This author wrote a paper in high school in 1983 about how we were going to become dependent on computers. At that time almost nobody had a computer in their home, and hardly anyone even used them at work. The paper was given a "C", not because it was poorly researched or written, but because the premise was not valid according to the teacher. It would be interesting to meet that teacher today to see if they would reconsider. Now we all carry around computers more powerful than what was used to land the Apollo 11 on the moon in 1969. They are called smart phones. In fact, so many people have them that they are not even called smart phones any more.

There are some parallels between people and computers, but we must be careful not to dehumanize ourselves too much, or to place too much emphasis on machines such as computers. We compare ourselves too much to the machines we have made, and describe ourselves using computer terminology. Some of it is harmless, but we must not think that our eternal souls can be reduced to that level. Some people think that is what will be behind the antichrist monetary system and the image of the beast as described in Revelation 13.

The ability of a computer to process information is based on a language of binary code of on and off signals which are expressed as the numbers 0 and 1. This concept was introduced by Gottfried Lebniz in 1679. He believed that this system would reflect the Christian belief in "ex nihilo" creation - that God made the heaven and the earth out of nothing as recorded in Genesis 1-2. In 1937, Alan Turing invented the electro-mechanical binary multiplier. Now CDs, DVDs, Blu-Rays, computers, and phones use this concept. The bar code we see on merchandise is also based on this concept. The black and white lines are read by the scanner as on and off signals.

We have heard and probably used the phrase "not everything is black and white". There are nuances and gray areas in some aspects of life, but man makes things much more complicated than they really are sometimes. Many of the basic principles of the Bible that are to guide us through life into eternity are binary. Here are some examples:

1. We either believe God is abundant or scarce. Christians are not usually radical

environmentalists or animal rights activists because the Bible teaches us that God created

all things and is Lord over His creation. We certainly do not advocate irresponsibility or

animal cruelty, but we do not believe in the scarcity of resources because God will supply

the needs of His people (Mt 6). Related to this is that we either believe the earth is strong

and resilient, or we believe it is fragile and easily destroyed.

2. We either walk in faith or fear.

3. We either believe God is in charge or man is.

4. Our communication should be yes or no (Mt 5:37, 2Cor 1:17-19, Jam 5:12).

5. The first day of creation God set forth the principle of light and darkness (Gen 1:1-5). This is

a reflection of the spiritual things. Light represents God, truth, good, life, righteousness,

and the people of God all throughout the Bible (Jn 3:19-21, Jn 8:12, Jn 12:35, Acts 26:18,

2Cor 6:14, Eph 5:8, 1Pet 2:9, 1Jn 1:5, 1Jn 2:8-9). Darkness represents the devil, sin, lies, etc.

6. Something can only be either truth or a lie (Jn 8:44, 1Jn 2:21 & 27). That is why truth cannot

be relative.

7. People are either saved, or they are lost. This is not ambiguous. While discipleship is a

process, we should be able to point to a moment in our life when we obeyed the gospel

(1Cor 15:1-4, Acts 2:38), and our life was changed. Jesus described it as being born again

(Jn 3:1-7).

8. There are only 2 destinations for our souls when we depart this life - heaven and hell, or

eventually the lake of fire (Jn 5:24-29, Rev 20:11-15).

9. We are either male or female (Gen 1:27, Mt 19:1-7).