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Virtue Signaling and Christianity
November 15, 2025

It seems like social media has made virtue signaling very common and very accepted today. Virtue signaling is attempting to appear like a good person whether or not that is true. Social media is a great platform to do that because most social media friends tend to be people with whom we have very little real-life interaction. In social media, a few words which can be suggested by the platform or an AI tool, or a reaction emoji to convey feelings are used to show how we are feeling and what we think on any given topic, and that process makes virtue signaling that much easier. If you are wondering what an emoji is, these are small images used to convey a thought, like a happy face to show happiness, or a heart to show love. There are even praying hands to suggest prayers are offered. Beyond the few words and emojis of social media, some people alter their appearance. A fat person might make themselves look thin. The ninety-eight pound weakling might make themselves look like a body builder. What looks real on social media might not be real at all. Is somebody really offering prayers regarding a situation or are the praying hands used because it makes them look good? There is no phoniness meter on social media.

If you aren’t on social media, you will find virtue signaling when you are out and about in your community. Just recently I was buying two small items at a home improvement store and got in line behind a couple about my age pushing a flatbed cart with a few more items than I had. One of them turned around and loud enough for everyone around to hear asked if I wanted to go in front of them, and I replied with thanks and added that they were in line first and I was fine with waiting my turn after them. Normally these types of conversations stop right there, but this person was insistent for me to cut in front as much as I was insistent that I was fine waiting my turn after them, leading the person to say to me in emotional exasperation, “We tried,” which received no response from me. There is nothing wrong when offering the person behind you to go first just as much as there is nothing wrong in declining the offer. I think both of us understood an offer was made to let me go first which was not accepted, but I am not totally clear on why this person would need to also tell me that they tried.

Virtue signaling is an attempt to make oneself appear like a good person and it comes to us in many different ways. While we won’t read the words virtue signaling in the Bible, we can find the concept. In one example, a Pharisee was using virtue signaling when praying to God. In this parable, a tax collector and a Pharisee went to the temple to pray. The Pharisee looked down on the tax collector and other common people while extolling his own virtue to God. The tax collector simply asked for God to be merciful because he was a sinner. The parable shows Jesus Christ was not impressed by the virtue signaling.

Luke 18:9-14
And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for everyone that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

Jesus taught that we should not do something so we can be noticed for it. Some people are generous only when they are noticed for it and others are generous and do not want to be noticed for it. After I retired from public education I served on the board of a local non-profit, and I ran across these types of people. Jesus taught generosity is something we practice as privately as possible. Our goal in generosity as a Christian is the gift we give not the attention we get for giving the gift.

Matthew 6:1-4
Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.

Think of the example of John the Baptist who was called to pave the way for Jesus Christ. When the religious elite wanted to know who he was, John the Baptist did not make any claims of greatness and made no claims of righteousness. All he claimed was to be the person who was called to prepare the way for the Messiah. There was no virtue signaling with John the Baptist, just a statement of facts.

John 1:19-23
And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou? And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ. And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No. Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself? He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.

When Paul wrote to the Thessalonians, he told them that what they were learning as Christians should lead them to lead a quiet life focused on spiritual growth and to do what was needed. He told them to walk honestly with those who were without. In Paul’s teaching is nothing about proclaiming how good they were to these other people. They were simply to quietly do what needed to be done.

1 Thessalonians 4:9-12
But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another. And indeed ye do it toward all the brethren which are in all Macedonia: but we beseech you, brethren, that ye increase more and more; And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you; That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing.

As Christians we are to do what we do quietly, without drawing attention to ourselves. We have no need to virtue signal because our spiritual judgment comes not from man but from God. Doing what we need to do quietly means as we have opportunity, we do good to all people, especially those who are of the household of faith. As we do what we do quietly, we recognize what we do may go unnoticed by people, and that should be fine for us because in never growing weary in doing good, we know in the end we will inherit eternal life.

Galatians 6:7-10
Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

People look at other people and make a judgment about them based on their outward appearance. Many will consider a disheveled homeless person to be less than a well-known member of the community, but how somebody appears outwardly does not reflect their character. The disheveled homeless person could be a person down and out on their luck but is a person who seeks a relationship with God. The well-known member of the community could outwardly be a fantastic person and privately the vilest person ever encountered. How somebody appears outwardly is less important than what their character is. When Samuel was tasked with anointing the king to replace Saul, God had to remind him that whereas man looks after the outward appearance, God considers the person’s heart.

