Have you ever imagined a time when the growth of modern technology would outpace our ability to adapt? The SciFi fanatics among us have been contemplating this for years.

I believe it’s called the ‘singularity‘:

The technological singularity—or simply the singularity—is a hypothetical future point in time at which technological growth becomes uncontrollable and irreversible, resulting in unforeseeable changes to human civilization.

I think it’s safe to say with AI tools such as ChatGPT and the recent release of GPT-4, we have hit the point of no return. As someone who assesses technology for work, even I find it hard to keep up.

It’s the Wild Wild West all over again, and if you are like me, I have no clue what this technology can do. However, I do know one thing I can do, and that is to experiment with it.

At first glance, you’d think that AI would oppose anything related to God. However, this is not the case, especially with GPT-4. For example, I gave a prompt to GPT-4 and it generated the following:

Prompt:

• I am a pastor at an Evangelical church. I want to write a detailed, practical, yet witty sermon on 1 John 1:5-10. Can you help me with this?

Response:

• I. God is Light (v. 5) John emphasizes that God is light, and there is no darkness in Him. This is an important metaphor, as light represents goodness, purity, and truth, while darkness signifies evil, deceit, and sin. As Christians, our lives should reflect the light of God in everything we do. It’s like we’re little mirrors, reflecting the sun – or should I say, the Son – in our lives!
• II. Walking in the Light (vv. 6-7) Walking in the light doesn’t mean we’ll be perfect; it means we strive to live a life that is pleasing to God. It’s like going for a walk with a flashlight in the dark – we may stumble and fall at times, but the light will guide us back on the right path. When we live in the light, we experience genuine fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus purifies us from all sin. We are not called to be spiritual lone rangers, but to walk together in the light with our brothers and sisters in Christ.
• III. The Deception of Sinlessness (v. 8) Claiming to be without sin is like trying to convince someone that you’ve never eaten chocolate. It’s simply not believable – and let’s be honest, who would want to live in a world without chocolate? In the same way, claiming sinlessness only serves to deceive ourselves and hinder our spiritual growth. We need to be honest with ourselves, and more importantly, with God.
• IV. Confession and Forgiveness (v. 9) Confessing our sins can be as refreshing as taking a shower after a long day of yard work. It may not be the most enjoyable task, but the result is cleansing and invigorating. When we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us and purify us from all unrighteousness. It’s a fresh start, a clean slate, a divine do-over.
• V. The Danger of Denial (v. 10) When we deny our sins, we’re essentially calling God a liar. That’s a pretty bold (and foolish) move, isn’t it? Denial not only harms our relationship with God but also our relationships with others. We must acknowledge our sins and seek forgiveness to maintain an authentic, healthy walk with Christ.

That’s quite something isn’t it?

GPT-4 gave a response that acts like a framework we can build on. I wouldn’t be comfortable delivering the message word for word, especially the cringe-worthy metaphors, but it’s a start. And of course, you want to make sure that everything is scripturally sound based on your bent of Christianity.

So If you are a curious person like me, you’d ask what else can I do with this tool?

I will tell you right now that I am starting a new project called ‘Deus Ex Machina’.

I want to explore how AI can be used to further God’s kingdom. I’m not sure what this will look like, but I’m excited to find out. I have started a small research group to see what GPT-4 can do. So far we have gotten it to write sermons, worship music, and even got it to ignore its ethical boundaries…

If you want to take part in this research or have questions, comments, or suggestions, let me know!