So God created man and woman and shaped them with his image inside them. In his own beautiful image, he created his masterpiece. Yes, male and female he created them. (Genesis 1:27 TPT)
“I want AI to do my laundry and dishes so that I can do art and writing, not for AI to do my art and writing so that I can do my laundry and dishes.” – Joanna Maciejewska
Last weekend I took my first ride in a self-driving car. There was a real person in the driver’s seat, but for periods of time the car was doing all the work. I realize that plenty of people have cars that have the capacity to self-drive, but this was a unique experience for me. When I told my 16-year-old sons of my “cool” ride, they weren’t all that impressed. Still, this launched us into quite a discussion, starting with the big question, “What does it mean to be human?”
Machines and computers have long been replacing human labor. From sewing machines and washing machines to combine harvesters and calculators, inventions have taken over much of the physical and mental work once done by people. And most of us wouldn’t want to return to a time before these conveniences. Likewise, computers and automation have taken on many jobs—some tedious, others dangerous—and artificial intelligence (AI) is accelerating that shift. As AI becomes more capable, it’s raising profound questions about the future of work, creativity, and even identity.
So, what does make us human? Is it our DNA? Sentience? The ability to learn, grow, or create? As machines become more advanced—and increasingly human-like—society will have to reckon with these questions. For example, if AI can think, reason, and make decisions more effectively than people, should it be given rights, such as the ability to vote?
These may sound like science fiction, but consider this: once, people laughed at the idea of manned flight. AI is progressing rapidly, and many ethical questions once reserved for fantasy may soon become reality. At the heart of them all lies a deeper issue: What makes us truly human?
For the Christian, we must wrestle with the important ethical questions through the lens of God’s Word and with the guidance of the Holy Spirit. During the long arc of time since Jesus’s life on earth, the Church has wrestled with many, many important questions. Some were answered by creeds or councils and have held for millennia. Other questions have had multiple answers, depending on the era of time. Yet, some things do not change.
So God created humans in his image. In the image of God he created them. He created them male and female. (Genesis 1:27 GW)
For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. (Ephesians 2:10 NLT)
For God made human beings in his own image. (Genesis 9:6 NLT)
God created humanity—male and female—with purpose, identity, and value. No matter how advanced our technology becomes, it can never replace the divine spirit God gives to humans. We are the only part of creation in which God places his Holy Spirit.
And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you. (John 14:16-17 ESV)
While this post doesn’t answer every question about technology’s role in our future, it reminds us of something foundational: We are made in the image of God—imago Dei—and that makes us distinct. No machine, no matter how intelligent, can replicate the Spirit within us that sets us apart.
Creating God,
Thank you, Lord, for creating each of us with a purpose and a plan. Thank you for the gift of creativity that you’ve given to humanity—creativity that has been used to build many things, both for good and for harm. We’re grateful for your guidance as we face complex ethical questions in our world today. Thank you for reminding us in your Word that we are your masterpieces, uniquely filled with your Holy Spirit. Help us to remember our special place in your creation, and to honor you with our time, talents, resources, and creativity. May all that we create serve to advance your Kingdom. We ask this in Jesus’s name—AMEN.