Is ChatGPT Forming Your Faith?

Half of the searches in my ChatGPT history are ways to avoid setting off my smoke alarm. 

Let me explain: when I moved into my condo, the detector was located almost directly above the stove in my tiny, unventilated kitchen—a setup that turned every meal into a high-stakes game of “Will This Dish Disturb My Neighbors?”

Even after relocating the alarm to a more reasonable spot, it’s still sensitive, set off by even the suggestion of smoke. I’ve spent more evenings than I can count asking ChatGPT to rewrite recipes just to avoid triggering it: tweaking broiler times, lowering oven temps, and strategizing ventilation so I’m no longer a home cook in crisis. 

If my rental contract didn’t leave me liable, I’d consider throwing the alarm’s batteries in a drawer. But there are obvious reasons it needs to stay. If there’s real smoke, real fire, and real danger, disabling the warning system could spell disaster.

Of course, it’s not always easy to detect whether a warning is a false alarm or reason for concern. Take AI usage for example. These days it seems to cause sirens and celebration in equal proportion. 

ChatGPT and similar tools have made it easier than ever to locate and interpret Bible verses, to receive guidance on challenging topics, and to get answers to questions we’d normally hesitate to ask out loud. Is that a bad thing? Are the alarms unwarranted? 

As I’ve talked to friends about their ChatGPT usage and paid more attention to my own, it’s clear that using the latest AI to find answers for our spiritual lives involves a degree of danger that would be foolish to ignore. 

The blinking red light isn’t always wrong. We may be breathing in smoke. 

The “God” in Our Pockets 

In the last month or so, I’ve heard the mental sirens sounding as I’ve talked to friends. One woman shared that she’d asked ChatGPT to plan out her future and help her achieve all her goals. One man mentioned he was finding answers to his theological questions that people in the church hadn’t been able to answer. In the last few minutes, I’ve thought about how much easier it would be to brainstorm the end of this post with the help of AI rather than to stare at a blank page until words come.

New tools and technology are changing the way we wait, and at this point, it almost feels irresponsible to not use what’s now available. Why wrestle with questions or silence when you can outsource them to a tool that responds in seconds? 

This question is not a new one; it shows up in a familiar Old Testament story. Exodus 32:1 begins, “When the people saw that Moses delayed in coming down from the mountain,” their impatience led to actions that deeply displeased God. 

Growing up, as I heard the Sunday-school version of this account, it always felt like a narrative that only applied to them. The Israelites’ actions seemed silly—giving up their gold rings to be melted into the shape of a calf? Certainly we would never do that. But the temptation to turn to other gods or to build one ourselves doesn’t always feel like rebellion. It often feels like need. It feels like solving a problem, filling silence, or taking back control. 

In Exodus 32, the Israelites were seeking to meet needs of their own. They likely felt abandoned. Their leader was gone, and they were left confused and vulnerable. They were looking for visible and immediate assurance that would make them feel like they weren’t alone. They didn’t deny the reality of God. They knew He’d brought them out of slavery—but He wasn’t acting on their timeline. 

They found a solution they could see. They turned to what would give them answers immediately. And we do the same. Consider how Exodus 32 might go if it exposed one of the modern idols we turn to when we’re in need of answers, control, or clarity: 

• Them: “Moses is taking too long; we need to do something. Let’s make a god we can see and who will help us now” (Ex. 32:1, paraphrased). 
• Us: “I’m feeling overwhelmed and anxious. I don’t know what to do next or how to fix this. I’m just going to ask ChatGPT.” 

• Them: “The leader we trusted isn’t around; make a god that will go before us” (Ex. 32:1, paraphrased).” 
• Us: “God feels really distant right now. I just need to keep moving forward. Did you know that ChatGPT will help you build a five-year plan?” 

• Them: “Here are your gods—the one you made and the One who made you; together, they’ve been your help” (Ex. 32:4, paraphrased).
• Us: “Yes, obviously, I trust God . . . but I also need something that’s easier to understand and can help me in the moment.”
   

Exodus 32 remains relevant for us today. Do we need to get rid of all AI-technology in our lives, melting our phones and deleting apps in order to walk faithfully? Of course not. After all, the gold the Israelites used wasn’t the problem—it was what they did with it.

But this passage is a reminder that we may be closer to idolatry than we think—not because we’ve rejected God outright, but because we’re subtly trying to replace Him with what feels more sufficient in the short term. 

