BugBear!! - A gospel computer experience

Last Friday I discovered I had BugBear! Or to be more precise last Friday I discovered my computer had been infected by the w32.BugBear@mm virus.

It's one of those silent viruses. I knew other people who'd got it but I didn't know I'd got it too. It came on an email even though I'd been careful not to open any I was unsure of - honest!

It's one of those spoiling viruses. It corrupts files and it spreads. It hides itself in a couple of files, spreads to your operating system, changing its name each time you turn off and on and, without you knowing, can send itself to 12 of your (ex-)friends via your email address book when you are on line. It also memorises passwords and credit card details, such are its powers.

And if that's not all, it separates you from your virus protector, disabling your ability to run your anti-virus software or download new anti-virus protection.

What sin is like

It reminds me of what the Bible says sin is like.

We often think we are not sinners - others are, but me? 'If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us' (1John 1.8). It corrupts our lives; even our good deeds are like filthy rags (Isaiah 64.6). It spreads to all areas of our lives and our hearts and we even give it to others, often without being aware of our unkind actions, hurtful comments and thoughtless words. Sin resides in our operating system - 'the heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?' (Jeremiah 17.9).

And sin separates us from God (Isaiah 59.2), we cannot deal with it ourselves and we are disabled from receiving his love and forgiveness.

Well - I'd lived unintentionally with BugBear for a week or so. I assumed my system was just playing up as they do - it refused to switch off - but that was soon 'solved' by pulling the plug out each time I wanted to shut down!! And I convinced myself - that I wasn't running my anti-virus software properly.

Help from outside

I eventually rang my computer supplier. He soon diagnosed BugBear and said I couldn't fix it on my own. I'd need help from outside. I'd need the BugBear anti-virus software 'downloaded onto a floppy', which I'd then need to run on my system.

We cannot fix our problem with sin on our own. We ignore the warning signs and find our own short cuts to avoid the consequences of our sins. We need help from outside, not just to diagnose the problem, but to fix it. So our God in heaven has sent his Son Jesus Christ to the cross to pay for our sin and gives his Holy Spirit to apply his work to our lives. 'The blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin' (1John 1.7).

I dialled up the virus protector company, and following their instructions managed to download 'fxBgbear' onto a floppy disc, and again following their instruction, ran it in dos on my system. 'Yes, you have BugBear. Yes, your system is now fixed' was the happy menu that popped up at me.

Running the rescue package

So we too, need not just to know Jesus died on the cross for sin, but also to run this in our lives, by repenting of our sins and trusting in Christ's work on the cross for our salvation.

It's not good enough to know the solution - it needs to be run in our hearts.
Have you done that?

Yesterday - guess what! I was collecting my emails and you know what arrived with them - yes 'BugBear'! But now I've got anti-virus protection and I ran it again on my system.

And as believers we know we need to rerun daily in our lives, the blood of Jesus Christ who continues to purify us from all sin.

Graham Jones is pastor of Guildford Park Church, Guildford, Surrey.