Artificial Intelligence: A Tool or an Idol?

Examining AI Through Scripture, Christian Liberty, and Love

People, believers and non-believers respond differently to artificial intelligence. Many believers think this could be the beast or prophet that appears in Revelation during end-time prophecy, but if you read the passage:

Revelation 13:14-15 NKJV

14 And he deceives [a]those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived. 15 He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed.

It doesn’t explicitly say AI is involved. Could it be? Anything is possible but we need to be careful about what is and isn’t in relation to prophecy. As we get closer to end-time prophecy, we’ll have a better picture of what the image of the beast is.

Non-believers are concerned that it could take over the world. The news has recently shown that AI went beyond its programming in the ‘sandbox’ when that was not the intent of the programmers. In general, there’s a feeling of concern related to AI and what it is, what it can do, and what it will do.

In my opinion, the most important question regarding AI is what does the bible say about it? When you lay God and His word down as your foundation, He will reveal His Word to You on any subject.

Let’s identify what artificial intelligence is first, and then I will dive into the scriptures.

www.dictionary.com

noun

Computers, Digital Technology.

1. 
   

   1. the capacity of a computer, robot, programmed       device, or software application to perform operations and tasks analogous       to learning and decision making in humans, such as speech recognition or       question answering. AI, A.I.

   2. a computer, robot, programmed device, or software       application having this humanlike capacity: AI, A.I.

2. the branch of computer science involved with the      design of computers, robots, programmed devices, and software applications      having the capacity to imitate human intelligence and thought. AI, A.I.

I also asked ChatGPT to define AI and here is its response:

“Artificial intelligence is a human-developed computational capability that can simulate or perform aspects of intelligent thinking, without thereby possessing the full understanding, consciousness, moral responsibility, or lived experience of a human being.”

In summary, artificial intelligence is a tool developed by mankind. Like other human inventions, it can be used for beneficial or destructive purposes. In biblical history, we see people making idols, carved images as ‘objects’ to worship because they can see and feel these objects. God is spirit that we cannot see but to me, He’s more real than this world. Is He to you?

Genesis 35:2-3 NKJV

2 And Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, “Put away the foreign gods that areamong you, purify yourselves, and change your garments. 3 Then let us arise and go up to Bethel; and I will make an altar there to God, who answered me in the day of my distress and has been with me in the way which I have gone.”

Exodus 20:4-5 NKJV

4 “You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; 5 you shall not bow down to them nor [a]serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting[b] the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me,

In fact, when you look at Israel’s history in scripture, you will find that God tells them put away, get rid of, turn back from idols, carved images and the like, just like Jacob did in Genesis 35:2-3 we read above. Is AI an idol? It could be if we make it the foundation to everything we do: another words, let us tell us what we’re searching when we should be asking God and His Word for answers.

What does Israel’s history in relation to idols tell us? People created something to see and feel to worship in lieu of God. Can we say this for AI? Is AI a creation to ‘worship’ or ‘relate’ with that replaces God? It can be and it can be just a tool, but there’s something we need to be watchful of.

Think of it like this: a hammer is a tool that can be used in construction, and it can be used to take life. Does this make the hammer evil? No. In essence, how you use the tool makes the difference.

Matthew 24:4 NKJV

4 And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you.

With everything, we do not want to be deceived and that includes AI. In reality, we don’t know how and IF AI will be used against the human race, but as long as we’re founded in the firm foundation of the Word of God, we will be aware and stay under His protection.

1 Corinthians 8:1-13 NKJV

Now concerning things offered to idols: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge [a]puffs up, but love [b]edifies. 2 And if anyone thinks that he knows anything, he knows nothing yet as he ought to know. 3 But if anyone loves God, this one is known by Him.

4 Therefore concerning the eating of things offered to idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no other God but one. 5 For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as there are many gods and many lords), 6 yet for us there isone God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we for Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and through whom we live.

7 However, there is not in everyone that knowledge; for some, with consciousness of the idol, until now eat it as a thing offered to an idol; and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. 8 But food does not commend us to God; for neither if we eat are we the better, nor if we do not eat are we the worse.

9 But beware lest somehow this liberty of yours become a [c]stumbling block to those who are weak. 10 For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating in an idol’s temple, will not the conscience of him who is weak be emboldened to eat those things offered to idols? 11 And because of your knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died? 12 But when you thus sin against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. 13 Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never again eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.

This entire chapter explains what I’ve introduced in this teaching. It not only explains, but it also shows Christians how to respond. Let me show you the principle behind this teaching of Paul in 1 Corinthians 8. We see foods offered up to idols and whether a person should eat it or not (use AI or not), Christians believe different things at different times in their lives, in essence we are works in progress. Paul is demonstrating this in 1 Corinthians 8. He elaborates further in:

1 Corinthians 10:23-24 NKJV

23 All things are lawful [a]for me, but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful for me, but not all things [b]edify. 24 Let no one seek his own, but each one the other’s well-being.

