Computers, Jesus, and the Gospel
I remember well walking into the computer room and writing programs during a BASIC Computer class at the University of Florida in the mid 1980’s. Looking back, it is kind of comical to think of those large perforated greenish, beige and white sheets the printer would spit out.
Upon gazing at the numbers, symbols, and letters, I hoped the program made some kind of sense, especially to the professor who had to endure grading such a program, namely mine! You should know, I did earn an undergraduate degree, not in Computer Science, but Telecommunications.
As decades have passed, computer technology is continuing to advance at breakneck speed, even as I tap these keystrokes on my Mac! I have no idea even what the latest greatest gadget is in 2025, for it sometimes seems today’s innovation will be tomorrow’s antique!
Yet I’ve been struck lately by the core of computer technology and how it points to the Word of God and gospel of Jesus!
In general terms, binary may be defined as something having two parts. As it pertains to the computer technology, you might say binary is primary.
You see, a computer in its simplest form is a binary machine. What is a binary machine? Well, in simple terms, it’s a machine that relies entirely on one of two numbers, either a 0 (zero) or a 1 (one). At the most rudimentary levels of every computer that is all there is; just two numbers.
The computer is therefore solely dependent upon the simplest of all number systems – the binary number system. In fact, the most rudimentary element of a computer is a single “bit” of information and this “bit” can either be off or on (zero or one). Computers of course are tremendously more complex by the sheer numbers of these “bits” that exist within a modern computer. Yet, at their foundation, they point to foundational spiritual truths!
Because much spiritual truth is communicated within a binary construct.
For example, in Genesis 1, God separates light from darkness (Genesis 1:4), land from waters, calling the dry land “Earth” and the waters “Seas” (Genesis 1:9-10).
In Genesis 2 God put two trees in the Garden, one the Tree of Life and the other the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. What we can see from these trees is that they represent a choice.
When the Lord birthed the nation of Israel and gave them the law, He gave them a binary choice – obedience or disobedience, along with it’s associated consequences – blessing or cursing, life and death:
“I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live” (Deuteronomy 30:19).
When we get to the New Testament, Jesus, in the Sermon on the Mount, lays out a clear binary decision with it’s associated consequences human beings must grapple with:
“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it” (Matthew 7:13-14).
Notice – two roads, two ways, two gates, two decisions, two consequences, two destinations.
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).
Receive Jesus and go to heaven. Reject Him and go to hell. These are the basis of a simple binary choice. A binary number can only be 0 or 1, off or on. You cannot be in both categories simultaneously. It is a universal truth that you are either in one or the other states of existence. It is a classic division of opposition. Zeros are always the opposites of Ones. Light is the complete opposite to darkness and you do not have both at once. And so one either believes in Jesus or rejects Him, for the Lord Himself said:
“Whoever is not with me is against me” (Luke 11:23, Matthew 12:30).
As we ponder the binary system as it relates to our witness, here are a couple of applications.
For religious people, we can explain there are two paths to righteousness: a works-based righteousness based upon what man does or a faith-based righteousness based upon trusting in what Jesus has done for us on the cross.
For the non-religious, we can point out that believing or rejecting anything affirms the veracity of the binary system. And so even while someone may reject the truth claims of Jesus and the gospel, we can humbly point out that this rejection still affirms the binary system as it relates to Him.
Even the very concepts of good and evil fit into a binary paradigm.
And for people who lean toward eastern philosophies like Hinduism and Buddhism – whose spiritual paradigms include the ‘enlightened’ and ‘unenlightened’ along with “light”and “darkness” – the binary system can also open up doors to gospel conversations.
Finally, while many today want to say there’s no such thing as absolutes, we can simply point to the computer and the binary system in particular as an example refuting that claim and also as a starting point in having a faith-based conversation.
Either God exists or He doesn’t and either Jesus is exactly who He says He is or He’s not. The gospel is true or it’s false.
May the Lord Jesus grant us open doors of opportunity and wisdom to use the binary system as a segue to conversations about truth, Jesus, and the gospel. Amen.