1 Samuel 16:1-7
And the Lord said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Beth–lehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons. And Samuel said, How can I go? if Saul hear it, he will kill me. And the Lord said, Take an heifer with thee, and say, I am come to sacrifice to the Lord. And call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will shew thee what thou shalt do: and thou shalt anoint unto me him whom I name unto thee. And Samuel did that which the Lord spake, and came to Beth–lehem. And the elders of the town trembled at his coming, and said, Comest thou peaceably? And he said, Peaceably: I am come to sacrifice unto the Lord : sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice. And he sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice. And it came to pass, when they were come, that he looked on Eliab, and said, Surely the Lord's anointed is before him. But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.

Virtue signaling is about structuring that outward appearance, and if the outward appearance needs to be manufactured it could indicate there are problems with the heart, because if the heart was right with God, the outward appearance would take second place to the heart. Our focus needs to be on doing what is right and good in the sight of the Lord, and with God there can be no virtue signaling because with God, we cannot make ourselves out to be better than we are.

Deuteronomy 6:16-19
Ye shall not tempt the Lord your God, as ye tempted him in Massah. Ye shall diligently keep the commandments of the Lord your God, and his testimonies, and his statutes, which he hath commanded thee. And thou shalt do that which is right and good in the sight of the Lord: that it may be well with thee, and that thou mayest go in and possess the good land which the Lord sware unto thy fathers, To cast out all thine enemies from before thee, as the Lord hath spoken.

The problem with virtue signaling where there is an attempt to look good whether or not that is true or not is that too many begin to believe the optics of the lie where when they look good even when that is not true because they begin to believe along with others who see them. Imagine living in a society where many who do bad things believe they are doing good because they present themselves as a good person. When a person masks themselves as a good person when they are evil, others believe it and the person themselves believes it, it becomes nearly impossible to change. If what is being hidden is a life of sin, sin will grow and magnify as people will believe what they are doing is right. When the people do what the Bible calls wickedness but believe they are a good person even when doing what the Bible calls wickedness, their misguided trust in their own goodness will in their minds take precedence over what is in the Bible. People will continue to do wickedness without comprehending that what they are doing is wickedness, because they think of themselves as a good person. Jeremiah wrote of this phenomenon.

Jeremiah 8:1-9
At that time, saith the Lord, they shall bring out the bones of the kings of Judah, and the bones of his princes, and the bones of the priests, and the bones of the prophets, and the bones of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, out of their graves: And they shall spread them before the sun, and the moon, and all the host of heaven, whom they have loved, and whom they have served, and after whom they have walked, and whom they have sought, and whom they have worshipped: they shall not be gathered, nor be buried; they shall be for dung upon the face of the earth. And death shall be chosen rather than life by all the residue of them that remain of this evil family, which remain in all the places whither I have driven them, saith the Lord of hosts. Moreover thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord; Shall they fall, and not arise? shall he turn away, and not return? Why then is this people of Jerusalem slidden back by a perpetual backsliding? they hold fast deceit, they refuse to return. I hearkened and heard, but they spake not aright: no man repented him of his wickedness, saying, What have I done? everyone turned to his course, as the horse rusheth into the battle. Yea, the stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times; and the turtle and the crane and the swallow observe the time of their coming; but my people know not the judgment of the Lord . How do ye say, We are wise, and the law of the Lord is with us? Lo, certainly in vain made he it; the pen of the scribes is in vain. The wise men are ashamed, they are dismayed and taken: lo, they have rejected the word of the Lord; and what wisdom is in them?

Proverbs tells us there is value in walking uprightly. Walking uprightly means we do the right thing, and for all who are called doing the right thing is measured by doing what God expects of us. Those who walk uprightly do not sacrifice integrity.

Proverbs 10:9
He that walketh uprightly walketh surely: but he that perverteth his ways shall be known.

Doing what God expects of us, doing justice and judgment, is more acceptable to God than sacrifice. God wants a faithful effort from us up front more than offering forgiveness of sin.

Proverbs 21:3-4
To do justice and judgment is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice. An high look, and a proud heart, and the plowing of the wicked, is sin.

Virtue signaling is about positioning ourselves to look good before others whether or not that is true, and instead of creating situations where we can look good in front of others, we need to let others including those who do not know us to praise us.

Proverbs 27:2
Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips.

If we are doing what God expects of us, we will consider the needs of those who are unable to provide for themselves and when necessary, we will speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves.

Proverbs 31:8-9
Open thy mouth for the dumb in the cause of all such as are appointed to destruction. Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy.

