"He said to them, "You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of men, but God knows your hearts. What is highly valued among men is detestable in God's sight."" Luke: 16:15
This is the 3rd blog on putting God in a box. The first one condemned the use of techniques to replace God, the second on using God to get what we think we need or want, and this one will focus on the detestableness of trusting technology over God.
Does God need our technology to win the world for His glory? Does He? Now this topic is a fine line, but if our dependence is on things, instead of God and His Holy Spirit, then we have made an idol of the technology and it is detestable. This is important in our day when there is so much technology available that seems to be full of promise and power to accomplish God's will. But are they full of power? NO. The power we are promised in Acts 1:8 NIV is this: "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." Notice the connection word, and, that connects our reception of the Spirit on us to being Christ's witnesses to the ends of the earth. He is our power. So what I am wanting to do here is call us from TRUSTING technology for anything, to trusting God's Spirit. And then we can properly use technology for God's glory. And if it breaks down, who cares? God's Spirit is NOT LIMITED BY OUR TECHNOLOGY. If you think He is then you are an idolater and need to repent.
I think there is little doubt that often we trust technology of various kinds to solve our problems and accomplish God's purposes. We trust the technology of instruments without which we will have less of a heart to worship God - I know I need my IPod, or "outloud" music to help me find a closeness to God I don't generally find otherwise- but should I? We depend on Powerpoint and microphones to preach our messages (do we spend as much time seeking God in prayer as we do preparing the powerpoint?). We depend on the Jesus film. We depend on email and I-phones to communicate. And all of these can be useful tools. But if you read the list of the armor of God in Ephesians 6, there isn't any technology listed other than God's word. Truth, gospel of peace, righteousness, faith, salvation, sword of the Spirit which is the world of God, prayer. No technology is listed and no technology will defeat the devil for you.
Just as God is not against medicine, I don't think he is against technology per se. But if either become what we trust in, and many trust in both, then they are detestable and idols.
"We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death." 2 Corinthians 1:8-9a NIV So what did Paul do? Did he turn to a consulate? Or the emperor? Did he get soldiers with swords, or build a fortress to protect himself? "But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us." 2 Corinthians 1:9b-10a NIV There is no technology to raise the dead. There is God, and Him alone: both the physical dead and the spiritual dead can only be raised by God. "On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many." 2 Corinthians 1:10b-11 NIV Our prayers have power ONLY because we pray to the living God who is able to hear and answer us. May we trust in this God who loves us and hears us and answers us for His own glory.
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