Sermon Central
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Is A.i. A Threat To Christianity?
Contributed by John Gaston on Aug 30, 2023 (message contributor)
Summary: The development of a sentient, all-knowing being is shaking up civilization. Will it be like God? Will it have a soul? Will it make humans obsolete? Will it be able to replace pastors? Is this a fulfillment of Bible prophecy?
3. That being said, AI might be used by the Antichrist as a religious tool during the Great Tribulation period, as follows.
III. THE IMAGE OF THE BEAST, REV. 13:15
A. JOHN’S DESCRIPTION
1. 14 [The False Prophet] deceived the inhabitants of the earth. It ordered them to set up an image in honor of the beast [Antichrist] who was wounded by the sword and yet lived. 15 The second beast [False Prophet] was given power to give breath to the image of the first beast [Antichrist], so that the image could speak and cause all who refused to worship the image to be killed” Rev. 13:14-15 (14:9,11; 15:2; 16:2; 19:20; 20:4).
2. John tells us 4 things about the IMAGE OF THE BEAST: a. it was “given breath” or was made ALIVE; b. The image could “SPEAK;” c. It HAD AWARENESS of who did, and who didn’t worship; d. It also had the POWER TO KILL.
3. This was taking place in all the locations where the Mark of the Beast was being used, and was an integral part of its implementation.
B. COULD BE AI IN HOUSES OF WORSHIP
1. Holographs have been around for a long time, used effectively at Disneyworld, etc. Rev. 13:14-15 may describe a holograph image or an actual robot. In either case it was an image of the Antichrist and appeared to be alive.
2. Like AI, the image could speak to the gathered congregation. Today we have facial-recognition cameras. If these were tied to human databases, the AI could identify each person in the audience by name, and would know everything about them and their social lives (birth, parents, spouse, kids, job, income, associations, etc.).
3. The AI could rebuke them for not worshiping the Image of the Beast, and if they refused, could use one of many methods to execute them on the spot.
4. Until our time, Bible expositors had no idea how these images could be produced and do these things, but with the advent of robotics and AI, its practical fulfillment is amazingly easy to see now.
CONCLUSION
A. ILLUSTRATION: PROTECTED BY OUR SHEPHERD
1. The Problem with Sheep. In his excellent study of the famous Biblical passage on shepherds, (The Good Shepherd: A Thousand Year Journey from Psalm 23 to the New Testament), scholar Ken Bailey provides helpful context to understand why it is that the psalmist chose the metaphor of a good shepherd and sheep to describe his relationship with God.
2. Sheep have a special problem. They have no defenses. Cats have teeth, claws and speed. Dogs have their teeth and their speed. Horses can kick, bite and run. Bears can claw, bite and crush. Deer can run.
3. But the sheep have no bite or claws and cannot outrun any serious predator. They can butt other sheep, but that ability will not protect them from a wolf or a bear. The sheep’s only security is the shepherd. Indeed, “you are with me.” [The Good Shepherd: A Thousand-Year Journey from Psalm 23 to the New Testament by Kenneth E. Bailey, Copyright (c) 2014, p.49, by Kenneth E. Bailey. Published by InterVarsity Press, Downers Grove, IL. www.ivpress.com]
B. THE CALL
1. In Psalm 23 David made the wonderful statement, “I will fear no evil, for You are with me.” What a marvelous comfort, that no matter how crazy this world may get, we don’t have to be afraid. Why? Because the Lord is my Shepherd!
