The Dangers of Deception

When it comes to deception, the evil one will stop at nothing to pull the wool over our eyes.

Take for instance the way in which the pornography industry has completely attacked what God designed as the most intimate connection between husband and wife – and completely corrupted it. People flock to those sites to be filled with lies about what true connection and intimacy were designed for under the blessed covenant of marriage. To that point, many are numb to the impact it is having. What used to be a completely taboo area of sin has been transformed into normal behavior.

From my perspective, the concerning issue with AI is in the same place pornography was when it was in its infancy. Just how that industry lies to us regarding what true intimacy looks like, AI has the potential to pull us further from absolute truth if we are not careful. A concerning drawback to utilizing AI is that it removes our necessity to think deeply, if we so choose, and blindly trust what is presented. That level of reliance on technology could be a path to destruction if we are not cautious.

It may be helpful to remember that regardless of the interface, from AI all the way to the Sunday sermon, we must always be on the alert for potential lies from the evil one. It made me consider how those who are trained to identify counterfeits operate. They do not waste their time studying the tricks and nuances of those pursuing deceitful paths. Instead, they firmly plant inside of them everything true about real currency and thus when something comes across their path that doesn’t align, they can quickly identify the false attempts.

In its defense, AI was not created to inherently deceive its users. And yet with the fallen world we find ourselves in, that is an unfortunate potential that exists. It's almost as if AI puts us in a slothful posture where our defenses are lowered due to the quality and speed at which information is presented. The reality is that whenever we accept artificial intelligence without coupling it with God-given discernment, the path of deception widens.

As followers of Christ, we are called to be vigilant and discerning, knowing that the enemy thrives on twisting truth and sowing seeds of deception. This vigilance requires us to test everything against the unwavering standard of God’s Word. Whether we are navigating the allure of artificial intelligence or any other worldly influence, our mission remains the same: to seek and uphold the truth found in Christ. Perhaps Ronald Reagan said it best with the adage - “trust but verify."

Questions to Consider

1. How does God’s Word equip us to identify and resist falsehoods?
2. What role does discernment play in combating the enemy's lies?