Over the past several years, the use of electronic bibles has been of great concern to my mind. How does it affect the gospel? Is it sinful? Does it take away the sacredness of sanctity from the scriptures? Is the use of these several e-bible materials and applications less spiritual? Is it the same word of God that is quick powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword? These questions and more has given me concern.

One school of thought believes the use of soft copy bibles should not be encouraged especially in the church, some others feels there is nothing wrong with using or even preaching with the e-bible and therefore should not be discouraged while many others are indifferent about this subject.
Therefore, in order not to be in error, I decided to take a brief look into history and how the bible got to us.

Before the advent of the printing press, the only way to duplicate a document or book was to copy it by hand. Probably, the first copies of writing were made by engraving symbols on slab of rock. The ancient invention of ink or dye enabled early scribes to make marks on animal hides, which could be scrubbed and used again.
A great leap forward was the advent of the codex-a kind of writing sheet made from an Egyptian plant called ‘papyrus’. The sheet of papyrus became the favourite of copyists.
Around 320AD, the codex book form replaced the scroll and parchment made from animal skin. Until the advent of the printing press, when written materials were now being mass produced.
At the advent of the printing press, there was a great reluctance by the church to print the scriptures, the scribes and clergy insinuated it was a worldly invention, some other religious fanatics opined that it was going to take away the sacredness and sanctity of the word or even reduce the efficacy of the word of God. But as the printing press got more popular and the need to spread the gospel increase, the bible too went into the press, and today the bible is the world’s bestseller book for centuries.

Today, the evolution of technology has affected the presentation, propagation and preaching of the gospel. Some men and women who deliver sermons in the places of worship increasingly find convenience in using gadgets like iPads, the Kindle among others. The worshippers too carry in their pockets e-Bibles to places of worship as opposed to the conventional Bible; call it hard copy Bible.
Therefore, like there was contention in the body of Christ when the printing of the word started about its effect on the gospel, even so it is today with the advent of e-Bible with technology.
Is Technology causing a radical shift in the way of doing things?

What is wrong with the soft copy?

e-Bible is good and dare I say there is nothing wrong with it, its advantages are enormous and its drawbacks abounds. Someone argued, “it is convenient to carry my e-Bible to church, it has the same content”. It is easier to navigate than the hard copy, verses can be easily found even when one is not used to reading the bible, one can make notes on their e-Bible app, can highlight and underline texts, schedule a study plan, navigate between several translations, get quick and cheap access to commentaries and even share insights with other users.
However, the use of phones and tablets for bible reading can be distractive. “You can put your phone in silent mode but will you stop a Whatsapp message from popping up?” someone wondered. That is why you see people facebooking or tweeting in church instead of listening to the sermon.
“There is a comfort you feel when you flip the Bible pages unlike swiping your gadget screen.” A brother in church suggested, He claimed that the use of phone or tablet instead of a conventional Bible depicts some level of laziness and can be an excuse to conceal someone’s Christian identity. Though the Bible is not to show off but some people use soft copy Bibles because they do not want to be identified as Christians.

There are two categories of people who go to church today – the young generation to whom reading the e-Bible is equivalent to flipping that big book unlike the older generation, many of whom do not appreciate technology.

Hard copy Bible Vs e-Bible
The Bible is the word of God be it printed, soft copy or even on tablets of stones or scrolls. The word of God is not made more powerful on prints or soft copy but in the hearts of men. The word of God is as powerful as it is in the spirit of the Christian by faith.
You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not in ink but with the spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts -2Corinthians 3:3 (NIV)
The word of God is the “sword of the spirit” not a tangible physical book or an electronic gadget, “it is quick and powerful, sharper than any two edged sword” not a decoration for the shelf or a device for show off. It is God’s will revealed to man. Let the word of God of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom…. (Col3:16) not on the pages of the book or in the codes of an application.

The Gospel and technology
The Apostle Paul started the church tech movement by writing letters and travelling; that methodology was eventually superseded by printing press, then audio amplification, and finally tools like TV and the Internet.
Technology has greatly contributed to the propagation of the gospel, no platform for the presentation or propagation of the gospel is to be condemned, be it soft or hard copy, whatever platform is comfortable for a Christian, Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called(1Cor 7:20).
For it is not the one who commends himself that is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends (2Cor. 10:18)
I therefore resolve that technology has come to stay, and it has given us a tool to use for the good of the gospel.

No hard feelings bro but are you a member of Christ Embassy?
Just curious.

aristocrazzy:
No hard feelings bro but are you a member of Christ Embassy?
Just curious.

No I am not! Just a curious christian too.

the power of the bible is in the content and application of the content, and not in d format. On a personal level, i still prefer the hard copy, cos i made lots of note and reference in it. But there are times when i'm not with it and i'll quickly use the softcopy bible. Nothing sinful or wrong about. The main thing is just to respect people's preference

hizick:

No I am not! Just a curious christian too.

can u rebuke demons with ur E- Bible

Dotwillis1:
can u rebuke demons with ur E- Bible

Sincerely I don't if one can or cannot, but one thing I know is "we overcome the devil by the blood of the lamb & the "WORDS OF OUR TESTIMONY". Not with a book(bible), remember " the letter kills, but the spirit gives life (2cor 3:6) not d bible that rebukes demon, but the spirit of God in the word.