Are you free in Christ to have internet access? Yes. But Albert N. Martin, in his sermon “A Fresh Look at Christian Liberty #21” (!) offers these sobering words of warning concerning whether or not every Christian should have internet access:
Internet access. It is drawing down into a vortex of bondage into sensuality and all forms of wickedness men and women by the millions. And there some of you sitting here who know it is a source of temptation for you that hitherto you have not been to overcome with any degree of consistency. It is a source of constant pull that is distracting to you, just the fact that you know are a few clicks away from that which is unclean and that which is dishonoring to God, or a few clicks away from wasting time in the pursuit of something that for some reason or other is a personal interest to you and the fact that you know you can have almost limitless access to information about it, you waste precious time! My friend, get rid of it! Stop coming back in your devotions and whining and saying, “O, Lord, I fell again; O, Lord, I fell again; O, Lord, forgive me!” Stop the nonsense! In God’s name, stop it! Rear back on your hind legs and say, “I’m so free in Christ, I can get rid of it; that’s how free I am. I have no moral duty to have access to it.” Some of you have a moral duty; it’s your job, and you must have access to it. Therefore, you can trust God to give you grace and if you can’t, you need to change your job. Change it! My friend, getting to heaven in the way of holiness is not optional. The job you got may be.
You may have full liberty in Christ. I think of some of you young people, you are absolute fools. You sit down with unstructured time, unmonitored access to the internet. You’re fools! “But I’m free to do it.” Yeah, you’re free to destroy yourself, bloody your conscience, ensnare yourself in some of the most vicious, crippling bondage known to man!
Now am I saying that if you have access to the internet I’m judging you? No. God knows I’m not. But I’m asking you to judge yourself, and judge yourself honestly. Be honest! How many weeks, how many months, has it been that you’ve been able to walk away from your computer with a clean conscience? Get honest! Stop playing head games! Get honest.
Immoderate 
does martin have an unfettered telephone connection? does he spend his time dialing seedy 900 numbers? at any point he is only 11 clicks away from phone sex.
If you struggle with this, Billy Bob, you should consider getting rid of your phone.
billy bob you have obviously missed the point.
Great post. I think this is a perspective that many christians fail to even consider, and yet it is so obvious and practical and effective. Now, I/we need to apply the same thought process to TV!
And Driving through Kenosha, and stopping at Piggly Wiggly for a quart of milk, and driving anywhere near pedestrians in the summer, and…
I don’t fault the idea that it is a major major problem in the church, and in our society, but turning off the internet access had better be a temporary band aid, with further surgery to follow. You will never every be free of the root of the problem by using your own strength to avoid such a common situation. Becoming a worshipper of God, and committing to your relationship with him, and learning how to respond to the temptations that Satan will surely bring your way if you try to avoid the ones you currently are weak to are the only ways to combat this. I would even go so far as to say that God will ensure you fail if your only method and advice is “get rid ‘o the internet” to make it very clear to you how desperately wicked your heart is. His desire is to see your heart changed, and simply avoiding temptation does not do that. If you believe the Bible, than you believe that you can overcome this issue in your life, its no different than many other sins that result from our natural appetites. Get help, get serious, and get real. Put whatever measures in place you need to , but don’t think they will fix your problem. I am worried that the church has no idea how to deal with this, and so they come up with the same old tactics that didn’t work for every other medium in the past. This is a reality of our culture, and we have to learn to live pure in an impure setting, not just in the lily white holy ground we have managed to create in our lives through isolation and behavioral avoidance, thats a wall that God will knock down by any means necessary.
I am sorry, Dave (and I appreciate your comment), if it seems as if this is a method apart from the grace of God. Your points are all well taken, but I think, if you listen to Albert Martin, you will see that he does not want to make this the emphasis at all. The point is, all the same, that if you struggle with a particular sin, you should, in your liberty in Christ, free yourself from its influences in the grace that only Christ can give.
For example, you may struggle with vanity. If you do, you may want to consider getting rid of some of the mirrors in your house. It is not that getting rid of the mirrors solves the problem. But having all those mirrors is not helping the problem either. If you struggle with gluttony, it does no good to your spiritual life to go and buy those extra four bags of fritos and Oreo cookies.
This is about being free in Christ to remove the things in our life that especially tempt us. Removing the temptation does not solve the problem, but you’re not helping yourself either. Albert Martin understands Reformed theology and sanctification, I assure you.
Ryan, thanks for that. I too struggle with it. There is grace and there are periods where I do not struggle but keep it in check. Our precious time, Oh, our precious time.
It might be noted that just as one can filter the Internet, so can one request that one’s phone not have access to 900 numbers. One doesn’t need to be tempted by perversions to know that the bill for those accidentally dialed can add up quickly.
Same thing with Internet, or even revealing clothing. Even if one is not tempted now, what is the cost of leaving such a portal unguarded?
This is rediculous… don’t you think having free access to the internet was truly a sin then it wouldn’t have been created at all? And I find it awful hipocritical that you’re so against using the internet, when you’ve used your own computer, with your own internet access, to post this on THE INTERNET. Even if if turns out you went and used somebody elses computer, this is still kind of going against what you just said a teency bit.
Yes, there’s bad stuff on the internet, like porn, and bad people and just, disgusting things. But there are so man wonderful things that make up for it. You can read stories, and watch old cartoons or shows that haven’t been on for years, look at nice artwork, there’s even lots of good religious things you can find. And I’ve met more nice people than bad. Now I don’t know if this post has anything to do with the latest government issue of turning off the internet, but this is… just.. it frustrates me so much that there are so many close minded people. Most of what use the internet for is games, and conecting with loved ones that I can’t afford to call long distence to speak to them, and with some people, if I didn’t have the internet, then I’d never speak to them again. It’s just… it’s not fair and it scares me that stupid little issues like this are going to try ruin friendships and even lifestyles for people who need to run their businesses and such all in the name of God… or in most cases greed.
If YOU, or anyone else doesn’t want internet, then unplug the cord and stop paying for the service, then you never have to deal with it again and you can leave the millions of people who do need it alone.
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I reach down to turn the knob as squares of bare flesh fly through dark halls.
“Go on.. do it. Do it”
“Don’t go in here, no.”
March on in, flip the switch. Shake your head “no,” you gotta itch.
The curer to poison ivy is not scratching, the lions key to heaven is will not lacking.
The light shines down on the place where you lay
at night, and in dawning light begin each day,
love made,
the alter at which you prayed,
for so many times saved
Squares of bare flesh, slap, face.
To close, right beside, a tool full of pride
for its powers unnumbered and infinite wonders
of radiant light, pure white in the night
from holy skies. Displeasing gods eyes,
the blackballer.
Fighting somehow to rise, controlling lives,
to take on the creator of souls, truly unwise
thieving corruptor of all seeking power
With faltered hearts seeking salvation
“Go on.” Hesitation
touch clicking window fob transmission
sparking white lights attention.
Grinning at temptation.
Waiting so patiently knowing so much is in reach
to bring once again weeping on knees.
Choices can bind or set free.
Search the questions in the mind, even the blind will find
dark scriptures etched in light, a voice cries
“In gods name, rise. In gods name, RISE!”
“I wont give in! I’m free in Christ!”
A deeply heart felt and “sin seared” thank you to “Special K”, Ryan Martin, Dave, Youth Pastor. Brandon L Whitfield, and the others who have made this all possible. You have stirred my soul and healed my mind.
Peace and Love,
-Brandon-