Jesus’ Teachings: A Guide to Spiritual Truths

Engage in sacred Scripture – read John 8:37-47.

Why is My language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. John 8:43-44

Words make a difference.

Throughout history, men have delivered impressive speeches and written excellent words. Their impact on us is legendary. Think of Martin Luther King, Winston Churchill, Abraham Lincoln, and even Adolf Hitler.

Words have toppled empires, ignited revolutions, and reshaped human rights. Can you think of the words “I have a dream” without feeling the desperation of the times?

How can we forget the name of the man who caused an entire nation to hate?

Jesus’ Words Are True

Jesus came to the temple to teach. His words were life, and the religious leaders came to tell Him that he was a liar. They denied that He was from God and spoke the truth.

He told them the truth: their own words and actions were from the devil.

Words shape us, change our physical reality by altering our brain chemistry, regulating stress, and even driving our decisions. Doesn’t positive language release our “feel-good” hormones?

Words are powerful.

Auditory input physically rewires how we perceive ourselves and the world. Active listening requires sustained attention and affects the heart.

Emotional truth lives in the soul.

Listening is important. Who we listen to is even more important.

Deception, Lies, Untruth?

Deception is a tricky thing. The truth is that when we’re deceived, we don’t even know it. We deny the lie even as we walk in it.

A lie is a statement or some kind of communication designed to create a false impression or form a deliberate deception: subversion of the truth.

There are three elements of a lie: falsehood, awareness, and intent to deceive.

• Falsehood is information that is communicated (written or spoken) that is inaccurate or untrue.
• Awareness is when the person speaking or writing intentionally knows the information he’s sharing is false.
• Intent to deceive is when the speaker or writer consciously aims at making the listener/reader accept something as reality.

All lies ride on the wings of fabrication, omission, exaggeration, and the use of ambiguous words. Fabrication presents invented information as fact; omission leaves out critical information intentionally to manipulate; exaggeration distorts the truth; and ambiguous language or double meaning mislead.

Is Satan a Liar?

Jesus Himself tells us that Satan is a liar – the father of lies. His core nature is falsehood and his native language. It’s his weapon of choice.

Such is his identity.

You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me! … If I am telling the truth, why don’t you believe me? He who belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God. John 8:44-46b & 47 NIV.

Warning!

You may be saying, “Okay! Chris, we get it. We know the devil lies.”

Trust me, I’m not trying to just go down a rabbit trail here. I want to give you a chance to hear our Lord’s words of warning: “Who’s your daddy?”

One of my students came to me very concerned because she had googled her spiritual concerns and believed that “Google” told her that she was not saved. I was greatly concerned and reassured her that her salvation is safely in the Lord’s hands.

… I know Whom I have believed and am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him for that day. 2 Tim 1:12b NIV.

AI is Not the Answer

Recent surveys have produced some scary statistics. 40% of “practicing” Christians use AI for prayer, Bible Study and spiritual exercises. 48% trust AI for spiritual growth, with one in three believing AI’s spiritual guidance is just as trustworthy as their pastor’s.

It matters who we seek answers from.

A computer cannot look into our hearts, know our faith, or grant us spiritual standing. A basic AI is like an encyclopedia, while a “specialized faith AI” will point you to what your church teaches.

A standard secular AI avoids “yes” or “no” answers. It will only explain the way salvation is defined by different Christian traditions:

Seeker: Am I saved?

The Response: “As an AI, I cannot tell you if you are saved, as salvation is a deeply personal and spiritual matter. In Christianity, different denominations view salvation in various ways. For example, evangelical traditions emphasize personal faith in Jesus Christ and repentance, while Catholic theology views salvation as a lifelong process involving faith, works, and the sacraments. If you are questioning your faith, you may want to read scripture, pray, or speak with a local pastor or spiritual leader.”

It doesn’t matter how realistic or comforting an AI’s words sound; they are just data patterns processed in a machine. AI captures information from as many sources as there are. The enemy of our soul is one of the sources.

Only human “gatekeepers” can try to discern the truth or the truth they believe. Bottom line: AI cannot offer anyone genuine spiritual discernment or replace the Holy Spirit in receiving words of wisdom, knowledge, understanding, and truth.

In Conclusion

We need to be careful about what we hear and what we read. Words make a difference. They shape us and change our physical reality.

As we continue as disciples, let us seek out the truth in sacred Scripture. It will never deceive us or lead us in the wrong direction. Pray to be led, taught, and helped by the Holy Spirit. The Spirit of truth is our gauge for prayer, scripture, and spiritual direction.

“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life… If you hold to My teaching, you are really My disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:12 & 31 NIV.

The Holy Spirit protects us from deception. He’s a supernatural filter and an internal compass. Jesus Himself, the Word and Truth, describes the Holy Spirit as the Spirit of truth and promises that He will guide us into all truth (John 16:13).

Jesus’ words are light and life to the soul. The Word that became flesh and dwelt among us has spoken the truth: “He who belongs to God hears what God says.” (John 8:47)

What now?

The Lord’s warning is clear.

There is no way to avoid AI; it is a part of our social and cultural life. But we can be aware that the enemy of our soul will use it as a weapon against us if he can. He will do everything He can to divert our attention from the Word to an easy answer in AI.

Let us take heed to stay in God’s word and pray for the Spirit of truth to lead, guide and help. No matter how easy it might seem, make every effort not to Google spiritual things; trust your pastor. Even if you Google something, check and double-check the truth in the Word of God.

Guard your heart – watch over your soul above all things. The Lord, your God, is with you.

My son, pay attention to what I say; listen closely to My words. Do not let them out of your sight; keep them within your heart, for they are life to those who find them and health to a man’s whole body. Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life. Prov 4:20-23 NIV.

Let us Pray

Heavenly Father, thank You for Your clear and life-changing Word. Help me to engage in Sacred Scripture with a settled mind, clear eyes, and clear ears. Lord Jesus, thank you for your warning. I will listen to you. Holy Spirit, rule over my soul and lead me in Spirit and Truth. Amen.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God… The Word became flesh and lived for a while among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and Only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:1 & 14 NIV