ChatGPT for Personal Bible Study?

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De Jager

De Jager

Puritan Board Junior
Has anyone tried this? I have to be honest, I've been BLOWN AWAY at the thoroughness and comprehensive answers that this AI site has give me when I put in a theological question. Obviously, you need to take the answers with a grain of salt - this is not a pastor, this is a computer program, but I am fairly sure that this technology can be used to glorify God. Here is an example of something I've searched:

Question:
according to the reformed understanding, what does God promise in the covenant of grace? And what are some scripture proofs to support?

Answer:
In classic Reformed theology—as expressed in the Westminster Standards, the Three Forms of Unity, and the broader Puritan tradition—the Covenant of Grace is God’s gracious promise to save sinners through faith in Jesus Christ, the Mediator. The covenant unfolds throughout redemptive history (Genesis → Revelation) but is unified in substance.

Below is a concise yet thorough summary.

What God Promises in the Covenant of Grace (Reformed Understanding)​

1. Salvation through a Redeemer​

God promises to save His people from sin and condemnation through Jesus Christ, the Mediator of the covenant.

Scripture proofs:

  • Genesis 3:15 — first gospel promise; the “seed of the woman” will crush the serpent.
  • John 3:16 — God gives His Son so that whoever believes has eternal life.
  • Acts 4:12 — salvation is in Christ alone.

2. Forgiveness of sins​

The covenant includes the full pardon of sin on the basis of Christ’s atoning work.

Scripture proofs:

  • Jeremiah 31:34 — “I will forgive their iniquity, and remember their sin no more.”
  • Ephesians 1:7 — redemption and forgiveness through Christ’s blood.
  • Romans 8:1 — no condemnation for those in Christ.

3. Adoption as God’s children​

Believers become members of God’s family and heirs with Christ.

Scripture proofs:

  • Galatians 4:4–7 — adoption as sons through Christ.
  • John 1:12 — those who receive Christ become children of God.
  • Romans 8:15–17 — Spirit of adoption; heirs with Christ.

4. Renewal and Sanctification by the Holy Spirit​

The covenant promises a new heart, the indwelling Spirit, and ongoing sanctification.

Scripture proofs:

  • Ezekiel 36:26–27 — God gives a new heart and His Spirit to cause obedience.
  • Titus 3:5–6 — washing of regeneration and renewal by the Spirit.
  • Philippians 1:6 — God completes the good work He begins.

5. Perseverance in faith​

God preserves His people so they will not finally fall away.

Scripture proofs:

  • John 10:28–29 — none can snatch Christ’s sheep from His hand.
  • Philippians 1:6 — He will bring His work to completion.
  • 1 Peter 1:5 — kept by God's power through faith.

6. Eternal life and glorification​

The covenant culminates in resurrection and everlasting communion with God.

Scripture proofs:

  • John 6:39–40 — Christ raises up His people on the last day.
  • Romans 8:30 — those justified will be glorified.
  • Revelation 21:3–7 — God dwelling with His people forever.

Summary from the Westminster Confession (7.3; 7.5; 7.6)​

The Covenant of Grace is God’s promise to give:

  • Christ as Mediator,
  • the Holy Spirit,
  • faith,
  • all saving benefits,
  • and eternal life,
    to all whom He calls.
If you want, I can also:

  • Give the full Westminster proof-texts for the covenant,
  • Provide a comparison with the Three Forms of Unity,
  • Or trace the covenant’s unfolding through Scripture (Adam → Noah → Abraham → Moses → David → New Covenant).
 
Make sure to set up personalization in the Settings of ChatGPT (or whatever AI model you'd like to use) .. for example, in my ChatGPT client I've got something like:

"I am a Christian, Protestant, and Reformed. I’m Presbyterian.

I enjoy the Puritans, Reformers, theology, and church history. Always use the NKJV for Bible references, and produce citations with links."

And every question will keep these kinds of things in mind for answering. You can be much more thorough than this to help shape the engine!
 
A family member uses it and benefits from it. I don't always agree with everything but there are enough free and good commentaries that it pulls from and synthesizes.
 
It seems to easily replace personal effort and study. Once people become accustomed to AI and it's supposed reliablity and clarity they will stop seeking valid human resources.

Don't get me wrong, AI is convenient. I can ask it to summarize theological positions of theologians without having to wade through all their works. But it's the wading through and reading of works and scripture that impress the truth into our hearts and minds, by the grace of the Holy Spirit leading us into all truth.

This is just my opinion, but I can't see the value of handing over important cognitive functions to AI just to save time.
 
De Jager said:
Has anyone tried this? I have to be honest, I've been BLOWN AWAY at the thoroughness and comprehensive answers that this AI site has give me when I put in a theological question.
Click to expand...
I agree with you, but I stopped talking about it because I just get laughed at. :-(
 
Venator Veritatis said:
Once people become accustomed to AI and it's supposed reliablity and clarity they will stop seeking valid human resources.
Click to expand...

Ecclesiastes 8:17 KJV
[17] then I beheld all the work of God, that a man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun: because though a man labour to seek it out, yet he shall not find it; yea farther; though a wise man think to know it, yet shall he not be able to find it.
[17] then I saw all the work of God, that man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun. However much man may toil in seeking, he will not find it out. Even though a wise man claims to know, he cannot find it out.
 
I have mixed feelings about it. Like any technology, there are things gained and things lost. Obviously, the quick access to information is a valuable help. At the same time, the process of study does impact how we learn, and how well. Totally eliminating it will mean losing some real benefits. There are probably ways that we can seek to integrate the two things to one degree or another to get as much benefit as possible, though with how new AI is we are all still figuring out what that looks like.
 