When we think about how integrity and character should be part of our life, we can look to the example of the virtuous wife spoken of in Proverbs. She’s married and even though she could have totally relied on her husband’s earnings for everything, she proactively did what she could to stretch the family’s budget and wealth. From the passage we can see the virtuous woman is praised not because she has made herself out to look good to others, but she is praised because of what she has accomplished.

Proverbs 31:10-31
Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies. The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil. She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life. She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands. She is like the merchants' ships; she bringeth her food from afar. She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens. She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard. She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms. She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night. She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff. She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy. She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet. She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple. Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land. She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant. Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come. She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness. She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness. 28. Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her. Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all. Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.

Paul reminded the Ephesians to walk worthy of their spiritual vocation. If we walk worthy, we are doing what is needed and expected. We are doing what is needed and expected which is different than projecting what is needed and expected.

Ephesians 4:1-3
I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Paul told the Philippians that our focus needs not to be on projecting our own righteousness but by establishing righteousness that comes through faith in Jesus Christ. Our life needs not to be about projecting who we are as a person but reflects the righteousness of Jesus Christ.

Philippians 3:8-11
Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.

Those who virtue signal seek their glory before people, and Paul warned against seeking our own glory. The only glory that should come to us is through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and that glory comes not because of who we are and what we did but because of Who Jesus Christ is and what He did.

Galatians 6:14-15
But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.

Instead of seeking our own glory through virtue signaling, we are to quietly live our lives doing what is expected of us, including warning those who are choosing to leave the faith, comforting people who have worries, supporting those in need, having patience for all, never repaying evil for evil, doing what is good, rejoicing, praying, and being thankful. We do not quench the spirit, and we do not despise prophecy. We prove all things meaning we do not accept at face value, and we hold fast to that which is good. While we don’t seek to project our own righteousness, we do purposefully avoid anything that could be considered evil.

1 Thessalonians 5:14-22
Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men. See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men. Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. Quench not the Spirit. Despise not prophesyings. Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all appearance of evil.

Instead of seeking the appearance of righteousness so we can look good before others, we simply need to do what is righteous. If we are not doing what is righteous, we are not of God.

1 John 3:7-10
Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.

Instead of bringing attention to ourselves, unless required by law, there is no need for us to publicly swear or affirm our intentions as if to bring attention to what we will do. We simply need to do what we say we will do.

James 5:12-16
But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation. Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms. Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

Knowing that we have been called of God Who is Holy, we need to be holy in what we do. It does nothing for us if we claim to act with holiness but act with sin. It does nothing for us when we try to bring attention to ourselves when we do what is right.

1 Peter 1:13-16
Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

Instead of projecting how good we are we need to simply do what is good. When we fail to do good it is sin.

James 4:13-17
Go to now, ye that say, Today or tomorrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that. But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil. Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

When we do good, we need to remember we are doing good because doing good was brought to us through Jesus Christ and God the Father. Without Them in our life we would not know to do the good that is expected in the Bible.

Colossians 3:12-17
Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

When we are faced with evil, we never respond to evil by doing evil. We respond to evil and overcome it by doing good.

Romans 12:14-21
Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not. Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits. Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

We must remember that those who inherit all things are those who overcome. We cannot project overcoming. We must overcome if we are to inherit all things.

Revelation 21:7-8
He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

Virtue signaling does not replace the need to grow spiritually. We can make every effort to present ourselves in the best possible light, whether or not that is true, but what God expects from us is to spiritually grow, and we must spiritually grow. We might fool others, but we will not fool God.

2 Peter 1:2-11
Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Virtue signaling is not needed when we are led by the Holy Spirit. It is when we are led by the Holy Spirit that we walk in the spirit and grow closer to God and Jesus Christ.

Galatians 5:16-26
This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.

If we are doing what is expected by God and Jesus Christ there is no need to virtue signaling. Anxiety and fear will subside, and we will rejoice in our relationship with God and Jesus Christ. We will focus on and do those things which are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, of a good report, having virtue, and worthy of praise.

Philippians 4:4-9
Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice. Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.

Even though virtue signaling is common today, virtue signaling is something that has no spiritual value to us as Christians. Instead of projecting ourselves to be a good person whether or not that is the case, we need to be focused on and doing those things which are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, of a good report, having virtue, and worthy of praise. We need to be led by the Holy Spirit knowing the approval of man does nothing for us, and the approval of God and Jesus Christ leads us to eternal life.

All verses are from the King James Version.
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