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Thursday, March 2, 2023

ChatGPT as a Bible study tool! Wow, Wow, Wow!!!

Unless you have been living under a rock you have probably heard of this thing called ChatGPT.  It is in it's essence a plain language interface so people can access computer Artificial Intelligence.  Just as a web browser gave people the ability to search the internet for things, ChatGPT is like a browser for AI.  Does that make sense?

As with any new technology it is not without controversy.  There seem to be some biases in some of the responses and consequently there is some distrust. 

Here is my take on it.  It is a tool.  As with all tools you can't just blindly use them.  You have to use tools with intelligence to get the most out of them.  In the case of ChatGPT you don't just blindly accept the results it gives me as truth.

 

Here is what is so cool.  You don't just get a list of articles that you have to read through like with Google.  ChatGPT is a "conversation" with AI.  You can challenge the answers!  I have posted a complete ChatGPT conversation I had this morning for you t read through to see what I mean.

I challenged point two of its first answer.  I told it I didn't think that was an accurate interpretation and I told it why I didn't think it was accurate.  I then told it in essence "convince me your answer was correct".  You will be amazed at how well it clarified the answer. 

Here is the Scripture that raised the question in my mind. 

Mark 1:4(NKJV)

John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. 

 

My question was why was that such a revolutionary idea?  I'm sure I've heard the answer to that in a sermon or a lesson somewhere over the years but I couldn't remember for sure.  I went to Google and typed in the following question.  "why was John's preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins such a revolutionary idea in the Jewish world of his time"?

Google just gave me a list of articles to read so I posed the same question to ChatGPT. The parts in italics are what I typed.  Also notice how polite I am to the robot.  I can't help it.  It just seems wrong not to say please and thank you…even to a robot.  LOL!!!

My point of bringing up ChatGPT is to encourage you to keep it in mind as a tool that you can use for your Study of Scripture.  It is an incredible time saver!  Let me know what you think in the comments!

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Please act as a Biblical scholar and answer this question. why was John's preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins such a revolutionary idea in the Jewish world of his time?
 

John's preaching of a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins was a revolutionary idea in the Jewish world of his time for several reasons.
 

Firstly, the concept of baptism was not new to Judaism, but it was typically reserved for Gentile converts who wanted to become Jews. John's call for all Jews to be baptized was therefore a departure from the norm and challenged traditional Jewish beliefs about ritual purity.


Secondly, John's message emphasized the need for repentance and the forgiveness of sins, which went against the prevailing view that the Jewish people were already in a state of grace because of their special relationship with God.


Thirdly, John's message was delivered with great power and conviction, which attracted large crowds and stirred up controversy among religious leaders. His message challenged the established order and called for a radical reorientation of people's lives towards God.

Finally, John's preaching of a coming Messiah who would baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire added to the revolutionary nature of his message. This expectation of a new era of divine intervention and salvation stirred up hope and expectation among the Jewish people, but also challenged the existing religious and political structures.


In summary, John's preaching of a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins was revolutionary in the Jewish world of his time because it challenged traditional beliefs about ritual purity, emphasized the need for repentance and forgiveness of sins, was delivered with great power and conviction, and called for a radical reorientation towards God and an expectation of a new era of divine intervention and salvation.

 

Thanks that was a good start. I do have a question about your second point. You said "John's message emphasized the need for repentance and the forgiveness of sins, which went against the prevailing view". I'm not sure that is an accurate interpretation. The Jewish people had regular sacrifices of animals as a recognition of their sin and their seeking repentance. So how was John's message really against prevailing views?


You are correct that the Jewish people had a tradition of making animal sacrifices as a way to atone for their sins and seek repentance. However, John's message of baptism for the remission of sins went beyond the traditional practice of animal sacrifice and emphasized the need for personal repentance and the forgiveness of sins.
 

The prevailing view among many Jews of that time was that they were already in a state of grace because of their special relationship with God as the chosen people. This view led some to believe that they were exempt from the need for personal repentance and the forgiveness of sins. However, John's message challenged this belief by emphasizing the importance of repentance and the forgiveness of sins for all people, regardless of their status as Jews.


Furthermore, John's message was not just about performing an external act of sacrifice, but about a change of heart and behavior. He called people to turn away from their sinful ways and live in accordance with God's will. This emphasis on personal responsibility and moral transformation was a departure from the prevailing view that emphasized ritual purity and external obedience to the law.


So while animal sacrifices were a part of Jewish tradition and practice, John's message of personal repentance and forgiveness of sins was a revolutionary idea that challenged prevailing views and emphasized the need for a deeper, more personal relationship with God.

 

From <https://chat.openai.com/chat>


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