Trust God, not AI

By: Steve Huston

Warning: If you use AI for Bible study, insight, or even sermon prep, you may end up with a seriously compromised view of Scripture!

Let me open with a disturbing statistic and then a few verses of Scripture and some short comments, giving us a framework to work within:

According to popular Bible app YouVersion’s founder and CEO, Bobby Gruenewald, the best AI models on the market misquote the Bible at least 15% of the time, and some err as much as 60% of the time.

THAT IS HUGE, especially when one considers that “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:” (2 Tim. 3:16) And that we are commanded to “Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.” (2 Tim. 4:2) These are big charges which are dependent upon a correct translation AND understanding of Scripture. ALL Scripture is God-breathed (inspired), but is now being rewired by AI; we must beware!

Warning upon warning to keep God’s Word and to hold it as precious is found in the Old Testament. One such admonition is found in Deuteronomy 4:2, exhorting God’s people: “Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you.”

The word “keep” goes beyond the common thought of “obedience;” it calls us to protect these commandments of the LORD as a precious treasure, to guard against anyone or anything which causes God’s Word to be held in less regard.

There are many issues with using AI for one’s Bible study, sermons, or speeches. Again, they are misquoting, mispunctuating, or just fabricating verses out of thin air a minimum of 15% and up to 60% of the time! Here are a few examples:

Many of AI’s misinterpretations come from misplaced commas and word shifts. While a comma’s placement or lack thereof may seem like a little thing, let’s remember that it can completely change the meaning of a sentence. Which of these statements do you think grandma would appreciate more?

“Let’s eat, grandma!” or “Let’s eat grandma!”

Also, keep in mind what Jesus said in Matthew 5:18; “For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.” We’re talking about the Word of God, a precious treasure to guard, study, and believe, living it out faithfully. We must be sure that it is the pure Word that we are following.

Mr. Gruenewald rightly proclaimed, “For Bible translation, every word and punctuation is meaningful to Scripture translation.”

Some chatbots go beyond mispunctuation and poor paraphrasing of Scripture; completely inventing new verses and passing them off as authentic. Alan Goforth, writing for metro voice, reports:

“One of the strangest examples is that reported by Jeremy Hodes of Evangelical Missions Quarterly. Hodes’ experiment found that ChatGPT, when queried about truth, invented a scripture and labeled it John 5:5. ‘We know that we shall behold a Mocker of Defamers; and, as the defamers, we are of the mockers.’ The actual John 5:5, of course, is about a man at the Pool of Bethesda who was ill for 38 years, whom Jesus then healed.

“Another fabricated verse, reported by Fox News, is one attributed to Jesus saying, ‘there is no man or woman.’”

For those who haven’t memorized Scripture or haven’t studied under a strong Bible-believing church, they could be easily misled by other verses that are more subtly changed. As Adam Eliyahu Berkowitz warns, writing for Israel365news.com: “Younger generations already turn to chatbots before they turn to clergy. Most users have not memorized Scripture. They will not catch a fabricated verse. They will not know when a comma has shifted the meaning of a passage that took scholars centuries to translate. They will simply read what the machine tells them, assume it is accurate, and carry that error forward.”

It’s interesting that while Bobby Gruenewald and his company YouVersion are taking great efforts to protect the church from looseness of Scripture and giving cautions, the broader Christian world is throwing caution to the wind: Some pastors are using AI to draft sermons, various AI platforms are giving people an opportunity to “chat” with Biblical characters, some are studying the Bible with AI partners, and some prayer apps are being “powered by algorithms.”

In following the Apostle Paul’s advice to his younger protégé in 2 Timothy 2:15-16 – “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.” – we would do well to follow Answers in Genesis’ founder Ken Ham’s admonition: “AI can be a useful tool, but it should never replace careful study of the Scriptures for yourself. Christians must understand that not only is AI imperfect …but it has a bias that is often reflected in the answers it gives. Go to the actual Scriptures for spiritual discipleship, not an AI bot. Remember, it is programmed by fallible, sinful humans.”

Pray for the Holy Spirit to lead you into all truth; don’t depend on a man-programmed, faulty artificial intelligence.

To read one man’s experience of wrestling with AI as he studied the Sermon on the Mount click here.

 

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