Christians And The Internet

The Internet is almost universally transforming modern society.  The world has become a global village, in that virtually any information is at one’s fingertips, and the distance between two people half a world apart is only the time it takes for a few keystrokes.  What are the advantages and disadvantages to this type of electronic freedom?  What are ways to use the Internet, both as individual believers and as a corporate body, to our advantage?

As the Internet becomes increasingly useful and user-friendly, and for many people necessary, it does pose some spiritually detrimental aspects that must be considered soberly.  The ease of use that the Internet provides makes it an easy opportunity for sinful activities.  The ability to have so many resources at one’s fingertips eliminates the “middle road” of action that is often the deterrent to sinful activity.  For instance, in the past indulging in pornography usually meant a trip to a nearby liquor store to buy a particular magazine or video.  In many cases, the action itself was inconvenient enough to discourage a person from following through, or the time involved in the action afforded one the self-reflection to realize the sinfulness of their actions.  In contrast, now if one wants to indulge in pornography, it takes a mere matter of seconds, from the comfort of the computer screen, with a plethora of content online that is not only readily available but free as well.  This same ease of use also makes it easy to spend an unhealthy amount of time online.  Even with
television, one is usually constrained by what is on at the moment.  With the Internet, there is not only the option to view past television programs, but a myriad of viral videos, as well as an almost infinite amount of information.  Even with sincere motives, it becomes unnervingly easy to lose track of time that could be given to family and to God.

There are also many uses of the Internet that could be positive or negative, depending on the way one decides to use them.  An excellent example is a Christian’s use of the Internet as a Bible study tool.  It is amazing how much information is available at a Christian’s disposal nowadays online.  Not only can one read a myriad of Bible translations online, but there are commentaries, study helps, audio and video files, and discussions on virtually every Bible topic.  On one side, this can be a wonderful tool when studying Scripture, as it cuts study time significantly and offers one the advantage of learning and understanding the whole of Scripture and doctrine in a much shorter time frame.  On the other hand, this can become detrimental to the personal aspect of one’s time with the Lord in the Word.  It can become so easy to access online helps and commentaries, that the Word itself is often drowned out.  And where one once depended on the Word of God to cleave the soul, which alone that characteristic belongs, we become overwhelmed by the knowledge of other men.

The primary mode of communication for most people now is through online means.  This type of social paradigm shift must also elicit a dramatic shift in the way the church views evangelism.  Paul said concerning the evangelizing of various cultures, that he would “become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some” (1 Cor. 9:22 ).  Paul was not speaking of changing the message of the gospel, but adapting the way of spreading it to be culturally relevant.  With information available online in seconds, there are millions of people young and old searching for answers online, knowing that they will receive a response.  The question is: will the church be the ones who are there to respond to them?  

The sheer size and ubiquity of the Internet is an evangelical field, “already white unto harvest” (John 4:35).  Unfortunately, the church is often so far behind the technology of the secular world, and does not even come close to using the resources the Internet has to offer.  Theoretically, one does not even have to subscribe to cable anymore, as virtually any television program can be accessed online almost instantly.  Now contrast this resourcefulness with the fact that many churches do not even have a website.  Speaking further of the harvest, Jesus said “I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored, and you have entered into their labors.”

(John 4:38).  The Internet is a field which we have not even had to sow, but which we are allowed to reap the benefits of!  Christians should be leaping at this opportunity of such an enormous field that requires a fraction of the effort to reap from.

How should a Christian then respond to this opportunity?  In the Great Commission, Jesus’ instructions were simple: “go and make disciples of all nations” (Matt 28:19).  We now have the “nations” only seconds and a computer screen away at any given moment.  Not only that, but there are millions of people searching; people who might never step foot inside a church or approach a Christian in person, but under the semi-anonymity of the Internet, feel more open to be candid in their search for answers.  

A recent survey concerning Facebook, stated that fully one-third of Protestants “avoid identifying themselves by their traditional sects”.  

This is not the time to compromise our beliefs.  With the tools of Scripture at our fingertips, and the nations “white for harvest” a computer screen away, this is our time to be bold and to “be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in [us]” (1 Peter 3:15).