The internet has changed our lives rather drastically nowadays. Think about these: privacy is for public display; personal matters are at the mercies of total strangers to view and critique; everybody seems to have a right to vote on anything juicy and controversial; curiosity into the lives of celebrities has generated such followings that it is often in full display of inquisitive viewers, and at the mercies of those who pass and forward to their friends. The list goes on and on. While internet has been a wonderful tool for information and communication, it has also been a platform where human depravity at its worse is in full manifestation.

One of the attractions of the internet platform is the anonymity it provides for the users. It provides a space where ideas and opinions of any sort can be expressed without showing a face. It takes away fear of exposure and embarrassment, so it attracts posting with such nature. This platform is worse than rumors. While rumors and gossips generally spread within a community, anything posted on the internet has the potential to be magnified at a global scale.

Christians are not spared from the onslaught of this powerful tool. How do we use this powerful tool responsibly?

Paul, in his exhortation to the Philippians, encourages us to live out our Christian lives by setting our minds on things which are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent and praiseworthy. Paul employed the indefinite adjective “whatever” to emphasize the breadth of these qualities. Paul’s readers might be facing persecution by the society around them, and the natural tendency was for them to reject anything outside the church.

If that is the case, then Paul was reminding the Philippians that the world may be evil and hostile, but, as that great hymn “This Is My Father’s World” reminds us “Oh, let me never forget that, though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the ruler yet.” He wants to us search for it wherever it may be. He is asking us to seek truth, kindness and beauty based on God’s unfailing Word. He wants us to fill our minds with such virtues that the internet trash will not taint our hearts.

As we are exposed to the vices and virtues of the internet, we need not, neither could we, be cut off from the pervasive nature of this tool, but to get the most out of it, we need to “make a covenant with our eyes.” As the eyes feed the mind, we need to be committed to screen all the information in the internet based on the “good practices” Paul gave us. They are not a list of dos and don’ts, but are value-based guidelines; not judgmental or legalistic, but biblical principles which inject a fresh breeze in a culture overpowered by fleshly desires and indulgences of unprecedented scope and depth.

“A covenant with our eyes” is not to blind us; it is to make choices with eyes wide opened, based on God’s truth. Neither is it censorship with no respect or space for creativity and thinking outside the box, but it is creativity and thinking which reflect the glory of God. Make a covenant with your eyes today!

In Christ,

Dr Albert Ting, Principal
Singapore Bible College