Oswald Chambers offers this challenging thought: Every detail of our lives is under the scrutiny of God.* Every detail! Jesus said it first: “I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgement for every careless word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.” Matthew 12:36, 37.

As soon as we read such a challenge, we must remind ourselves of its true and acceptable context—the gospel.

Our salvation is based not on our ability to be perfect, but on Christ’s perfect life, death and ministry on our behalf. At the same time, we realise that the grace-filled Saviour who forgives us is also the Lord who calls us to holiness in every detail. It is holiness—the work of the Spirit in our lives—that testifies to the universe that our salvation is real. This is why our words will be brought into judgement. Judgement involves evidence, and our words give evidence about the reality of our salvation.

Which brings us to email. Have you made Jesus the Lord of your email? When you write email, and when you forward email, are you taking Jesus into account? Is your email sanctified? When your business associates, friends and acquaintances pull up your email messages and attachments on their computer screens, can they tell you are honest? Can they see you are pure? Can they feel you are kind? Can they sense you have God’s Word in your heart? Can they tell you are different from the usual, worldly person?

Let me be quick to confess my own failings on this point. After all, someone might read this who once received a less-than-sanctified email from me! The internet fools us with its camouflage. We say things by email in a way that we might never repeat if we were face-to-face with the recipient.

With email, it is easy to be curt, unresponsive, evasive, sarcastic, unkind, or crude. And even when we’re trying to be nice, email filters out tone of voice. Email cannot convey a smile, a handshake, sparkling eyes, or a friendly touch on the shoulder. The words are just words—millions of digital symbols arranged as cold language. Understanding this, we must seek the Holy Spirit to guide us in our choice of words by email.

Failure to respond is a common discourtesy in email communication. True, there are many unsolicited messages that don’t deserve response and shouldn’t get one. But in normal email communication, as in normal face-to-face communication, lack of response sets a poor example of Christian character.

Because email cannot convey non-verbal communication—tonal quality, gestures, facial expression and so on—we must find and add the words that convey the character of Christ. This is not difficult to do. Expressions such as “Thank you for your message. . . . I appreciate your concern. . . . I understand your frustration. . . . I apologise for my delay. . .” go a long way toward conveying Christian courtesy and kindness—yet such expressions are often missing from email communications, even in church circles.

But we can and should go further. As disciples of Christ, we must seize opportunities to speak a word for the gospel. We can look for such opportunities in our email messaging. Even in a purely business communication we can add something like, “I know you are facing considerable pressure in your work, and I want you to know I am thinking about you.” Words from Christ!

When we know the recipient has a religious orientation, we might add something like, “I hope things are well for you. I have been including you in my prayers lately. Is there something I can especially pray about for you?” Words from Christ!

When we email someone we know is a Christian, we can be specific. “I’m praying God will encourage you today in your challenges. Remember Paul’s affirmation—‘I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.’” Words from Christ!

Occasionally you might want to pray with someone via email. Carefully write your prayer, review it, pray over it, and send it.

If nothing else, we can add a “God bless you”, or “May Heaven’s peace rest on you today.” An encouraging Bible promise in the automatic signature line is one additional, easy way to bring our emails into sanctified service for God.

* See The Complete Works of Oswald Chambers, p. 19. (Discovery House Publishers, Grand Rapids, Michigan. Copyright © 2000 by Oswald Chambers Publications Association, Limited.) Also see My Utmost for His Highest, readings for July 31 and Sept. 1.

This article first appeared in modified form in Mid-America Outlook, May 2004. Copyright © 2009 by Ed Gallagher (South Pacific edition). / Scripture quotations taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission.