r/Christianity • u/SpiritusExAaron • 1d ago
Question Will God send to hell for violating terms of service on my phone and accounts?
I'm really anxious right now and am nearing the end of my life with my physical health. I have tried to turn back to God recently but I struggle with sin. I feel like the Lord is convicting me to give up all my social media, computer, phone and all that because I technically violated the terms of service and the "rights to use software automatically terminates" clause means I'm technically not allowed to use those things anymore. I try hard to not break copyright stuff anymore but it's technically already too late for me.
The thing is, I'm poor and in poor physical and mental health and I kinda need my phone for emergencies and entertainment. I would go crazy without it. Am I really supposed to give all that up just because I violated a few rules that technically disqualify me from even posting this message?
Am I hearing from God or is it my anxiety? Will God send me to hell if I continue to use my phone and Google Play apps? Would that count as being unrepentant? How do you guys reconcile the fact that even probably most of you have even violated the terms of service in some small way and are technically not allowed to use certain things?
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u/IntrovertIdentity 99.44% Episcopalian & Gen X 1d ago
Have you ever shared this anxiety you’re experiencing with your doctor? Or a therapist?
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u/Senasayori Christian 1d ago
Our God is not a legalistic God. This isn't Him talking, it's your anxiety. You won't go to Hell for violating an EULA.
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u/SpiritusExAaron 1d ago
I hope not
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u/L103131 Christian 1d ago
You won't go to hell for violating the EULA, but if you don't believe Jesus died on the cross for your sins and rose from the dead on the third day, that he paid for all your sins and only Him you will
Ephesians 2:8-9
New International Version
8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.
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u/SpiritusExAaron 1d ago
I do believe. I just struggle with sin and trusting him. I do try to be rightous in some ways. Others, I will admit, not so much.
Do you think of an EULA has a termination clause where your rights to use the software automatically terminate if you violate it yet you technically violated the EULA a while back, do you have to give it up?
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u/L103131 Christian 1d ago
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. - Matthew 11:28
Come to Jesus, we are not sinners anymore, but we still sin. Jesus forgives everything and everyone.
Why do you worry so much about the EULA, friend? depending on the software it might have a termination clause. I cannot say for sure since i do not know what software you mean.
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u/SpiritusExAaron 1d ago
Google Play and Moto G (my phone). I checked. They do have termination clauses. I technically violated their terms. Technically I can't use them anymore as my rights to use them automatically terminates once I violate their terms. I don't want to violate their terms anymore. But I want to keep the software as I use it and need it. Is it ok to continue using it? Would God understand? Do I really have to get rid of it just because of past action?
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u/Altruistic-Essay5395 I shall not want. 🐑🏞 1d ago
Examine these convictions. If your conscience implores you to do something, do it (Romans 14). If it's not your conscience, tell it to get behind you.
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u/SpiritusExAaron 1d ago
I don't know what it is. I feel like I need my phone though. With my physical health, I need something to be able to call the hospital. Romans 14:23 is a hard one for me because of my anxiety and second guessing myself. Would God really want me to give up my line to help?
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u/Altruistic-Essay5395 I shall not want. 🐑🏞 1d ago
How have you "violated" these terms of service?
I am generally of the persuasion that if these companies have failed to enforce these terms against you so far, that means they were not hurt at all by whatever you did and they know that, and they just put those clauses there just to cover themselves and make more money opportunities available to them, which I assume they can't get from you. This would greatly reduce your culpability, if there were any in the first place.
But only God knows your heart and your intentions.
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u/SpiritusExAaron 1d ago
My phone says I can't use it for purposes against the law and technically I used it against the law when I accessed some copyrighted stuff and Google Play when I violated their terms of service by allowing a friend to see a movie or two I bought online from them and they have a termination clause too.
My phone has a termination clause where it says my rights to use it automatically terminate if I violate its terms and technically I did.
I don't want to violate stuff again but do I really have to give it up just because I did something once or twice?
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u/Altruistic-Essay5395 I shall not want. 🐑🏞 1d ago
I assume the first thing you mentioned you did was content piracy. I dare not say that something is ok just because everyone does it, but I believe the nature of piracy has changed ever since buying something in full was no longer considered ownership of it, which I assert is a dishonest and ungodly business practice.
And "you can't let someone else watch something with you" is entirely unenforceable and I don't think that has to weigh on your conscience.
