By Nathan Busenitz
What principles should guide Christians who interact on blogs?
Having been asked this question on multiple occasions, even recently, I thought I would attempt to give a brief answer — highlighting ten Bible-based principles that I attempt (admittedly imperfectly) to employ in my own blogging ventures. I’m sure that additional ideas and principles could be added to these ten, and I look forward to reading your thoughts in the comments section.
In any case, I hope this list is helpful both for those who blog regularly, and for those who are thinking about starting.
The blogosphere is notoriously nasty — a breeding ground for slander, gossip, misinformation, bickering, name-calling, arrogance, and quick-temperedness. Sadly, even “Christian” blogs can deteriorate into something between a tabloid and a talk show, built on a few provocative “tidbits” of juicy news and the massing of ignorance in response. Armed with anonymity and eager for an audience, “bloggers” (meaning both those who post and those who comment) often shoot first, and ask questions only after it’s too late (if they ever ask questions at all).
So how can we, as Christian bloggers, stem the tide and honor the Lord in the way we interact online? Over the next few days, we will consider ten practical principles in response to that question.
Let’s start with the most foundational . . .
1. Have Your Quiet Time First
As believers, we are to be filled with the Spirit (Eph. 5:18), being controlled and characterized by Him as we walk in His power (Gal. 5:16, 22–23). This begins with “letting the Word of Christ dwell in you richly” (Col. 3:16), daily renewing our minds with the truth (cf. Eph. 4:23), taking up “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Eph. 6:17), and recognizing that it is through “the pure milk of the Word” that we “grow in respect to salvation” (1 Pet. 2:2). If we are to be Spirit-filled as we engage others in online dialogue, discussion, and debate — we need to first immerse ourselves in prayer and in the Word (cf. Pss. 1:2-3; 5:3; 19:7-14; 119:9-11).
This principle applies to blogs in at least two ways. First, we need to remember that blogs, as helpful as they are, should never be a substitute for one’s personal time of private devotion, Scripture reading, and prayer. If we are to be Spirit-filled and Spirit-led every day, we need to daily go to the book that the Spirit inspired (2 Pet. 1:20-21) and empowers (cf. Is. 55:11; Heb. 4:12). Even the best of Christian blogs (or books or CDs or DVDs, for that matter) can never compare with the very words of God. Before you indulge in spiritual snack food (much of which isn’t all that healthy), make sure you’ve first filled your soul with the meat and milk of Scripture.
Second, there is much about blogging that appeals to our sinful flesh, especially when a good argument is afoot. Pride, anger, impatience, and even jealousy (when another blog is getting all the hits) would quickly fill any list of common blogging sins. Such makes the importance of being Spirit-filled before going online vitally important.
So . . . until you’ve spent time in the Word and on your knees, don’t get on the web; you simply won’t be ready.
2. Stay Within the Lines
Like number one, this also should be a no-brainer for those who are believers, yet it often seems to be ignored. The point is this: Don’t say something online that violates biblical standards for godly speech.
Blogging is, after all, nothing more or less than speech, meaning that all of the biblical directives regarding speech directly apply to blogging. Many verses could be cited in this regard. Perhaps the most general is this: “When words are many, transgression is not lacking” (Proverbs 10:19), and the most sobering is this: “I tell you that for every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment” (Matt. 12:36).
Whether it’s characterized by gossip, slander, retribution, quick-temperedness, crudeness, falsehood, pride, or any other violation of the second greatest commandment (cf. Mark 12:30-32), it’s inappropriate. If it violates the biblical paradigm for godly speech, it doesn’t belong in our posts or in our comments — no matter how funny, how provocative, or how “perfect” it seems to be. A quick study of passages like Proverbs 12:17–18; 15:1; 16:23–24; 17:27–28; 20:19; 29:20; Eph. 4:29; 5:4; Titus 2:6–8; and Jas. 3:8–10 is a great starting point for any blogger concerned that his or her words both online and offline are honoring to Christ.
