…was my title yesterday evening at both our services. It was part of an occasional series we run entitled ‘culture explored’ – a series founded on taking Jesus seriously when he said ‘all authority in heaven and an earth has been given to me. We’re doing two in the series this term, both examining at different aspects of the internet. In a few weeks time ‘God, Google, and the Gospel’ will look at the internet as a source of information/ way of learning about the world. This week was a look at the phenomenon of online social networking through bible glasses.
As part of my preparation I put together the list below. It’s a facebook-style list of 25 things, though the 25 things are bible verses for meditating on in order to shape the way we use such technologies. If you’re my friend on facebook you can find the list in my ‘notes’ section too (using the technology to subvert the technology is very punk!).
25 bible verses to shape how we use facebook
Loving God
1. Deut. 6:5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.
2. Col. 3:17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
3. 1Cor. 10:31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
4. Ex. 20:3 You shall have no other gods before me.
5. James 4:4 Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
Loving your neighbour
6. Mark 12:31 The second [greatest commandment] is this: ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’
7. Matt. 5:44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
8. Ex. 20:17 You shall not covet your neighbour’s house; you shall not covet your neighbour’s wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbour’s.
9. Matt. 7:12 So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.
10. Prov. 10:1 A wise son makes a glad father, but a foolish son is a sorrow to his mother.
11. Eph. 6:4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
12. Heb. 3:13 But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.
13. Matt. 5:28 But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
14. Prov. 10:12 Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offences.
15. Eph. 6:18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,
Ultimate reality
16. Matt. 28:18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.”
17. Rom. 6:4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.
18. Col. 3:4 When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
19. Rev. 3:12 The one who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God. Never shall he go out of it, and I will write on him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down from my God out of heaven, and my own new name.
20. 1Pet. 2:9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.
Wise living
21. Prov. 9:10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.
22. Col. 2:3 [Christ] in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
23. Prov. 10:32 The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable, but the mouth of the wicked, what is perverse.
24. Col. 4:5 Conduct yourselves wisely toward outsiders, making the best use of the time.
25. Prov. 12:22 Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, but those who act faithfully are his delight.
