Welcome to the first part of a new series I’m calling Is [It] Evil?
Alcohol, tattoos, yoga, Harry Potter… the list is long, and we’ll see how many we get to (feel free to send suggestions). There are two ends of the spectrum when it comes to these kinds of questions.
In one corner: Nothing is evil — not inherently. Things don’t have souls, so the object itself isn’t evil; only the person designing it or using it can be.
In the other corner: Everything is evil — or at least, everything humans create carries sin residue.
Sin is like that bit of honey you can’t help but get on your thumb each time you open the honey bear. (And if your honey at home doesn’t come from a plastic bear, I can’t help you.)
No matter how many times you wash your hands, everything you touch ends up just a little sticky.
So, let’s talk about A.I. Is it evil?
1. A.I. is powerful—like, really powerful. And that means it demands wisdom.
“To whom much was given, of him much will be required…” — Luke 12:48
Whether you’re fascinated by artificial intelligence or slightly spooked by it, one thing’s undeniable: it’s powerful.
In seconds, it can write essays, summarize books, generate code, answer questions in every known language, and even imitate your favorite rapper giving a TED Talk. It’s like we handed a laptop to a digital version of Solomon—but without the fear of the Lord.
And that’s the issue.
Power without wisdom is dangerous. But power with discernment? That’s potential. Jesus said that those who are given much will be held accountable for what they do with it. That principle doesn’t just apply to money or influence — it applies to tools, knowledge, and yes, tech.
As Christians, we’re not called to fear the tools we’ve been given, but to use them responsibly. That starts by actually understanding them, not just tweeting headlines or assuming Skynet is around the corner.
2. A.I. is impressive, but it’s not a person—and it’s not actually thinking.
“For You formed my inward parts; You knitted me together in my mother’s womb… I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” — Psalm 139:13–14
There’s a lot of confusion around what A.I. is—and what it isn’t. So here’s the simple version:
Most of the A.I. tools you’ve heard of (like ChatGPT, Bard, Claude, etc.) are what’s called large language models.
Imagine a super-smart robot librarian who’s read every book, article, comment thread, and fanfiction online. But instead of having opinions, desires, or actual consciousness, this librarian just guesses the next word in a sentence really well—based on everything it’s read.
That’s not human intelligence. That’s mathematical prediction on steroids.
So while A.I. can simulate conversation, mimic creativity, and sound astonishingly lifelike, it doesn’t know anything. It’s not self-aware. It’s not moral. It’s not sentient. It doesn’t grieve or hope or worship.
Only humans do that.
Why? Because we are fearfully and wonderfully made. We’re not word machines. We’re image-bearers. When we create, we reflect the fingerprints of the God who first imagined galaxies and then said, “Let there be light.”
Unlike A.I., which is made in the image of man, humans are made in the image of God.
That’s not just a poetic idea — it’s a theological reality with profound implications. Genesis 1:27 tells us, “So God created man in His own image...” That image-bearing status gives us intrinsic dignity, moral agency, and a calling to steward creation.
A.I., no matter how brilliant, can never bear God’s image. It can reflect our image, echo our voices, and replicate our data — but it cannot reflect God’s nature in the way a soul-filled human can. That privilege and responsibility is uniquely ours.
That means no machine, no matter how smart it sounds, can ever match what makes you you: your soul.
3. We’re made to create—to glorify the Creator. So are our tools.
“So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” — 1 Corinthians 10:31
Let’s be clear: A.I. isn’t evil.
But it’s not holy either.
It’s a tool—like a hammer, a paintbrush, or a Bible commentary app. What makes it “good” or “bad” isn’t the code. It’s the purpose.
When we build things—whether it’s a table, a painting, or a neural network—we’re stepping into our role as sub-creators. We don’t create out of nothing like God does (ex nihilo), but we do rearrange what He’s already made. That’s part of the cultural mandate God gave in Genesis 1:28, to “fill the earth and subdue it,” to cultivate and steward.
A.I., then, is a product of that God-given ingenuity. But like every tool, it must be tethered to the Creator’s purposes. Just as the Israelites used skilled craftsmanship to build the tabernacle (Exodus 31), we are called to use our craftsmanship in ways that point to His glory—not our own.
If our ultimate goal is to know God and make Him known, then any tool that helps us do that is worth considering. A.I. can help missionaries translate Scripture into unreached languages faster. It can help Christian writers generate ideas, communicate clearly, and reach more people with less burnout. It can help students study, authors brainstorm, pastors prep sermons, and evangelists speak into digital spaces we’ve never been able to reach before.
It can also distract us, puff us up, tempt us to cut corners, or worse—replace real connection with synthetic performance.
The danger isn’t in the tool. It’s in what we worship.
If we begin to put our hope in the machine—if we let it become our source of truth, our replacement for prayer, our shortcut to purpose—then we’ve slipped into idolatry. That sticky sin honey again.
But when A.I. is used humbly and purposefully—as a servant, not a master—it becomes just another way we can glorify God in our generation.
So… Is A.I. Evil?
Not in itself.
But it can be misused. It can be misunderstood. And it will shape our future in ways we can’t predict.
That’s why we need Spirit-led discernment now more than ever.
It’s tempting to go full dystopian—or full utopian. But the truth, as usual, is in the tension. God has given us incredible creative capacity. That includes the ability to build something as complex and bizarre as A.I.
So let’s use it like image-bearers. Let’s be wise. Let’s be curious. Let’s be grounded in the Word. And let’s make sure that everything we make… still points back to the Maker.
This might be a smart time - in this new era of technology - to revisit social media… 👇
It's Right in Front of You
I saw an image on Twitter the other day, quickly scrolled past it… and then stopped.