To be sure, applying the biblical mandates for sanctified speech is difficult in any circumstance. But it requires special effort and care in the blogosphere, where tone is difficult to accurately convey, and non-verbal cues are utterly absent. This means we must work even harder at seasoning our words with grace, and not being (or sounding) quarrelsome.
The bottom line is this: If it violates a biblical principle, then don’t post it. Sin is still sin, even if no one knows the true identity behind your anonymous pseudonym. After all, God knows, and in the end, His opinion is what matters.
3. Consider the Consequences
It is also important to realize that words have consequences. The book of Proverbs compares wicked words to things like sword thrusts, war clubs, firebrands, arrows, and death (Prov. 12:18; 25:18; 26:18–19), noting that “Death and life are in the power of the tongue” (Prov. 18:21). James picks up on this theme in chapter 3 of his epistle, rebuking those who praise God and slander others from the same set of lips (cf. vv. 8-10). Listen to what he writes in verse 6: “The tongue is a fire, the very world of iniquity; the tongue is set among our members as that which defiles the entire body, and sets on fire the course of our life, and is set on fire by hell.” That is sobering stuff! And as we saw earlier from Matthew 12:36, our words have consequences that are not only temporal (cf. Gal. 6:8-10), but eternal (cf. Rom. 14:12).
When posting on the Internet, it is especially important to consider the ramifications of what we are about to say. Not only are one’s words instantly accessible to the 1 billion people who regularly use the Internet, but they are quickly (within hours) cached by search engines – meaning that it is nearly impossible to delete every trace of them even if one wanted to do so later.
The size of the online audience, combined with the relative permanence of what is posted there, makes what is said through a blog potentially more-damaging than anything that could be said in private conversation. Yet ironically, comments are often made online that would never be made in face-to-face conversation. Thus, a good rule of thumb is: If you wouldn’t say it in a face-to-face meeting with the person, don’t say it on the web.
But that’s for point 6, which we will look at tomorrow. The point here is that what we say has consequences — and what we say online has much greater consequences (potentially) since it is accessible to anyone and available permanently. This is something we should all remember before we hit ”submit.”
To Be Continued Tomorrow
What principles should guide Christians who interact on blogs?
Having been asked this question on multiple occasions, even recently, I thought I would attempt to give a brief answer — highlighting ten Bible-based principles that I attempt (admittedly imperfectly) to employ in my own blogging ventures. I’m sure that additional ideas and principles could be added to these ten, and I look forward to reading your thoughts in the comments section.
In any case, I hope this list is helpful both for those who blog regularly, and for those who are thinking about starting.
The blogosphere is notoriously nasty — a breeding ground for slander, gossip, misinformation, bickering, name-calling, arrogance, and quick-temperedness. Sadly, even “Christian” blogs can deteriorate into something between a tabloid and a talk show, built on a few provocative “tidbits” of juicy news and the massing of ignorance in response. Armed with anonymity and eager for an audience, “bloggers” (meaning both those who post and those who comment) often shoot first, and ask questions only after it’s too late (if they ever ask questions at all).
So how can we, as Christian bloggers, stem the tide and honor the Lord in the way we interact online? Over the next few days, we will consider ten practical principles in response to that question.
Let’s start with the most foundational . . .
1. Have Your Quiet Time First
As believers, we are to be filled with the Spirit (Eph. 5:18), being controlled and characterized by Him as we walk in His power (Gal. 5:16, 22–23). This begins with “letting the Word of Christ dwell in you richly” (Col. 3:16), daily renewing our minds with the truth (cf. Eph. 4:23), taking up “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Eph. 6:17), and recognizing that it is through “the pure milk of the Word” that we “grow in respect to salvation” (1 Pet. 2:2). If we are to be Spirit-filled as we engage others in online dialogue, discussion, and debate — we need to first immerse ourselves in prayer and in the Word (cf. Pss. 1:2-3; 5:3; 19:7-14; 119:9-11).
