AI Fake Bible Verse Raising Calls for Biblical Literacy
Biblical literacy is a tragic issue in the church today. A recent Lifeway Research study found that only 45% of those who regularly attend church read the Bible more than once a week.
It is because of believers’ ignorance in God’s Word that many, as the Bible states in Scriptures like Romans 16:18, will be deceived in the end times. That Bible passage reads: “For such people do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, and through smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting.”
Here is an example:
The LGBTQ and transgender communities are so intent on America—and the world—accepting their lifestyles that they are using artificial intelligence—specifically ChatGPT—to generate fake Bible passages confirming how Jesus accepts these individuals’ sexual preferences. Some secular media outlets are touting the passages as “much-needed” tolerance, and therefore confusing those who don’t fully know God’s Word even further.
The Christian Post recently reported that a social media user on Reddit who was “feeling sad” asked ChatGPT to generate a Bible passage about accepting trans people. Posted in the “r/trans” channel by a user, the quote was cleverly crafted to sound like a legitimate Bible verse:
“Jesus looked upon her with kindness, replying, ‘my child, blessed are those who strive for unity written within themselves, for they shall know the deepest truths of My Father’s creation. Be not afraid, for in the kingdom of God, there is no man or woman, as all are in one spirit. The gates of My Father’s kingdom will open for those who love and are so loved, for God looks not upon the body, but the heart.'”
The passage is found nowhere in Scripture. To the Reddit poster’s credit, that person said, “I know it’s not real, but it gave me comfort.”
The latter part of that quote is where the deception can begin and can spread like wildfire.
The Advocate, a pro-LGBT media outlet, exacerbated the fake verse with a headline that read, “ChatGPT Writes Trans-Affirming Bible Verse” and, in the accompanying article, called it “an affirming example of tolerance.”
The AI-generated verse was further exalted by astrology expert John Sundholm who wrote on Yahoo.com that it “is likely much needed given the all-out attacks being launched against transgender people by America’s right-wing, nearly all of it in God’s name. … This verse has special resonance in 2023 because of the virulent transphobia and anti-[LGBT] sentiment and legislation that continues to sweep the country—much of it supported and funded by Christians.”
As Charisma News recently reported, the AI app for iPhone, where users can submit questions to a chatbot, “While quoting Scripture, the app still implies that decisions like abortion or getting a transgender-affirming surgery are a matter of “following your heart’ for doing what you believe is best for your life.”
As Colossians 1:10 reminds us, we must “walk in a manner worthy of the Lord,” which means following the Holy Spirit every step of the way—especially if the world or AI runs contrary to Scripture.
Charisma News columnist Dr. Michael Brown says that it is “preposterous” to imagine that AI, using information found in the Bible, could generate a comment that contradicts the Bible.
Brown dissected the ChatGPT-generated Bible verse:
“Does the passage really violate the spirit and substance of the Bible? Does it put unimaginable words on the lips of Jesus? Let’s put aside the claim that ‘those who strive for unity within themselves … shall know the deepest truths of My Father’s creation,’ a claim that neither makes logical sense nor has any biblical foundation.
“Instead, let’s focus on the substance of the rest of the manufactured words of Jesus. And then let’s ask a deeper, real-life question. What would Jesus say to a trans-identified person?
“We are told that He looked upon this person with kindness. Does this sound like Jesus? Absolutely … And there is truth to the claim that in God’s kingdom, there is neither male nor female. … We are all equal in Jesus … But his doesn’t mean that gender distinctions should be blurred or transgressed. … The whole Bible, including the New Testament, makes gender distinctions, giving specific instructions to husband and wives, and recognizing only two sexes.”
Creationist Ken Ham, founder of Answers in Genesis, responds to the ChatGPT Bible verse by saying, that just because God accepts anyone who comes to repentance in the faith doesn’t mean that He “accepts us in the way our culture accepts trans-identifying individuals. … And salvation means that God will not leave you in our sin and your false identity.”
For anyone who is biblically literate, they know that John 8:11 says, “If you are his child, he will sanctify you and call you to leave your life of sin, deny yourself, take up your cross and follow him.”
The moral: ChatGPT cannot save you. Only Jesus and God’s true word can.
What part will artificial intelligence play in the end times? Read Mark Biltz’s “Decoding the Antichrist and the End Times.” {eoa}
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Shawn A. Akers is the online editor at Charisma News.
