Introduction
Searching is a modern everyday activity, but it is also an ancient command from the Lord Himself. Jesus Christ said, “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me” (Joh 5:39).1 Fast forward two millennia, and our Lord’s command to “search” has taken on an entirely new dimension in the digital era in which we live. Searching is a task that we all complete daily on a repetitive basis. Google processes 13.7 billion searches every day. Such statistics are staggering and somewhat shocking. In an era of AI, content creation and social media influences, the question arises, How can a believer safely, securely and spiritually navigate the digital world in which we all live? This article will aim to demonstrate that through a variety of scriptural scenarios the Bible offers clear, salient guidance on how we should “search.”
While many see searching as simply asking Google incredibly consequential questions such as what the weather forecast is, in the context and language of the Scriptures, there is a greater seriousness and depth to the concept. To search can be defined as “to enquire, investigate or examine.” Our Saviour’s command to “search” involves the challenge to learn more about Him, explore the doctrines related to His character, and scrutinise His teachings more deeply. Such a task is one that all of us, as believers, must undertake. This is an obligation for everyone, not just a select group of Bible teachers. That said, the way we “search the Scriptures” has changed significantly over the past two decades.
Searching Digitally – Problems and Pitfalls
Many believers from the Baby-Boomers and Generation X have faced a steep learning curve with rapidly changing technology that has transformed how they search for and study the Scriptures digitally. Word studies and expositions that once took hours with just a lined notebook and a rather gargantuan hardback concordance can now be done in minutes through the far less arduous tasks of typing, tapping and clicking on almost any digital device at our disposal in nearly any location with an internet connection (with the concordance gathering dust in the attic). However, one cannot overlook the dangers linked to digital Bible study. From a bombardment of notifications to a plethora of false doctrine at our disposal, these pose serious issues that will likely influence how seriously and effectively we “search” the Scriptures.
Apps like Logos and OliveTree offer an incredible range of embedded tools, commentaries, outlines and sermon notes, but one can fall into the perilous pitfall of simply regurgitating digital content without discernment of its doctrinal soundness or spiritual benefit. There is no substitute for searching the Scriptures for ourselves. Doing so will lead to establishing conviction based on what the Holy Spirit teaches us rather than what we could blindly consume online. The top search result on Google for articles on Bible doctrine is no guarantee that it aligns with what the apostle Paul called “sound words.” That said, this should be balanced with the positives. Young and old believers alike today have access to a wealth of sound scriptural teaching within a matter of seconds and from a medley of sources. Examples include online magazine archives, such as Precious Seed and Truth & Tidings, which contain decades of reliable material from trusted and gifted expositors of the Word. Digital book sites like STEM Publishing and Studylight can provide access to some fine expositions of the Word of God from earlier generations. A word of caution: While many sites and resources are helpful, none are infallible. The best filter we can apply is from the apostle John, who instructs us to “try the spirits whether they are of God” (1Jn 4:1). Christ has declared that the reason for searching the Scriptures is because they “testify of me” (Joh 5:39). False teaching and wrong doctrine can have a harmful effect on believers, particularly those young in the faith, and exposure to material that questions the deity, humanity and perfection of Christ should not be given even a moment’s screen time. It is essential to be careful and discerning when “searching.”
Searching Undividedly – Attention and Absorption
A new threat exists for believers in the digital realm that affects the ability to digest content. Digital content is becoming shorter, snappier, and easier to view, absorb and share. Whether it’s a side-splitting Tiktok or tear-jerking Instagram reel, our minds have grown accustomed to short, high-quality videos designed to attract and hold attention. The digital marketing mantra that “content is king” is evermore true. How many times have we all wasted hours doom-scrolling, consuming content that satisfies our emotions but squanders time that could be used for “searching the Scriptures”? Furthermore, this trend threatens to erode our ability to read and digest a chapter of Scripture. The result? A believer could find it difficult to concentrate on their personal searching and study of the Scriptures because of a lack of focus. Bible study requires undivided attention. A lackadaisical attitude and poor concentration are the opposite of what Paul instructed Timothy to do: “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2Ti 2:15).
Searching Mindfully – Revealing and Reflecting
What does your search history reveal about you? When someone searches for something, it is done with intention and a specific thought in mind. God said, “Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart” (Psa 37:4). Everyone must search and seek answers to genuine problems in everyday life, whether it’s how to change a lightbulb or how to solve an algebra equation for homework. However, it is undeniable that our search history and digital footprint offer clues about who we are spiritually. The internet is filled with conspiracy theories and fake news, which can unsettle, disturb and influence some believers. Despite this, the Scriptures provide wise advice when encountering such content, as in Acts 17:11 where Luke records of the Bereans that “they received the word … and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.” The Bereans’ search history reflected their spiritual priority – seeking the truth. The question remains: What does our personal search history reveal about us?
Searching Personally – Powerful and Painful
In an era of data protection and privacy, believers must never lose sight of One who sees every search we make. It would be incredibly naïve to think that we can permanently erase our search history (incognito mode or not). Often, our search history is stored to generate content based on profile and search habits. That seems powerful when you consider the billions of people searching at any moment, but Psalm 139 reveals an infinitely more powerful ability to search: the searching power of God. David writes, “O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me. Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off” (Psa 139:1-2). A memorable example is King David. David was a man with little technology, but one night he allowed his eyes to view from a rooftop a woman, Bathsheba, washing herself. He tried to cover his tracks, but his sin is recorded for all to see. Today, users have the ability to search and consume more immoral and defiling content in an hour than their ancestors might have glimpsed in a lifetime. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 2:10, “The Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.” God searches the very darkest recesses of our hearts and minds, and undoubtedly His search results would shock us if we were privy to such an investigation.
Conclusion
Searching is a modern task, but an ancient imperative. Our New Testament begins with one of the most positive, fruitful and beneficial searches in history – a search for Christ. The wise men from the east “searched diligently” until they found the Saviour. Just as their search was perilous in a Roman world with little room for God, two millennia later it remains just as risky to navigate an equally dark digital world filled with danger and deception. Yet, there is still a star in the sky guiding us: the Word of God – “a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path.”
1 Bible quotations in this article are from the KJV.