This principle applies to blogs in at least two ways. First, we need to remember that blogs, as helpful as they are, should never be a substitute for one’s personal time of private devotion, Scripture reading, and prayer. If we are to be Spirit-filled and Spirit-led every day, we need to daily go to the book that the Spirit inspired (2 Pet. 1:20-21) and empowers (cf. Is. 55:11; Heb. 4:12). Even the best of Christian blogs (or books or CDs or DVDs, for that matter) can never compare with the very words of God. Before you indulge in spiritual snack food (much of which isn’t all that healthy), make sure you’ve first filled your soul with the meat and milk of Scripture.
Second, there is much about blogging that appeals to our sinful flesh, especially when a good argument is afoot. Pride, anger, impatience, and even jealousy (when another blog is getting all the hits) would quickly fill any list of common blogging sins. Such makes the importance of being Spirit-filled before going online vitally important.
So . . . until you’ve spent time in the Word and on your knees, don’t get on the web; you simply won’t be ready.
2. Stay Within the Lines
Like number one, this also should be a no-brainer for those who are believers, yet it often seems to be ignored. The point is this: Don’t say something online that violates biblical standards for godly speech.
Blogging is, after all, nothing more or less than speech, meaning that all of the biblical directives regarding speech directly apply to blogging. Many verses could be cited in this regard. Perhaps the most general is this: “When words are many, transgression is not lacking” (Proverbs 10:19), and the most sobering is this: “I tell you that for every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment” (Matt. 12:36).
Whether it’s characterized by gossip, slander, retribution, quick-temperedness, crudeness, falsehood, pride, or any other violation of the second greatest commandment (cf. Mark 12:30-32), it’s inappropriate. If it violates the biblical paradigm for godly speech, it doesn’t belong in our posts or in our comments — no matter how funny, how provocative, or how “perfect” it seems to be. A quick study of passages like Proverbs 12:17–18; 15:1; 16:23–24; 17:27–28; 20:19; 29:20; Eph. 4:29; 5:4; Titus 2:6–8; and Jas. 3:8–10 is a great starting point for any blogger concerned that his or her words both online and offline are honoring to Christ.
To be sure, applying the biblical mandates for sanctified speech is difficult in any circumstance. But it requires special effort and care in the blogosphere, where tone is difficult to accurately convey, and non-verbal cues are utterly absent. This means we must work even harder at seasoning our words with grace, and not being (or sounding) quarrelsome.
The bottom line is this: If it violates a biblical principle, then don’t post it. Sin is still sin, even if no one knows the true identity behind your anonymous pseudonym. After all, God knows, and in the end, His opinion is what matters.
3. Consider the Consequences
It is also important to realize that words have consequences. The book of Proverbs compares wicked words to things like sword thrusts, war clubs, firebrands, arrows, and death (Prov. 12:18; 25:18; 26:18–19), noting that “Death and life are in the power of the tongue” (Prov. 18:21). James picks up on this theme in chapter 3 of his epistle, rebuking those who praise God and slander others from the same set of lips (cf. vv. 8-10). Listen to what he writes in verse 6: “The tongue is a fire, the very world of iniquity; the tongue is set among our members as that which defiles the entire body, and sets on fire the course of our life, and is set on fire by hell.” That is sobering stuff! And as we saw earlier from Matthew 12:36, our words have consequences that are not only temporal (cf. Gal. 6:8-10), but eternal (cf. Rom. 14:12).
When posting on the Internet, it is especially important to consider the ramifications of what we are about to say. Not only are one’s words instantly accessible to the 1 billion people who regularly use the Internet, but they are quickly (within hours) cached by search engines – meaning that it is nearly impossible to delete every trace of them even if one wanted to do so later.
The size of the online audience, combined with the relative permanence of what is posted there, makes what is said through a blog potentially more-damaging than anything that could be said in private conversation. Yet ironically, comments are often made online that would never be made in face-to-face conversation. Thus, a good rule of thumb is: If you wouldn’t say it in a face-to-face meeting with the person, don’t say it on the web.
But that’s for point 6, which we will look at tomorrow. The point here is that what we say has consequences — and what we say online has much greater consequences (potentially) since it is accessible to anyone and available permanently. This is something we should all remember before we hit ”submit.”
To Be Continued Tomorrow
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