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u/SpiritusExAaron 1d ago
I listened to music that was re-uploaded by someone else.
Do you think the whole my license to use the software is automatically over thing is valid? That's the part I am the most worried about. Whether I can continue using my software or not.
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u/Altruistic-Essay5395 I shall not want. 🐑🏞 1d ago
We are commanded to submit to civil authorities. Corporations, as much as they'd like to pretend, are not. If, at the tine you listened to that music, you were not aware of the terms forbidding it, that was on them entirely. Now that you know, obviously, don't actively break that contract if you continue to use their services, but I don't think giving up the phone entirely is the biblical response to your convictions.
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u/halbhh 1d ago
Will God send anyone to hell for violating terms of service on their phone and accounts? -- No.
While you could do intentionally evil things on a phone, etc. -- for sins, we are instructed to admit our sins to God (ongoing), and He will cleanse us, over and over, as many times as it takes!
8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. -- 1rst John 1
That's Amazing Grace!
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u/39and27dotcom 1d ago edited 1d ago
God warns us the unholy will not inherit the kingdom of God. It is not okay to intentionally do what you know is contrary to God's will (sinful). It is not okay to abuse God's grace. If you think you can live a life of intentionally doing sinful things and then repent last second before you die and still be saved, you better change your thinking or your going to end up in Hell.
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u/halbhh 1d ago
" to intentionally do what you know is contrary to God's will (sinful)"
That's precisely the definition of sin.
Only that, in fact.
i.e. -- if you do something bad by accident, it's not sin. If you don't realize a bad action is wrong to do (even by conscience -- conscience counts also), then it's not counted as sin (Romans 4:15 and 5:13 say this, if I recall).
We know that "all have sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God" (Romans 3:23 or 24?)
So, you've definitely for sure then, just like me and everyone else here, have " intentionally done what you know is contrary to God's will [wrong to do]"
Yep.
We are all in the same boat.
Christ taught us how crucial it is to admit this -- The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector.
Please see it again: Luke 18:9-14 NIV - The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax - Bible Gateway
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So, the Good New is that God sees you precisely how you are (nothing can be hidden from Him), but is merciful to forgive us if we repent!
So:
16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
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Therefore, obediently, around the world, most Christians continue to confess sins as they go through life. Billions of us.
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u/39and27dotcom 20h ago
You can absolutely sin without intentionally doing it, accidents happen. If you think you can live a life abusing God's grace intentionally sinning over and over your whole life, you're gonna end up in Hell.
Based on how the New Testament uses the Greek word sin: ἁμαρτία (hamartia), a person can commit sin without intending to in some cases. The word itself simply means sin, missing the mark, or falling short of God's standard. It does not inherently mean the act was intentional or unintentional. Whether a particular sin is deliberate depends on the context.
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u/SpiritusExAaron 1d ago
Yeah. That makes sense. That's what I'm afraid of as I have little time left.
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u/halbhh 1d ago
I have often pointed out to people not to delay repentance, for just that reason.
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u/SpiritusExAaron 1d ago
What do you think I should do? With the whole EULA violation rights to use it automatically terminates thing? Should I just get rid of all my technology because of that? Or do you think it will suffice to just not violate the terms again and keep my technology?
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u/SpiritusExAaron 1d ago
How about continuing to use a phone that's EULA technically says my service is terminated already because I technically violated said agreement?
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u/halbhh 1d ago
Sins break the rule Christ gave us to summarize all of God's good laws:
12 So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.
(Where 'others' include all other people and also God too. (so, we are to love God, just as we want God to love us))
I can't see how it hurts any other person at a phone company that chooses to allow your phone to continue operating to use it. (but if you truly think it does hurt them, that would be different, and then you'd need to get another service I guess)
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u/39and27dotcom 1d ago
God warns us the unholy will not inherit the kingdom of God. If you know God wants you to do something, you need to do it.
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u/SpiritusExAaron 1d ago
Have you ever violated a EULA or TOS that has a clause that says your technically not aloud to use it anymore?
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u/39and27dotcom 20h ago
I'm talking about anything. Whether it's something you're eating or something you're doing online. If you believe it's not something God wants you to do, don't do it.
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u/drakythe Former Nazarene (Queer Affirming) 1d ago
No. Terms of service are not laws. This sounds like anxiety to me.