Jerry Nixon is on the Board at Front Range Christian School.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) remains in the news, achieving wonders. Far beyond playing chess or generating cat images, AI has become an incredible assistant in translation, medical diagnostics, drug development, and optimizing supply chains. Yet, as remarkable as these advancements are, there is more we—as Christians—should consider.
Around this time last year, I wrote a post for A word from… that gave an overview of Front Range Christian School’s perspective on AI. Not much has changed. We are preparing students for the real world, recognizing they are graduating into a reality where AI is not a novelty or a problem to avoid but a standard part of personal and professional life.
Preparing students for AI is like preparing them for a library. We don’t need to teach them how to construct the building but how to be savvy researchers and critical thinkers. While the data science behind AI is important, our primary focus is on helping students stand out because of their thoughtful proficiency, not their ignorance.
The truth is, as AI evolves, so does its role in education. We’re still learning. Like you, we are concerned AI could shortcut the learning process, depriving students of fundamental understanding—much like how calculators can replace an understanding of long division. That said, remember that calculators are required in our upper-level classes.
Now to the point of this letter.
Believers in Jesus Christ are outsiders living in a broken world that behaves like a broken world. We know “the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers” (2 Corinthians 4:4), so when their blindness leads to outrageous conclusions, we aren’t surprised. If anything, we can appreciate that the secular world is remarkably good at acting like a secular world.
Before I step through a worldview conversation about Artificial Intelligence, I want to emphasize what I just said. The heart of man has been gloriously engraved with the image of God. This is true about every man and woman you have ever met. God loves the person on the other side of the table just as much as He loves you—that is to say, completely.
Artificial Intelligence is giving believers countless opportunities to discuss spiritual matters with our friends—a chance to share God’s perspective on humanity and His hope for each of us. If we only see AI as a problem to solve, we risk missing what could be the greatest opening for the gospel of Jesus Christ in three generations.
When will Artificial Intelligence become alive?
The idea of AI being alive is the question of questions. Many of my colleagues—and a startling number of people worldwide—answer this without hesitation: “Soon.” But this misguided sentiment isn’t something we fear. Instead, we see it as an invitation to take conversations “further up and further in,” as C.S. Lewis described. They are practically begging us to share our Savior, His Word, and the worldview we cherish.
Our simple conversation starter is “What does it mean to be alive?”
Consider my wife, Kyndall. We met in college, and if I were to describe her, I’d say she has arms and legs, eyes and ears, a sharp mind, and a good sense of humor. She’s a quick study, a thoughtful friend, and a sage counselor.
A golem is a creature in Jewish tradition, described as a humanoid figure made from clay or mud and brought to life. Interestingly, the term is used in Psalms to describe an unformed embryo: “Your eyes saw my unformed body (golem).”
Now, let’s imagine creating such a creature using technology—a sort of robot modeled to be just like Kyndall. It would have her physical features, her voice, her memories, and even her mannerisms, all constructed with precision and care. But as remarkable as it might seem, would it truly be Kyndall?
The answer is simple: of course not.
If we accept that artificial intelligence will become alive, then we must assume life is something we can assemble—something that can be pieced together with the right parts and enough time, like building with Lego bricks. But we know better. Life is not a product of assembly; it is something far greater than the sum of its parts.
“There’s beggary in the love that can be reckoned.” That’s what love-struck Antony said to Cleopatra in Shakespeare’s tragedy Antony and Cleopatra. It means that if this is all there is, it’s not enough. In our hearts, we intuitively understand: life is more than an assembly of capabilities and features. We’re not puppets, robots, or amazing computer programs.
God explains in Genesis: “So God created mankind in His own image.” Now, take a step back and consider our infinite Father. Is His image in us a big piece of our puzzle? How many computers would it take to replicate it? How many engineers would it take? How much metal and plastic, how many batteries?
Do you see how absurd those questions sound? It highlights the impossibility of being alive. God explains even more in Genesis: “Then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.” Before that breath, we were not living creatures; we were not alive.
Why are we Christians so obsessed with protecting life? Why are Christians always sticking their noses into politics? It’s because we see every life as more than just an assembly—we see every life as a reflection of our Lord, wonderfully made. It’s not that we love life; it’s that we love God.
When Jesus says, “I came that they may have life and have it abundantly” (John 10:10), He scrambles the minds of first-century Jews by once again redefining what it means to be alive. Jesus is focused on the soul of man and our eternal fellowship with God. Now imagine the poor data scientists tasked with the impossible job of trying to add that into a machine learning model. Life, as Jesus defines it, is rooted in eternal relationship.
And this, friends, is your opportunity.
We’ve been talking about life—real life. Deep down, we all know there’s more than this life, and, honestly, something is wrong with us. It’s not just what we do; it’s who we are. You don’t know what it is, but it’s there, like a splinter in your mind, driving you mad. And no matter how hard we try, we can’t fix it.
We feel like slaves to everything we hate. It makes no sense that God would love us. He knows that what’s broken in us is sin—our refusal to accept who we really are and who He really is. Yet He loves us, even while we are yet sinners, and gives us a way out: salvation.
Deep down, we know who we really are and what we truly deserve, but Jesus offers Himself to take our punishment. His perfect life and His death—murdered on a cross—are that sacrifice. And His resurrection is His salvation which he offers to you.
Life is not an assembly of things; it’s so much more. Who better to trust with your life than the One who made you? You’ve spent a lifetime without truly being alive, and in a moment’s decision, you can have it—real life. Will you trust Him?
The Bible explains our trouble and God’s solution: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23), showing that we are all guilty before Him. “But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8), offering us forgiveness through Jesus’ sacrifice. If we confess Jesus as Lord and believe in His resurrection, “we will be saved” (Romans 10:9-10), receiving the gift of eternal life through Him (Romans 6:23).
When I was eight years old, I prayed with my third-grade teacher (thank God for Christian teachers) something like this: Dear Jesus, I know I’ve done wrong things. Thank You for loving me. Thank You for dying on the cross for my sins. I want You to be my Savior. Come into my heart and forgive my sins. Amen. To be honest, that 8-year-old barely understood, but it was enough. I would never be the same.
But, in the end, God is not asking us to fully understand—He is asking us to trust and obey; there is no other way.
