I love reading the Bible. It gives me strength and reading God’s Word brings me peace, too.
I have always brought my Bible with me to church. Everyone in our congregation did. But lately more and more people are coming without one. The key scriptures from the sermon are shared on a big screen and many people read the Bible on their cell phones in church.
Hey, times change so why does this bother me? Maybe it is more a concern for the younger generation. They are so used to doing everything on their phones. It is an essential part of their lives. Their faces are looking into a screen much of their waking hours. So, taking it to the extreme, what would the world be like if everyone only read the Bible online? So, let me share my thoughts and I would love to hear what you think.
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What If We ONLY Read The Bible Online?
PROS
- A cell phone is lightweight and compact and Bibles are bulky to carry. A phone is much easier to take with you.
- Believe it or not, sometimes people forget and LEAVE their Bible at church [ you should see our lost and found!] It is less likely that you will leave your cell phone there.
- When the minister gives you a scripture reference, instead of floundering around to find it in a hand-held Bible you can just do a quick search online and there it will be!
CONS
- People who no longer use a “real” Bible will need one if the internet is down. Outages don’t usually last long but many of us have experienced days or even weeks of no internet service. Personally, I want my Bible within reach, especially in times of trouble! Even if I don’t use it like I do on a phone, I want to have a Bible nearby.
- Bible study is the way we grow in our faith. Opening your Bible up and flipping back and forth to different passages is so much easier with a hard copy.
- For study, many of us like to use more than one version of the Bible. We lay them out on our desk or kitchen table to compare and contrast. At length, this is almost impossible on a cell phone.
- If you do not know where the 66 books of the Bible are, you can purchase a set of index tabs and install them for easy reference. Eventually, as you read the Bible more and more, you will know how to find them.
- If people rely on digital copies of the Bible exclusively, there is a danger that, over time, the truth of the Word could be tampered with. It is all too easy to change words here or there if it is only read online. I hate the thought that anyone would ever do that but how would anyone know that it isn’t the TRUE Word of God if no one ever uses paper copies?
So, what you do you do? Please let us know in the comments if you read the Bible and, if you do, what method do you prefer?
What do you prefer to use when you read the Bible? A hand-held hard copy or do you like to read it online? #faith #Bible Share on X
By the way, I do love the many Bible reference websites like Bible Hub and Biblegateway. They are handy tools with many great features, such as audio readings. But in my opinion, nothing can replace reading a hand-held Bible of your own!
Blessings!