Holy Spirit & ChatGPT

With the recent improvements in OpenAI’s ChatGPT-4, the marketplace, the economy, and individual lives will obviously never be the same once the ramifications of its release fully roll out. In Christian circles, the same is said about the one known as The Helper—Holy Spirit (John 14).

In case you were wondering, no this is not an article blasting ChatGPT and cheaply putting a big fat ‘evil’ label on it with the label-maker from the local children’s ministry (those things are awesome!). However, even if I was, I would not be wrong, yet ethical concerns are out of scope here.

So why am I writing this? To contribute to bringing truth and balance (Song of Songs 4:2) to the discussion, two things both sacred and secular circles are typically lacking in discussions of subjects of this nature.

For those who do not make an effort to become the word of God, it might come as a surprise to you that many things we as bible-believing Christians experience and believe, we see counterfeited in our society. ChatGPT-4 and future LLM’s would prove to be another instantiation of this principle. It’s as if the human race is constantly playing catchup to what already exists in heavenly places, which is unfortunate if that’s truly where believers are seated at (Ephesians 2:6). Let me explain.

We will not be going over a comprehensive theology of the Holy Spirit but we can harp in on one of many key verses in this discussion, John 14:26. It reads in the English Standard Version, “But the Helper, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” The Helper, as we know was sent a couple months later, according to the book of the Acts of the Apostles, chapter 2, during Pentecost. As a student of the Word, I take notice that Jesus teaches us the Holy Spirit will teach us all things. What a profound invitation to learn and manifest him this is! But also as a student of the Word, I had to look up the word ‘all’ in this context. Afterall, this is a serious statement Jesus makes to those willing to listen. Sure enough, the well-respected Strong’s Concordance defines it as follows: "all, the whole, every kind of." So the Holy Spirit will teach us every kind of thing. As a worker in tech, that even means tech things in 2023! MAN! This is INCREDIBLY exciting stuff! I’m sure I’m not the only bubbling with faith upon this discovery. And I know one thing about God after following Him for years now—and that is that He is faithful to do his part! That is also incredibly exciting!! But, dear reader, how can he teach us all things if we do not listen? It is a partnership! A relationship! He is faithful to do his part, but in order to receive this blessing I must respond in faithfulness. So Holy Spirit will teach us all things, but like in any student-teacher relationship, how can I be taught all things if I do not listen while in “class”? I will not be taught all things. This is why us as the body of Christ suffer needlessly. We do not let our teacher, the Holy Spirit, actually teach us in all things. Instead, we as humans flock to society’s latest ideas to be our salvation. In secular tech, we reach for the shiniest piece of technology to be our savior and source of provision, as if tech could Father us. I present to you that this is the root issue. Both secular and sacred circles violate the first commandment, in classic ancient human fashion (Exodus 20:3). We make an idol instead of allowing ourselves to be Fathered by Holy Spirit. The latest instantiation of this travesty is our preference to be mentored, taught, discipled, and even Fathered in the marketplace by the likes of the for-profit company OpenAI instead of the one who suffered and conquered on our behalf.

Problem: Widespread idolatry of technology; replacing God in our lives with technology.

Solution: Through your relationship with God, partner with Holy Spirit in your usage of modern technology. Optimization and innovation with technology will be a by product of this. David consulted with God (2 Samuel 2:1) so therefore Israel prospered under his reign.

Personal Verdict: ChatGPT is a tool, neither inherently good nor evil. ChatGPT cannot, will not, and should not replace the role in our lives that He is inviting us to invite Him into.

In the love of Christ,

Christian Castaneda