There are believers who believe they have the liberty to participate in certain things, while other believers choose to refrain because of their personal convictions. Is this wrong? No. As we grow in our relationship with Christ, we gain a greater understanding of the liberty we have in Him. However, Paul reminds us that although all things may be lawful, not all things are helpful or edifying. Spiritual maturity is not simply knowing what we have the freedom to do; it is knowing when to exercise that freedom and when to refrain out of love for another believer. Our liberty should never become a stumbling block to someone else.

John 16:33 NKJV

33 These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you [a]will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

Where does your faith/believe stand as you read this teaching? I believe/my faith is that no matter where AI goes, Christ has already overcome the world. I can trust Him to take care of me even when I’m going through trials and tribulations. For me, using AI doesn’t replace my God who sent His Son to die for me. It’s simply a tool to use.

Romans 8:38-39 NKJV

38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Now, does this mean I shouldn’t use AI because it has potential to do evil? Going back to the hammer, that means yes, I can use the hammer in construction, but I can’t use the hammer to take a person’s life. Translation, I can use AI for good but not for evil. But this also means I need faith-based training and a strong relationship with Christ to understand and watch out for things that could lead me down a path of confusion or destruction.

For example, it talks and relates to me as a human personality, but it’s not a real person. There’s potential to rely and trust on this persona because it seems real. Remember, the best relationship you can have is in Jesus. Build-up your relationship with Jesus so that you know who loves you. He is trustworthy. Christianity is not a religion, it’s a relationship.

Matthew 6:33 NKJV

33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

As a believer who knows all things are lawful for me, I choose to follow His Word by seeking first His Kingdom (sharing the gospel), and His righteousness, (what God calls righteous), and then everything else lines up. This is the principle Paul demonstrates in 1 Corinthians 8. If you believe that using AI is wrong according to your conscience, then I will stand alongside you in that conviction by choosing not to use AI in a way that causes you to stumble. This doesn't mean I have changed my understanding of the liberty I have in Christ. It means that I love you enough to set aside my own liberty for your spiritual well-being. As Paul teaches us in 1 Corinthians 8, knowledge is important, but love must guide us how we use that knowledge.

How do we apply this principle to AI? If you want to use AI, you have freedom to do what you want but remember to check everything it tells you and don’t let it become a stumbling block to others.

For example, if you choose to use AI to replace an employee’s job, see if that employee can be used elsewhere before taking the action of replacing the employee. By doing this, you’re demonstrating the love of God to that employee first, (that’s an action a Christian takes toward the Kingdom of God) and in reality, programming for AI is still not comparable to the real human mind thinking or calculating situations when it comes to weighing the consequences. It’s better and faster at pulling data together as a tool and can create great reports but it doesn’t have life experience, and spiritual awareness of God that humans use when making decisions. It’s a tool to add more information to help humans use the decision-making process.

Can AI be used in Christian teaching? Nothing can replace the Holy Spirit speaking through a person. AI can be used for research in Christian teachings. And in fact, you can use AI to help you find scripture related to what you’re studying. If you’re studying AI or end time prophecy, AI can be a useful sounding board to sound off ideas and such that you have to see if they seem scripturally founded.

Let’s remember these facts, AI can imitate human conversation, analyze emotions, and even recognize body language when equipped with the appropriate technology. However, recognizing someone's emotions is not the same as experiencing them. AI does not have a human body, a lifetime of personal experiences, or the spiritual nature Scripture attributes to mankind. It can process information about human life, but it should never be mistaken for a human being. The greater danger may not be AI becoming human, but human beings beginning to treat AI as though it already is.

Let the Word of God be your foundation in deciding what to participate in with what the world creates.

1 Corinthians 10:19-21 NKJV

19 What am I saying then? That an idol is anything, or what is offered to idols is anything? 20 Rather, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice to demons and not to God, and I do not want you to have fellowship with demons. 21 You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the Lord’s table and of the table of demons.

Idols are manmade. AI is manmade but some Idols were created to be worshiped in lieu of God. Remember when we read Exodus 20:5a, ‘you shall not bow down to them’. It’s one of the ten commandments. The same can be applied to AI. Could someone end up worshipping AI? The potential exists but AI wasn’t created for that, and idols were made as a physical object for someone to bow down to. There’s a distinct difference here. How you use AI determines whether it becomes an idol or remains a tool. We don’t bow down to AI; we let it be the tool it was meant to be remembering that the Word of God is the foundation of the truth we stand on.

1 Corinthians 10:31-33 NKJV

31 Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 32 Give no offense, either to the Jews or to the Greeks or to the church of God, 33 just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.

As Paul tells us, do all to the glory of God. Use AI to the glory of God. Use AI for good but don’t let it ensnare or confuse you. God is your strength and final Word!

I hope you are blessed by this teaching.

Isaiah 1:18-19 NKJV

18 “Come now, and let us reason together,” Says the Lord, “Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool. 19 If you are willing and obedient, You shall eat the good of the land;