by Mark Gambill

 

Last Sunday, in our current teaching series at church, our lead pastor, Brad Wilson, talked about what Jesus had to say about sexual temptation and lust. If you missed that teaching, you can check it out here.

 

James, the half-brother of Jesus, wrote these words in his letter to Jewish Christians scattered about in the first century, “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world” (James 1:27, NIV). While looking after widows and orphans is very important, for our discussion today I want to focus on the last half of that Bible verse.

 

When James mentions the word “religion,” he is not talking about an institutionalized notion of religion, like a set of rules to follow, as we often think of when we hear that word. Rather, he is referring to its expression through our personal worship. The book of James concentrates on practical issues that confront all believers as they strive to live out Christlike principles in their daily lives. So, what does he mean when he calls us to keep ourselves “from being polluted by the world”? About this verse, commentator Matthew Henry says,

 

“True religion teaches us to do everything as in the presence of God. An unspotted life must go with unfeigned love and charity. Our true religion is equal to the measure in which these things have place in our hearts and conduct. And let us remember, that nothing avails in Christ Jesus, but faith that worketh by love, purifies the heart, subdues carnal lusts, and obeys God’s commands.”

 

Be Aware of Satan’s Attacks

What does this have to do with us? If anyone is at risk of being polluted by the world, abandoning our true religion of worshiping the Almighty God, and having our connection with God interrupted, we are more so—especially in the age of the Internet. By going online, we have access virtually to any resource, both positive and negative. Just like any tool, the Internet can be used correctly or incorrectly, for good or for evil. We can be subject to and even more susceptible to Satan’s attacks through websites, gaming platforms, virtual reality, and social media.

 

There are many resources that discuss how to safely navigate temptations in a digital age, but they all come down to this: Simply avoid the temptation. Do not put yourself in a situation where you must choose between righteousness and raunch, purity and prurience, and sanctification and salaciousness.

 

Being mindful of the power of technology on your spirituality, appropriate steps for you to take might include unplugging or minimizing Internet use in whatever form, establishing firm digital boundaries, and putting in place some accountability with others. The apostle Paul provides a helpful guide for avoiding temptation in the digital age in Philippians 4:8, “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things” (NIV). He also challenges us in Colossians 3:2, “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things” (NIV).

 

And the apostle Peter instructs us, “And so, dear friends, while you are waiting for these things to happen [the new heavens and the new earth; the Second Coming of Christ], make every effort to be found living peaceful lives that are pure and blameless in his sight (2 Peter 3:14, NLT).

 

Be Your Own Gatekeeper

The Bible talks a lot about gates that protected cities and other valuable areas where gatekeepers were stationed at the gates for protection. We have gates also—the eye gate, the ear gate, and the heart gate. Those are put in place to protect us. God expects us to use those gates to keep ourselves from harm regarding what we hear, see, and allow into our hearts.

 

I am disappointed when I read of another fallen church leader. It seems to be happening more and more frequently. As these leaders fail to maintain their good character, integrity, and morality, they bring the church, Christianity, God’s people, and God himself into greater disrepute.

 

This story is not an isolated incident. A pastor got hooked on pornography because of easy access to it on the Internet. A very talented preacher and minister, he became addicted and eventually his sin was discovered, and it cost him his ministry. Fortunately, he was able to experience restoration and today, he is once again pastoring a small congregation. I cannot help but think that if he had used his gates, guarded his heart, thought on the things of God, and set his mind on things above, his story could have been much different.

 

Wise King Solomon tells us in Ecclesiastes 1:9, “History merely repeats itself. It has all been done before. Nothing under the sun is truly new” (NLT). Technology in and of itself isn’t sinful, and the Internet certainly did not create new sins. I agree with Tony Reinke at desiringGod.org:

“Smartphones do not invent new sins; they simply amplify every extant temptation of life, and manifest those temptations in pixels on HiDef surfaces.”

 

What about you? Do you need to practice digital temperance? You owe it to yourself and God to realistically assess your use of technology and determine as Paul says in Galatians 5:17 whether what you desire and use technology for is contrary to the Holy Spirit and what God would have you do. You are the one who must decide—you are the gatekeeper.

 

With over 35 years of business experience, Mark Gambill runs the East Region Real Estate Division for Albertsons; has three post-graduate degrees; has taught for over 30 years at various universities; and has been a member of Christ’s Church for over 25 years. He and his wife Karen have two sons, John and Matt, and three dogs, Winnie, Lia, and Tater.