Is Technology Spinning Us Out of Control?

With technology advancing so rapidly, is anyone concerned how it is changing us? It was only a century ago we began to drive and fly; and since then, we've gone from “Nuclear Age” to “Space Age” to “Information Age.” In the last 30 years, new inventions are arriving at the fastest rate in history. Can anyone contend that they are not radically, and irreversibly, changing our lives? Are we better off?  And if so, at what cost to the human psyche?

Can we look to social scientists for the answer? Unlikely. Cultural changes resulting from new technologies are coming too fast to be observed for long-term effects. By the time a longitudinal study begins, users have already moved on to the next latest thing.

How our civilization will cope with this amazing speed of change is yet to be seen. Is it a sign of the end time, “when many will rush here and there, and knowledge will increase” (Dan. 12:4)? Maybe. But one thing is certain. As Spirit-led believers, we must beware of changes in our culture, and how they are changing us, and more importantly, how they may be hurting us and our faith (Ps. 139:24; 2 Cor. 13:5).

Who Gets to Define Reality?

Facebook, Twitter, news feeds, and mobile apps are all information sources that didn’t exist just a few years ago. And not only do they affect the way people get news and information, but more importantly, how they form opinions. With the swipe of a finger or click of a mouse, opinions are set, and values altered.

 
Without any universally accepted moral standards, determining what is ‘real’ in our amorphous culture is getting exponentially harder. For a biblically-ignorant, culturally-adaptive, and socially-sensitive population, it is getting almost impossible to find a place for Scripture’s strict morality and “one-way” exclusivity—Even in the church. How else can you explain why half of young evangelicals are now accepting the inevitability of abortion, the moral ambiguity of gay marriage, and a pluralistic world view?
 

Incongruously, the “information” age is disseminating a lot of “misinformation.” And at a time when the church should be exalting a biblical worldview, it is bowing down to the spirit of the age by bowing out of its role of defining reality. For the remnant of the church still holding fast, this may be its last chance to influence the reality-seeking ‘Millennial’ and ‘Z’ generations. 

What TIME is it?

What TIME is it? Seems like a simple enough question, but its answer depends on what “time zone” you live in.  Or on how you define TIME: the hour of the day, or the season of life, or the age we live in?

The Bible exhorts you to “make the most of your time” (Eph. 5:16), not to be confused with having the “time of your life.” It means to be mindful that "time is short" and there will be a "time of reckoning."

Did you know there is such a thing as an official “Doomsday Clock?”  It was created by a group of scientists in 1947 to warn of the perils of a nuclear arms race. The potential for a nuclear war determines the time on the Doomsday Clock.  As of January 2012, the Doomsday clock is set at 11:55 p.m.

It occurs to me the scientists have hit on a spiritual law. All men are living on “borrowed time.” “Time waits for no man.” “Time marches on.” When we’re young, we think we have “time on our side,” but when we get older we realize that “time flies,” and we can no longer “take our sweet time,” knowing it will soon be “time to call it a day.” "At one time," Jesus rebuked those who were not able to “discern the times.” (Matt. 16:3).  Would you agee that "it's high time" we all learned how to "tell time."

No Revelation in the Information Age

Yesterday my pastor quoted author Niel Cole who describes American Christians as "educated beyond their obedience.” Without a doubt you and I are living in a time when there has never been greater access to Bible information—especially in this internet age where we have a virtual library at our fingertips. But is being more informed about the Bible changing us?

When Jesus prayed “sanctify them by your word; your Word is truth” (John 17:17), He affirmed the life-changing power of the Word of God. Reiterated in Hebrews, the author states that there is a life and power (Heb. 4:12) in the Word that cuts through our mental structures reaching into our inner man, changing us from the inside-out.

But let’s face it. God’s Word does not always seem to be effective! There is a simple reason for this. God’s Word must be interpreted to our spirits by the Holy Spirit—the only One Who can turn facts and information into ‘truth’—a phenomenon called ‘revelation knowledge’ (Eph. 1:17).

Someone has said: it is one thing to know Scripture. It is another thing to know the Lord of the Scripture. We need to know Jesus not only from the written word but as the Living Word (John 1:14). When the words on the page of the Bible become real, they turn into ‘truth’ that sets you free (Jn. 8:32).

Dont be a Soundbite Christian

Fifty years ago, A. W. Tozer said “people don’t really like to think for themselves; they want others to do it for them.” Since Tozer wrote those words, a media explosion has ushered us into the “information” age. But along with the flood of facts is the responsibility to evaluate what is really true. Few give this the time and discipline it requires. Too many settle for sound bites.

I am not speaking of encyclopedic knowledge (history, science, math, etc.), but of the philosophies, ideas, opinions, and points-of-view that form our worldview by telling us what to believe and who to trust. Tozer’s statement turns out to be very prophetic.

The spiritual parallel to this is the plethora of Christian books, magazines, commentaries, TV and radio programs, and websites that make it so easy for you to gather information about any Christian topic. Warning! Acquiring information is not the same as increasing in knowledge—don't confuse the two. It isn’t “information, or even knowledge that will make you free.” Jesus said “truth will make you free.”

What is truth and how do you get it? How do we move from acquiring information to growing in truth? The Holy Spirit is the only One who can turn information into knowledge, and knowledge into into "truth." (Eph. 1:17). When you read the word of God, don't take it in as though it were "information." Think of the Word of God as alive (Heb. 4:12) and able to transform you. And do not expect to understand it with your mind. But pray for revelation.