“Does an ax exalt itself above the one who chops with it? Does a saw magnify itself above the one who saws with it? It would be like a rod waving the ones who liftit! It would be like a staff lifting the one who isn’t wood!” – Isaiah 10:15 (CSB)
To paraphrase Isaiah: Are you using technology or is technology using you?
There are occasions when it is good and right to consider topics that impact life. And in today’s sermon at King’s Church we had the opportunity to think through the issue of technology biblically. To ask the question how does a Christian utilize technology?
After defining what we mean by technology and examining its positive and negative impacts, I presented a biblical understanding of technology and offered questions to ask and principles to apply. Here are the two questions to ask:
Question 1: How does this technology Advance God’s Kingdom?
Question 2: How does this technology Impact Life?
The Christian must evaluate whether, on the whole, God’s Kingdom is Advanced by a particular technology. While some technologies have advanced God’s Kingdom, their negative impacts outweigh their positive. And if we are honest, they advance the kingdom of darkness more than the kingdom of light.
Several interrelated questions must be considered when measuring technology’s impact. Questions like: How can it be misused? What are the risks? Do those risks make it unwise or dangerous? Is it unwise for adults? Is it unwise for children? What about for people without training? How about for people with no self-discipline? A Christian intent on honoring God with their lives will think thru these questions when developing and utilizing various technologies.
The issue of technology is a wisdom issue. The answers are often found in asking the right questions and employing the right principles. Proverbs 1:7 reminds us “The Fear of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom.” And that beginning is not simply a starting line for wisdom, but the boundaries in which to live the Christian life. Here are six wisdom principles to help in engaging technology biblically:
Principle 1 – Ask God for Wisdom
Principle 2 – Do all things for God’s Glory
Principle 3 – Set a Daily Limit
Principle 4 – Have a Daily Device Free Hour
Principle 5 – Love People and Use Things
Principle 6 – Regularly Fast
The Christian that commits to asking these questions and applying these principles will master their tools. Technology will be an axe in their hand. Christian flourishing—that is life and life abundant—comes by way of wisdom. And wisdom teaches us that Technology is not neutral: It is a tool for good or a weapon for evil.
Several Resources were utilized and cited in the sermon “Biblical Technology: A Christian’s Guide to Utilizing Technology.” Here are the more prominent resources:
Andy Crouch, The Tech-Wise Family
Daniel Heimbach, Fundamental Christian Ethics
Neil Postman, Amusing Ourselves to Death
Tony Reinke, God, Technology, and the Christian Life
Tony Reinke, 12 Ways Your Phone is Changing You
Sherry Turkle, Reclaiming Conversation
*Photo Credit: Todd Quackenbush
Adam Mallette 