✌🏼Jesus vs AI
I’ve never really been into conspiracies. Okay, I did get deeply engrossed by Bigfoot in fourth grade. But for the most part, Do I believe there is some super scary secret stuff going on? Of course. Yet, I have a hard time buying a lot of the black helicopter “everything is a conspiracy” diatribes we call social media.
For the most part, my perspective is, that no matter how crazy things are or might get tomorrow, my job is the same. Love God. Love people. Make disciples.
In spite of that, for the first time I can remember, I’m really concerned. About technology no less. Something I love. I didn’t go all survival mode, but Y2K worried me as it approached. But if everything broke for a while, things were fixable. This is very different.
I’m talking about artificial intelligence, AI. Full disclosure, I was an early adopter and still use it. I’m not going to suggest that I fully understand it, but I learned computer programming in High School and have dabbled in it ever since. Professionally too. AI is essentially pattern matching algorithms on pattern matching algorithms. But at some point, you forget all you know about the motor and just hit the accelerator thinking what a cool car.
As a Jesus follower, the whole worry of AI developing consciousness has never concerned me. Science still can’t create life. No one is even close. That’s God stuff. I believe the same thing about consciousness. That’s God stuff so I’m not worried about a ghost in the machine.
Or at least I wasn’t until a few days ago. I mostly use ChatGPT. For me, it’s like Google on steroids. I’ve used it to create images for this blog and other things. What it can do is incredible. And it’s early. Then I saw this post on the platform formerly known as Twitter.
Grok is the X version of AI. In case you live under a rock, X is the Elon Musk owned and rebranded Twitter. This post was a thread of Grok created images. They were incredibly realistic. And with popular celebrities and brands… plus controversial things like Nazism that other platforms filter out. This was AI generated photos and videos with no safeguards. The results were troubling. Grok generated the image for this post in less than 20 seconds from a single typed sentence.
What I realized is that we now live in a world where it will be impossible to tell the difference between AI and reality. It will start with images but audio fakes are already at imperceptible levels. With the polarization and swirling conspiracy theories defining our culture, we are ill-equipped to handle such deception.
John 18:37-38b (NET)
37 Then Pilate said, “So you are a king!” Jesus replied, “You say that I am a king. For this reason I was born, and for this reason I came into the world - to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.” 38 Pilate asked, “What is truth?”…
What is truth? Pilate asked Jesus that before the crucifixion, but Jesus didn’t answer. Yet, we don’t have to wonder what truth is. Jesus made it clear as He prayed for His disciples in the previous chapter - which includes disciples today.
John 17:17 (NET)
Set them apart in the truth; your word is truth.
If God’s word is truth, what does that have to do with AI? Here’s my concern.
With the historic trends we have seen in technology advances, this is the tip of the iceberg. The photorealistic images, video, and even voice replication are at least creepy - but is it diabolical? Our modern hectic lifestyles and the abundant increase in knowledge should come as no surprise though.
Daniel 12:4 (NLT)
But you, Daniel, keep this prophecy a secret; seal up the book until the time of the end, when many will rush here and there, and knowledge will increase.
An increase in knowledge does not by default mean an increase in truth. From the very first encounter with sin in the garden, the adversary has added “knowledge” to the simplicity of what God said. The initial command was simply “Don’t eat that or you will die!” But by the time Eve said, “and don’t even touch it…” the truth was added to.
This is between the lines of what is written, but can you imagine believing that even touching the fruit would kill you - and then reaching out to touch it only to not die immediately? That’s how doubt works. That’s how dangerous adding to God’s word is.
Even without this new technology, adding to the truth is standard procedure in our polarized, politicized culture. No side is immune. And unfortunately, Christians seem to be some of the most gullible and willing to accept nonsense as fact. But that shouldn’t be a surprise either.
2 Timothy 4:3-4 (NKJV)
3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; 4 and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.
