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Scripture Reading: Proverbs 1:10-16

World Wide Web of Sin

Intro.

1.  Old computer programmer’s adage: “Garbage in, garbage out.”

2.  Internet sins are not different from other sins in nature, but in methodology (how it is delivered). The internet makes the accessibility, attraction and attachment to sin very immediate in our lives and the lives of our children. 1 Ths. 5:21-22

3.  “A culture obsessed with technology will come to value personal convenience above almost all else, and ours does." (Robert Bork) [i]

I.  SINS OF THE FLESH. Gal. 5:19-21; Eph. 5:3-5; Col. 3:5

  A.  Pornography. (Technology and pornography) [ii]

    1.  Sexually explicit material designed to promote sexual arousal. Pornography “depicts erotic behavior in order to induce sexual excitement.” [iii]

      a.  Driven by fantasy and fed by lust, pornography makes an idol of sex, Matt. 5:28.

      b.  “Pornography is basically propaganda for fornication” (Maggie Gallagher, cited by Robert Bork, Halbrook) [iv]

    3.  4 A’s of Internet porn: Accessibility, Affordability, Anonymity and Addiction. [v]

    4.  To resist, walk in love of Christ, Eph. 5:1-2. To overcome, repent, reform and refresh, Psa. 119:9-11; 27:13-14; 57:1.

  B.  Gambling, 1 Tim. 6:6-10 (Lk. 12:15).

    1.  Research suggests young males are most likely to engage in online gambling.

    2.  2010: $29.3 billion online gambling.[vi]  Illegal in US (~1700 offshore sites)

    3.  Gambling: Deprive others of their money; greed, loss of self-control, lack of love.

II. SOCIAL MEDIA. Prov. 14:29; 15:21

    -Impulsive, folly, thoughtless, gullible (See: Facebook: Faith or Folly?)

  A.  Sins of the Tongue are Posted and Maximize Hurt (Peer-driven Pressures).[vii]

    1.  Gossip, backbiting, rumor mongering, evil suspicions, Prov. 11:13; 26:20. 

    2.  Mindless chatter and worse, Prov. 13:3; 18:21.

      a.  Harshness, rudeness...Character assassination/peer pressure (has led some to suicide and other destruction behavior).

      b.  If you ridicule someone you have become arrogant and unloving. If you post profanity and join in coarse joking you have lowered yourself to join the world in the sewer of vulgarity (Eph. 4:29; 5:3-4).

      c.  If you post rumors, gossip and tale bearing you have left the land of brotherly love and crossed over into the land of bitterness and malice, Eph. 4: 31-32.

  B.  Unrighteous Judgments. Jno. 7:24; Prov. 18:13; 15:28

    1.  Rash judgments rather than ready resolution, Prov. 25:8-10; Matt. 5:23-26; 18:15.

    2.  Appearance-based judgments (without facts). Jno. 7:24

      a.  Facebook and Twitter; Passive aggression of "Retweeting" false, harmful, derogatory, inflammatory words, Matt. 7:12.

      b.  Misinformation: Check facts and don’t spread rumors/errors.

  C.  Self-Destructive Trends. 1 Cor. 15:33-34

    1.  “Fire Challenge” [viii]

    2.  LGBT / sexual identity experimentation and spirit of activism. [ix]  

  D.  Harming the Ability to Communicate. Eph. 4:29; Col. 4:6

     -Life reduced to 140 character strokes!

    1.  With family: Family time replaced with smartphones texting, FB, Pinterest, etc.

    2.  With the struggling, hurting and lost, Gal. 6:1-2; Jas. 5:19-20.

    3.  Value of face-to-face communication, Prov. 27:17.

III. FALSE RELIGIOUS DOCTRINE/HUMAN WISDOM.

  A.  Must be Discerning and Test with God’s Word, 1 Jno. 4:1, 6.

  B.  Human Wisdom Disguised as Bible Teaching, Col. 2:8. Blogs, etc.

IV.  TIME-BANDIT. Eph. 5:16; Jas. 4:14

  A.  Regrets of Misused Time, Jas. 4:14.

    1.  “Americans spend a third their online time (36 percent) communicating and networking across social networks, blogs, personal email and instant messaging.” (Nielsen study, 2010)

    2.  Time for prayer, Bible study, encouragement of others, etc.

Conclusion

1.  Internet is a vehicle through which sin thrives. It can serve much good, but also much evil.

2.  Discern the difference and abstain from all evil, 1 Pet. 2:11.