In AI We Trust? 

The convenience of AI is a gift, no question. But it’s a poor substitute for the presence of God. As I’ve been sorting through my own relationship with ChatGPT, I’ve found that the personal warnings I need to heed most begin ringing when I’m looking for AI to serve as a replacement for God Himself. 

In the age of ChatGPT, we’d be wise to remember that God alone knows all things—past, present, and future. He alone can answer every question about the history of the universe, and He alone knows the future (Isa. 46:9–10). God the Father is not merely a source of information, but the wise and all-loving Creator (Psalm 147:5). 

Sometimes we ask AI to map out our lives or give us the best next step because we’re trying to bypass the vulnerability required to seek Him in faith. He doesn’t just offer clarity, He builds trust in Himself. He is able to give answers and is wholly trustworthy, but when He deems it best to withhold information from us, even temporarily, He strengthens us in the waiting and forms our faith (Isa. 40:31). 

AI can quote Scripture, but Jesus embodied it. He is a living Savior who took on flesh and who invites us to follow Him (John 1:14). Jesus overcame sin, extends grace, and invites us to live in Him (Heb. 4:15; Col. 2:3). The Holy Spirit is the part of the Trinity whom we may be most tempted to replace. He’s not an algorithmic guide; He’s a divine person who teaches us (John 14:26), guides us with truth (John 16:13), offers life-giving conviction rather than what we want to hear (John 16:8), and empowers us to live out the Christian life with boldness (Acts 1:8). 

ChatGPT isn’t holy. It can’t intercede for you (Rom. 8:26). It doesn’t know you. It doesn’t love you. It will not save you. 

While you likely know and believe this, it still doesn’t take much for our hearts to begin trusting AI more than we trust Him.

10 Warning Signs AI Has Become an Idol 

The more technology advances, the more we’ll all need to pause and assess where convenience may be quietly reshaping our convictions. Think of the following ten questions as a spiritual smoke detector, meant to provide early warning signs and help you continue living in the safest place possible. Read through them prayerfully, not with shame or condemnation, but asking the Lord to use them to help you draw closer to Christ: 

1. When you need an answer, where do you instinctively turn? (Do you turn to God in prayer or His Word? Do you go to other people? Do you pull up ChatGPT?)
2. Has AI become an emotional sounding board or source of comfort (more than the Holy Spirit or Christian community)? 
3. How does your screen time compare to the amount of time you spend in Scripture or cultivating other spiritual disciplines? 
4. Have you grown to expect more practical guidance and wisdom from AI sources than from the Word, spiritual leaders, or your community? 
5. Has AI become a shortcut to avoid the discomfort of waiting on God or wrestling with truth? 
6. Do you feel more assurance, clarity, or peace after turning to AI than you do in turning to the Lord?
7. Are you more likely to treat AI responses as more relevant or practical than biblical wisdom?
8. Is AI cultivating a deeper dependence on Christ or helping you become more independent? 
9. Do you find yourself questioning God’s Word or the church when it conflicts with AI-generated advice?
10. If you were to fast from AI for a set amount of time or even give it up forever, would you struggle to live without it? 

Will He Be Enough? 

I asked ChatGPT to write a one-sentence summary to wrap up this post. Here’s what it said: “In a world of instant answers and digital guidance, the question isn’t whether AI is helpful—it’s whether we still believe God is enough.” 

It’s not wrong—and if I’m honest, it wrote a better sentence than what I had drafted and did it faster than I could have. But asking the Lord to give me words for blog posts like this deepens my faith in Him and shows me that He’s able to provide. These posts are forming me as much as they’re informing you. 

We run a similar risk to the one the Israelites faced thousands of years ago—not because they had the same kinds of technology we do, but because they faced a similar temptation to turn to the immediate and invisible rather than the unseen. God is enough, and on days when you start to doubt it, let the spiritual sirens sound. An overly sensitive alarm may drive you a little crazy, but it could just save your life. 

The message of freedom, fullness, and fruitfulness in Christ is spreading far and wide—like a river that cannot be stopped. It’s reaching more women, leading them to thrive in Christ, and shaping lives for generations to come. Would you prayerfully join us in this work? We’d love to send you the 50 Promises to Live By Card Set this month as our thanks for your donation of any amount to help women thrive in Christ. May it be a constant reminder of God’s unchanging care for you.