The 3rd edition of the New Hacker’s Dictionary by Eric. S. Raymond, defines a hacker as an intelligent programmer and defines hacking as the act of coming up with a clever solutions to a programming problem. During the late 90’s, the term “hacker” erroneously became synonymous with the term “cracker” which refers to a person/group who is malicious in intent when using their skills to sabotage (computer) systems, but security professionals in my hacking community, understand this difference. In fact, there are peers of mine, who are pristine in their Spirit, because of their faith, that bring to question the very negative stigma associated with the term “hackers”. Johnny Long, who needs little to no introduction in the security community (the ihackstuff guy who is now the ihackcharities guy and founder of the Hackers For Charity organization) uses his skills to help others who serve Christ, with his family in Uganda; Gervase Markham (known as Gerv), a well known security professional at Mozilla uses his hacking skills for Jesus Christ, as he believes in using the gift God has given him as a means to glorify God (ref: Why “Hacking for Christ”?). The HackFormers organization (www.hackformers.org) serves the Information Technology (IT) community in the Austin area by staying true to their mission which is to “Teach Security; Teach Christ; Teach Security In Christ”. I could go on and on, with many more who can help us understand that the term “hacker” is in and of itself not to be negatively understood as one who is nefarious, but instead, it simply refers to someone who is noble with skills and expertise to figure out how computer systems are architected and identify any weaknesses or controls in them. “Whitehat” hackers are noble and use what they find, to help better implement security in the organization that they provide their services to.
In September 2011, the Economist published an article entitled “What Would Jesus Hack?” which spoke about how the Christian community has a lot in common with the open-source software movement. So What Would Jesus Hack? or can we consider Jesus to be a Hacker? A hacker is an expert who can look into how systems are architected and identify any weaknesses or controls within. Information Systems (and Software) are usually architected with weaknesses in them and they need controls to be implemented in them so that they are protected against breaches. The Bible teaches us that “Jesus knew what was in man.” (John 2:25). In other words, Jesus, The Hacker can look into his creation (man) and he knows what is in man; man’s weaknesses to temptations and man’s propensity to sin and continue in sin (whose wages is death), or The Control of the Holy Spirit in man (whose gift is security of our soul and eternal salvation).
Points to ponder:
If Jesus The Hacker was to look into your life and mine today, what would he find? Will he find us secure in God with the Holy Spirit of God within us, for having believed in him or would he find us weak as a slave to sin? Let Jesus The Hacker hack us, for he knows what is in us. Let him become THE CONTROL in us and secure our souls from getting eternally breached in hell.
John 2:22-25 (KJV)
22 When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this unto them; and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said.
23 Now when he was in Jerusalem at the passover, in the feast day, many believed in his name, when they saw the miracles which he did.
24 But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men,
25 And needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man.
Psalm 51:5-7 (KJV)
5 Behold, I was shapen [architected] in iniquity [weakness]; and in sin did my mother conceive me.
6 Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.
7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
1 Peter 1:7-14 (KJV)
7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
8 Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:
9 Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.
10 Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you:
11 Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.
12 Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.
13 Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
14 As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:
