Technology and the Bible

Any given Sunday, those attending church come to worship God and hear His Word taught. Most bring their own Bible. Some of us carry a printed Bible to church; others follow along on a tablet or phone. If you don’t have a bible, please come see me—I want everyone to have a copy of God’s Word in their hands. Some have their Bible given to them as a gift—perhaps at baptism, when they professed faith in Christ, or from a loved one who wanted to mark a meaningful spiritual milestone. As I look at what I call my Bible shelf, granted I am a pastor, I count nearly forty different Bibles—some in various languages, some in different translations. With such easy access, it is natural to assume it has always been this way—that believers have always had personal copies of Scripture readily available. But that simply is not the case.

Today we think about how rapidly technology changes in our own day yet consider the monumental leap forward when the printing press was invented in the mid-15^th century. Before then, every book had to be copied painstakingly by hand. The early church Bibles were handwritten copies. When the printing press emerged, it sent shockwaves through society. Many feared it would erode traditions, eliminate jobs, and spread dangerous ideas. In the early church, if you had a copy of God’s Word, it was greatly cherished. Public reading and teaching of God’s Word was what many depended upon. Bible verses and creeds were memorized as a way to have God’s truth when no copy of God’s Word was available. When I now read Christ’s words in Matthew 4:4, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God,’ I think of how blessed we are to have such access.  

Today, God’s Word is more available than ever before because of digital technologies and AI provides access to the Bible and to Bible study material more than any other generation has ever had. Some today avoid new technology and even fear it. Yes, technology can be used for evil, but it also can be used for good. It’s neutral. Just remember, access to God’s Word is a good thing, but it is not the same as knowing it. With greater access comes greater responsibility—and less excuses.

Pastor Phil Newby