Cyberspace Or Fellowship
By Janelle Hill
In the scheme of things, I would consider myself as someone who knows a little bit about technology. I can e-mail, text message, blog, shop on e-bay, and surf the net. My husband downloads pod casts, my 5 year-old likes to google (under supervision), and my 3 year-old likes to borrow his brother’s Leapster. I am gradually understanding MP3 players, and I can run my DVD player (although privately I still prefer my old VCR). My fridge cannot yet access the internet, but I am told that it will not be long before my entire house is networked so that my toaster can communicate with the fridge and ensure that there is always an adequate supply of bread and butter.
Despite this rapid increase in technology, it is becoming very clear that we in society are relating less and less. Newspapers and magazines show photos of couples walking side-by-side each talking on their own mobile phone. This is a comical yet serious example of the breakdown of relationships, the loss of common courtesy, and the deterioration of our communication skills. But what does God say about cyberspace and mobile phones?
There is a very interesting passage in the book of Romans that talks about how we are saved. It says: ‘.. whoever shall call on the name of the Lord will be saved. How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without preaching? And how shall they preach unless they are sent?’ (Rom 10:13-15)
In these verses we note the words ‘hear’, ‘preaching’ and ‘sent’. From these scriptures we see that our salvation and growth come when we hear a word from God through someone that He sends to us. (In this passage the word ‘preaching’ includes one-to-one communication as well as the traditional preaching that we know.) Salvation comes as we hear the specific word of God to us and receive it into our hearts.
We then go on to read: ‘faith is of hearing, and hearing by the Word of God’. (Rom 10:17)
We know that the Bible is the word of God, but is it enough to just read our Bibles? Of course the Bible can speak to us, and we can trust in the integrity of the scriptures. But why does the verse specifically say ‘hearing’ not ‘reading’ the word? What is God trying to say to us here?
Hearing a word involves being in relationship with a physical person. There are people that God sends to us. These ones have a specific word to our lives, about us. The Bible calls these people ‘messengers.’ As we hear their specific word to us, and receive it into our hearts, we can respond back to the ‘messenger’ in the faith that this word inspires. In speaking back and forth we can begin to understand how the word specifically applies to us and our life. This is what the Bible calls ‘fellowship’. In this kind of interaction is also the principle of ‘confession’ where the word of faith is expressed and owned on our own lips. (Rom 10:9)
How easy it is to become deceived or deluded when we live in isolation. This is especially true when we become isolated because of anger or hurt. (Strangely, we often are offended when a true word from God comes to us, because the word challenges us, wanting to bring change in us). When we speak with someone in true fellowship, we can be assured that we are not being deceived or deluded by our own thoughts and biases.
When we live in this way of fellowship and hearing the word, there is also something miraculous that occurs. We are not just hearing good information, or helpful ideas. True fellowship actually allows God to plant His life in us. God is able to cleanse away our sin, delivering us from both its guilt and power. This is what the apostle John meant when he said, ‘If we walk in the light as He is in the light we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ God’s Son cleanses us from all our sin’. 1 John 1:7.
Where there has been hurt, isolation, or loss of relationship, we can trust God to heal our hearts and restore relationship with His people. It is here, in fellowship with God’s people that we find our salvation.
So, what does God say about cyberspace and mobile phones? I do not really know, but God has given us these ways to enhance our ability to communicate information. However, we need face to face communication, so that we can hear His specific word to our lives and find real and effective fellowship. I do not think that Google can help us find that!
