Matt Delves

So, it is with no surprise that I do write this post. My last blog post is on the line of criticism and abuse. This one, along the lines of praise and adoration.

I was harsh on the book of face. Even my slur at the name is harsh. Though despite the harsh tone, my arguments still remain. Facebook deserves criticism on many fronts. Though the arguments I gave were not the way to approach the problem. This brings me to the point of criticism / abuse or praise / adoration.

Facebook does many things right. These include:

• Events
• Reminders (birthdays in particular)
• Photos
• Links

The problems which I highlighted previously though were to do with culture. Though Facebook provides a single point at which people can socialize, the level of interaction is often flawed. The level of interaction that exists between people is one of shallowness. There is no depth to the interaction. Something gets posted, something gets commented and yet there is little discussion over it. The comments are often brief and hardly ever thought through.

So what? This is just the way culture is going! And as such culture is dead. If you do not commit yourself to an intimate involvement with your friends. If you do not take the time to get to know them as people. If you do not commit yourselves to live lives that are driven by a desire to see lives changed and culture redeemed, then you will end up just posting things into /dev/null.

So how can you and I redeem culture and change lives? The answer is we can't. A boycott of Facebook won't solves the problems with culture. Ranting and raving to your friends won't change peoples lives. The only possible way in which culture can be redeemed is the Gospel. I do not advocate a social Gospel in which you and I cook a meal for some under privileged people or send money to an aid organization. What I put forward as the solution is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. His death and resurrection.

When you understand that there is no difference between man and woman. That there is no difference between Jew and Muslim. When you realize that you are in as much need of a savior because of your sins as all the great villains of history then you realise how it is culture can be saved. We are all in need of a savior. We need a perfect lamb as a sacrifice and that lamb is Jesus Christ. Jesus died on the cross for the forgiveness of sins so that we may get what we are undeserving of. What we deserve is death. What we get because of Jesus is forgiveness.

It is through a life lived sacrificially for other people that you can see just how shallow the interaction on Facebook is and how our cultures need to be saved. Our culture is saved due to individuals being saved. Individuals are saved, that is brought from death to life, by the Gospel.

So, admitting my own fallenness and that I too need to constantly look to my savior who is Jesus, I do say sorry for the harsh words and tones used against Facebook. Though I do also and continuously advocate that along with the rest of culture, Facebook as a cultural outlet needs to be redeemed.

What I do advocate is the following:

• Think about what you say
• Don't be afraid to write in detail and depth to your friends.
• Make sure you catch up with your friends outside of Facebook.

I shall also ask you to continue to pray for the redeeming of culture, particularly that which exists on Facebook. Partition God to save your family and friends each time you pray. Pray for the redeeming of your City (or town). Pray for the faithful preaching of the Gospel in your local Church.

God bless,

Matt Delves

This day has been rather interesting, though rather revealing as such. As it turns out, I found that I have become addicted to Facebook. I have started to rely on it heavily to keep in touch with people and waste many hours each day  seeing what other people are up to. Some might clamor that the previous statement is a defining point of Facebook. I will retort by saying that it can become a rather unhealthy and consuming addiction.

So, how do I then plan to keep in touch? How do I plan to talk to friends and get to know them? The answer to these is simple as it is a solved problem. Call them, write to them, drink coffee with them and invite them over. Yes Facebook does make it easy to do such things, though they were always achievable previously.

So, some tips for giving up Facebook.

1. Use your mobile phone to call people
2. Invite people over for dinner
3. Find a local cafe and catch up with friends there
4. Get to know the people next door to you
5. Get to know the people at your local Church

As an introvert, I know this can be daunting, though honestly it is for the better. Shake off the shackles of Facebook and get to know people in your local community. Share the Gospel with them. Pray with them. Study God's word with them and enjoy their fellowship.

Enough ranting for the moment.

God bless,

Matt Delves

Romans 12:9-21

Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. 10 Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. 11 Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. 12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. 13 Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.

14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight.17 Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. 18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. 19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” 20 To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

 Romans 12:1-2

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Romans 9:25-26 (ESV)

“Those who were not my people I will call ‘my people,’
and her who was not beloved I will call ‘beloved.’”
26 “And in the very place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,’
there they will be called ‘sons of the living God.’”