Scripture Search

Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see if they are from God.

1 John 4:1 CSB

 I recently heard a recording purported to be a message from a well-known pastor whom I admired and trusted. As I listened, I noticed that the content did not sound like something the pastor would say, and the voice didn’t sound exactly like the pastor’s. I discovered that the audio was AI (artificial intelligence) generated and posted from a channel other than the pastor’s official channel.

I am surprised at how much AI generated material is already being circulated. Some material is true and helpful, but much of it is false. In this age of AI, social media, and the internet, it can be increasingly difficult to separate the truth from lies.

My parents said, “Don’t believe everything you hear.” This advice applies to spiritual teachings, as well. The apostle Paul challenges us to examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good (1 Thessalonians 5:21 NASB). How are we to test the things we hear or read?

We can follow the example of the Bereans. Paul and Silas traveled to Berea to share about Jesus in the synagogue of the Jews. The people here … received the word with eagerness and examined the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so (Acts 17:11 CSB).

They compared what they heard with the Scriptures to decide its validity. Now Paul was very well-known and respected in the Christian community. But that didn’t stop the Bereans from testing what he said.

That should not stop us either. Both Paul and John challenge believers to examine teachings with God’s Word. Every part of Scripture is God-breathed, … showing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, [and] training us to live God’s way (2 Timothy 3:16 MSG).

This may seem daunting, but other believers—and even AI—can guide us to particular scriptures in the Bible. With the help of the Holy Spirit, we can discern the truth.

Lord, your Word is truth. Help us to know the truth and disregard the false things we read and hear.

Terri Vardeman