The creativity of man’s mind and the technical skill to design and build one invention after another are tremendous. As society progresses in its technological developments, there are increased opportunities for good and increased risks of evil. The internet is a perfect example – it can be a curse to your life.
One aspect of its curse is its temptation to sensuality and immorality. You have access to sin in a way our culture has never experienced before. It is a curse, and it can destroy you. You should take precautions, like web filters, to preserve you from stumbling into destructive sin. “Let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall” (1Cor 10:12, ESV).
Another aspect of the internet’s curse is the access you have to false teaching. If you have an interest in studying the Scriptures more deeply, that’s fantastic. There are obviously plenty of sites with helpful teaching, but the idea of randomly googling Bible teaching help and accepting whatever comes up in the search results as truth is absurd. Do you really know the person who is propounding the teaching? Are you sure you are sufficiently grounded in the truth to detect errors in their thinking? “Evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it” (2Tim 3:13-14, ESV).
There is yet another aspect in which the internet may prove to be an even greater curse to you. With the two issues above, you may readily identify them as evil. You know that immorality and false teaching are wrong. Once aware of the problem, you can quickly take measures to escape, but the internet’s greatest risk to your fruitfulness for Christ is likely that it is an immense source of distraction and wasted time. “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time” (Eph 5:15-16, ESV).
Of course, social media can be used for good (please reread the March article) and be a helpful way to keep in touch with people and stay abreast of stories. But hours can easily be lost with no lasting good resulting.
An endless cycle of YouTube videos awaits your consumption, with zero enhancement to your life. The quest for more followers and likes can be utter vanity. Interruptions from your mobile device during your private devotional time are a problem. Put it on airplane mode. Test your addiction to technology by going on a WiFi Sabbath. This isn’t a mindless soapbox complaint, nor is it telling you to get rid of your home’s WiFi. It is a challenge for you to think about how – and how much – you use technology.
“All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be enslaved by anything” (1Cor 6:12, ESV).
