You don’t have to read far in the Bible to learn of man relying on their own perceived gifts and rejecting God.
The Lord told Moses, “Quick! Go down the mountain! Your people whom you brought from the land of Egypt have corrupted themselves. 8 How quickly they have turned away from the way I commanded them to live! They have melted down gold and made a calf, and they have bowed down and sacrificed to it. They are saying, ‘These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you out of the land of Egypt.’”
– Exodus 32:7-8 NLT
On the upside, we almost got through the second Book. On the downside, we do it again and again. In perhaps the most egregious example:
For it is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—the God of all our ancestors—who has brought glory to his servant Jesus by doing this. This is the same Jesus whom you handed over and rejected before Pilate, despite Pilate’s decision to release him. You rejected this holy, righteous one and instead demanded the release of a murderer.
– Acts 3:13-14 NLT
And we’re (still) brazenly and openly rejecting God today. You also don’t have to pay much attention to see examples. In fact, you have to work pretty hard not be assaulted for your personal beliefs.
Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth.
– Ephesians 4:14 NLT
Transgenderism
No explanation of this is necessary. If you’re awake, it’s pretty much in your face every moment. Transgenderism does take many forms: surgery, cross-dressing, or even just declaring yourself to be a gender other than your birth gender. But no matter the technique, the ultimate statement is “God made a mistake”.
God’s way is perfect. But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.
– Matthew 5:48 NLT
Those caught in this spiritual confusion are no longer just affecting themselves. The cult is expanding their influence to children, God’s most innocent and precious possession. The lies keep getting more brazen as the cult labels the mutilation as “gender affirming care” and sometimes without parental knowledge or consent.
I suspect the cultists are unaware of what awaits them.
But if you cause one of these little ones who trusts in me to fall into sin, it would be better for you to have a large millstone tied around your neck and be drowned in the depths of the sea.
– Matthew 18:6 NLT
Transhumanism
Like transgenderism, this one takes many forms. At its most palatable, transhumanism seeks to leverage advancing technologies to improve human function, cognitive ability and longevity. At its extreme, transhumanists declare that it is the destiny of humans to live forever. In fact, one noted transhumanist reportedly said (paraphrased): “Does God exist? Not yet.”
Note that this eternal existence relies on human ingenuity and does not require repenting and turning to God.
And anyone who believes in God’s Son has eternal life. Anyone who doesn’t obey the Son will never experience eternal life but remains under God’s angry judgment.
– John 3:36 NLT
Artificial Intelligence
We should probably define this one. Artificial Intelligence (AI), also known as Large Language Models (LLMs) is the technology du jour. There’s a lot of discussion about AI improving our lives, or displacing workers from their jobs, or becoming “self-aware” and (Terminator anyone) starting World War III.
The important part about AI is this: AI relies on huge datasets provided by humans, training provided by humans, and algorithms coded by humans. A cynical person might conclude that the rush to give the world over to AI is a barely disguised grab for power. And that is, in fact, my biggest worry. The biggest potential for AI is to concentrate the greatest power and influence in the fewest number of people.
And my message and my preaching were very plain. Rather than using clever and persuasive speeches, I relied only on the power of the Holy Spirit.
I did this so you would trust not in human wisdom but in the power of God.
Yet when I am among mature believers, I do speak with words of wisdom, but not the kind of wisdom that belongs to this world or to the rulers of this world, who are soon forgotten.
No, the wisdom we speak of is the mystery of God —his plan that was previously hidden, even though he made it for our ultimate glory before the world began.
But the rulers of this world have not understood it; if they had, they would not have crucified our glorious Lord.
– 1 Corinthians 2:4-8 NLT
There’s an expression that’s common among software developers: Garbage in. Garbage out. The common interpretation is that poorly written code results in an application that performs poorly. And maybe that’s AI, except that it’s the intent of technology rather than the software itself.
Technology is not inherently good or bad. The weak point, as always, lies in our default behavior: To leverage technology for our own rewards rather than for doing the work that God wants us to do.
And I have personally appointed Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, to be his assistant. Moreover, I have given special skill to all the gifted craftsmen so they can make all the things I have commanded you to make.
– Exodus 31:6 NLT
Just to bring this post full circle, one chapter later, we find these craftsmen using their God given skills to make the golden calf.
Conclusion
The topics in this post are discussed in a much too brief manner. These topics all have more expansive history and evolution to their current forms. I encourage everybody to do a bit of research and form their own opinion.
And we also (conveniently) ignored the spiritual battle at the root of all of this. That said, our willingness to participate in the battle is a problem. All the topics are man denying the power and glory of God and refusing to honor Him. And man placing himself in an unmerited place of honor.
Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.
– Chronicles 7:14 NLT