You don't have to spend too much time around me before you realize that I am a fan of technology. A big part of my day job revolves around the adoption of technology. Because of this, the recent breakthroughs in artificial intelligence, or what are called "common language models", has sparked my interest.
The biggest problem with artificial intelligence is that it knows how to assemble data, but it doesn't actually understand what it is saying. Was that confusing? Let me offer an example. Artificial intelligence is capable of creating pictures and even constructing beautiful images. You could easily feed an AI model a prompt saying, "paint me a beautiful sunrise on the Virginia eastern shore" and it would paint something wonderful. However, it wouldn't actually know what "art" is and it wouldn't understand what makes the art meaningful. It is simply trying to assemble a bunch of colors and shapes it thinks match your prompt.
Let me give you another example. One of my favorite "big brain" theological subjects is the debate between covenant theology and dispensationalism. I'm not going to get into that, but I was curious what ChatGPT would do if I asked it to write a very brief devotional about not letting that debate divide the body of Christ. Here's what it offered...
Title: Unity in Christ: Beyond Theological Differences In the realm of Christian theology, various interpretations and frameworks, such as Dispensationalism and Covenant Theology, spark interest and discussion. However, it is essential to remember that these subjects should not divide brothers and sisters in Christ. Our faith's core lies in the unifying truth found in Jesus Christ. Despite our diverse understandings, we share a common foundation in His saving grace. Let us prioritize unity and love, embracing humility and respecting one another's perspectives. By keeping the Gospel central and demonstrating Christ's love, we can reflect a powerful witness to the world, transcending theological disagreements and strengthening the bonds of fellowship within the body of Christ. Scripture Reference: "Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace." - Ephesians 4:3 (NIV)
Not bad, right? In an earlier attempt, the algorithm in ChatGPT was able to give me a four paragraph version of this devotion, suitable for any small group lesson or even the basis for a sermon. But let me ask you this: does the AI actually understand grace? It may be capable of "knowing" a lot about the Bible, but does it understand what it means to show compassion? In the same way, there are many out there who do the "Jesus things" and study all the right references, but their faith remains largely a regurgitation of verses and traditions that they were taught in the past. They have a type of "academic understanding" of who God is, but their faith lacks the real-world application needed to make it useful.
19 My dear brothers and sisters, understand this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger, 20 for human anger does not accomplish God’s righteousness. 21 Therefore, ridding yourselves of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent, humbly receive the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. 22 But be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. (James 1:19-22)
Knowledge of the scriptures is great, and study of God's nature is essential to reinforcing our belief system. However, that can not be all that we make out of our walk with Christ. The love of Christ led him to do more than idly teach in the synagogues or write letters. He went to the people, healed the sick, forgave the hopeless, and loved the outcasts. These are actions of a God in motion and as followers of that God, we should similarly seek to be followers of a living and moving God.
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