Fables. Fake information. Anti-truth. Anti-Christ. It’s all around now, and with the increase in AI created content, it’s going to be more and more difficult to tell what is real and what is fable. How can a Jesus follower walk in truth among all the disinformation that exists now, and surely to come?
Imagine lifelike videos of people saying and doing things that are imperceptible from reality. Imagine getting a phone call that sounds exactly like a family member or celebrity. That’s no longer science fiction. It’s here. Today. And the quality will only get better and better.
What should the response of a Jesus follower be? First. Don’t worry.
Matthew 6:33-34 (NET)
33 But above all pursue his kingdom and righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 So then, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Today has enough trouble of its own.
Not worrying doesn’t mean we have to bury our heads in the sand and ignore the dangers of the world. It’s about priorities and focus. Our pursuit should be God’s Kingdom and His righteousness.
It’s not artificial intelligence that is most concerning. It’s people. The human heart without God can be vile, corrupt and void of truth.
When the information we see and hear can no longer be trusted what do we trust? What is the only thing technology can’t mimic?
Real people. Face to face.
In Matthew 18, Jesus outlines the process for dealing with sin and conflict among believers. It starts and ends face-to-face. Scripture teaches that in the mouth of two or three witnesses, every word should be established. In the Jewish culture of the day, it was understood that those witnesses should be eyewitnesses.
Now, more than ever, Jesus followers need real, honest, face-to-face relationships with other followers committed to obeying the truth. Doctrines, theologies, conspiracies, and complexity divides. Simple obedience unites. You can’t be accountable to an idea - only to actions.
Didn’t Jesus say we should be known by our love for one another?
And therein lies the truth. Believing the right things isn’t enough. Even demons believe, and tremble. Faith is truth in action. And that’s how we come to know and understand God and His love. Together. In relationship.
1 John 5:2-4 (NET)
2 By this we know that we love the children of God: whenever we love God and obey his commandments. 3 For this is the love of God: that we keep his commandments. And his commandments do not weigh us down, 4 because everyone who has been fathered by God conquers the world.
How do we conquer the evil and misinformation so rampant in this broken world? Love. Uncompromising love for God seeking His Kingdom above all else. Love for people. Not only our families and fellow Jesus followers but also our neighbors and our enemies.
Among all the chaos technology is enhancing, real truth can and will prevail. But it’s going to have to be personal. Real. Face to face. Human to human.
We can argue all day long about super secret cabals, hidden messages in Biblical prophecies, and end-time theories. Yet, much of what we hear and see today is the same old lie of the enemy, “Did God say…” which leads to “Don’t even touch it!” And the truth of God’s word warns about that too.
Colossians 2:20-22 (NET)
20 If you have died with Christ to the elemental spirits of the world, why do you submit to them as though you lived in the world? 21 “Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!” 22 These are all destined to perish with use, founded as they are on human commands and teachings.
As a Jesus follower, we are in the world but not OF the world. And when you can’t tell truth from fiction in the confusing cacophony of artificially generated complexity, what can we do?
Keep it simple. Maintain genuine relationships with other Jesus followers. Focus on living according to the commands of Jesus no matter what the world says or does.
When sin and lies abound, grace much more abounds. Don’t believe everything you see or hear. Don’t jump to conclusions that might trip you up and down the rabbit holes all around us.
1 Thessalonians 5:21-22 (NET)
21 But examine all things; hold fast to what is good. 22 Stay away from every form of evil.
Jesus vs AI is nothing new. There has always been misinformation and deception. Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
Holding fast to His words and example and putting those into daily practice is the best antidote to the lies and evil prevalent in the world today.
We don’t need technology or understanding every conspiracy to wash each other’s feet, to love and forgive one another, or to love our neighbors as ourselves.
The Gates and Elons of AI shall not prevail. I’ve read the end of the Book. Truth wins. Love wins. Evil is defeated.
Until then, living for Jesus, in face-to-face community and relationship with other followers is where truth becomes action with love as the proof.
Watch out for dangerous, “Did God say…” distractions - no matter how real they may look or sound.