Important information regarding use of the Internet:
While we recognize the great usefulness of the Internet, we are not ignorant of the many potential dangers. Therefore, we believe it is necessary to lay out the following Bible principles and to strongly recommend the following guidelines.
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Bible Principles
1. What we see influences how we think.
Genesis 3:5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. 6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.
See also Job 31:1, 7; Psalm 73:7; Lamentations 3:51
2. What we think influences how we live.
Romans 1:21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, 23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. 24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
3. We must guard our hearts (Prov. 4:20f)
Proverbs 4:23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.
Deuteronomy 4:9 Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life: but teach them thy sons, and thy sons' sons;
James 1:27 Pure religion is...to keep himself unspotted from the world.
Titus 1:7 A bishop must be blameless.
Suggested Guidelines
1. Make it public (remove the element of secrecy)
Place the computer in an open part of the house where other family members can see what is being done.
Set limits when the internet can be used, such as, only when the rest of the family is at home or awake.
2. Make it protected (purchase an internet filter)
For home use, purchase a good Internet filter, either installed software (good) or ISP-based (better). Currently, we recommend BeSafe Online's filter found at www.bsafeonline.com.
For business use, check your company's policy to insure that they use Internet filtering and/or monitoring. If they do not, encourage them to do so.
When using email, immediately delete all inappropriate mail (usually spam) without reading any further. In addition, be sure to take advantage of your email's spam and junk mail filters.
To avoid offensive "pop-up" windows, use an alternative web browser such as Opera or Firefox and turn on their blocking features.
Avoid all appearances of evil and be accountable to your spouse or other Godly individuals; do not place yourself in a situation of temptation.
3. Make it parent-controlled
Parents need to establish clear guidelines for Internet use in the home and communicate them to every computer user in the home.
Password protect your Internet connection and insure that your filter cannot be easily bypassed or guessed.
Chat rooms are not recommended for any family member. This is because there does not appear to be any compelling reason to participate in chat rooms or other public forums (such as gaming sites) where you communicate with people you do not know. The potential dangers are great.
4. Make it praise-worthy (Is God glorified?)
1 Corinthians 10:31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.
For believers, any time spent on the Internet should be honoring to the Lord.
©Lighthouse Baptist Church 2006