthians 6:6–7).

• “The weapons we use in our fight are not the world’s weapons, but God’s powerful weapons, which we use to destroy strongholds. We destroy false arguments; we pull down every proud obstacle that is raised against the knowledge of God; we take every thought captive and make it obey Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:4–5).

© 2026 Sienna Krieg.

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