I have used it to "analyze this sermon within a confessionally reformed framework".... it's incredible.
 
Jacques said:
Make sure to set up personalization in the Settings of ChatGPT (or whatever AI model you'd like to use) .. for example, in my ChatGPT client I've got something like:

"I am a Christian, Protestant, and Reformed. I’m Presbyterian.

I enjoy the Puritans, Reformers, theology, and church history. Always use the NKJV for Bible references, and produce citations with links."

And every question will keep these kinds of things in mind for answering. You can be much more thorough than this to help shape the engine!
Click to expand...
This is great in a lot of ways, and at the same time I see in this kind of personalization the potential for the extreme intensification of the echo-chamber effect we have already seen with the internet and social media. I wonder how we might balance that out.
[automerge]1765388580[/automerge]



Semi-tongue-in-cheek; Here is an AI generated idea of how one might balance things out between AI and self-study. I actually think it is pretty decent. :cheers:

2. Strategic Workflows​

Don't mix the methods randomly. Use a "Sandwich Method" to ensure your own cognition and spirit remain the primary processor of the text.

The "Sandwich" Method​

  • Step 1: Unaided Engagement (The Bread)
    • Read the text purely on your own first. No commentaries, no AI.
    • Write down your initial observations, questions, and "gut reactions."
    • Why: This anchors the study in your engagement with the text, preventing AI from "anchoring" your bias before you've even thought for yourself.
  • Step 2: AI-Assisted Expansion (The Meat)
    • Now, bring in the AI to do the heavy lifting that would take hours in a library.

    • Prompt examples:
      • "What are the major Second Temple Jewish views on 'cleanliness' relevant to Mark 7?"
      • "Compare Calvin’s view of this verse with a Wesleyan perspective."
      • "Analyze the grammar of the Greek verb in verse 5—is it active or passive?"
    • Why: This rapidly broadens your horizon and checks your blind spots.
  • Step 3: Synthesized Reflection (The Bread)
    • Close the AI. Return to your notes.
    • Ask: "Does this new information change my initial reading? How?"
    • Crucial Step: Write the final theological conclusion in your own words. Do not let the AI write the summary. The act of synthesis is where learning happens.

3. Cognitive & Spiritual Safeguards​

AI minimizes "friction," but deep learning requires friction. Reintroduce it intentionally.

  • The "Zero-Copy-Paste" Rule: Never copy-paste an insight from an AI into your final notes or sermon outline. Force yourself to re-type it or rephrase it. This forces the information to pass through your brain's processing centers, moving it from short-term to long-term memory.
  • Interrogation vs. Consumption:Treat the AI like a student you are grading, not a professor you are learning from.
    • Instead of asking: "What does this verse mean?"
    • Ask: "Here is my interpretation of this verse. Critique it for theological consistency and historical accuracy."
    • Result: You remain the active agent; the AI is merely the sparring partner.
  • The "Hallucination" Check:AI models are "people pleasers"—they will sometimes invent facts to satisfy a prompt.
    • Rule: If an AI provides a juicy quote or a surprising historical fact, never trust it until you verify it in a standard commentary or primary source. The act of verification is deep study.

4. When to strictly AVOID AI​

There are specific spiritual zones where AI should be "air-gapped" (completely disconnected):
  • Devotional Reading (Lectio Divina): When the goal is hearing God’s voice for your life, AI offers nothing. It has no soul, no lived experience, and no Holy Spirit. It cannot offer "testimony."

  • Application & Ethics: AI can list ethical frameworks, but it cannot tell you how to apply a text to your specific life situation or church community context. That requires emotional intelligence and spiritual discernment.
 
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Ed Walsh said:
Ecclesiastes 8:17 KJV
[17] then I beheld all the work of God, that a man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun: because though a man labour to seek it out, yet he shall not find it; yea farther; though a wise man think to know it, yet shall he not be able to find it.
[17] then I saw all the work of God, that man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun. However much man may toil in seeking, he will not find it out. Even though a wise man claims to know, he cannot find it out.
Click to expand...
I don't think this is a good excuse to lean on AI instead of studying for ourselves.
 
jhcampbell said:
I don't think,this is a good oxcuse to lean on AI instead of studying for ourselves.
Click to expand...

I am in PA – Amish Mecca, and a huge Menonite population to boot. I know all about fear of change when I hear similar arguments from Amish people about cars, phones, tractors, etc.
 
Last edited:
Ed Walsh said:
I am in PA – Amash Mecca, and a huge Mene population to boot. I know all about fear of change when I hear similar arguments from Amash people about cars, phones, tractors, etc.
Click to expand...
It's not a fear of change, speaking only for myself here. There is a legitimate reason to think that people will no longer think for themselves and rely on AI to tell them all the intricacies they need to know about any given sermon, book or scripture passage. It's already happening. There is even a name for it, cognitive offloading. I know a gentleman who refuses to listen to a good Godly commentary but will accept what ChatGPT churns out. To ignore the dangers would be unwise.
 
Venator Veritatis said:
It's not a fear of change, speaking only for myself here. There is a legitimate reason to think that people will no longer think for themselves and rely on AI to tell them all the intricacies they need to know about any given sermon, book or scripture passage. It's already happening. There is even a name for it, cognitive offloading. I know a gentleman who refuses to listen to a good Godly commentary but will accept what ChatGPT churns out. To ignore the dangers would be unwise.
Click to expand...
100% agreed. I have also seen AI trend towards these unbiblical analogical interpretations of verses like comparing "stars" to a bright, unwavering spirit and using numbers in the sense that like "4 represents stability" etc. It is not a fear of change but something that is already ongoing and people have already begun to lose their critical thinking skills because AI does all the work for them. If we come to a point where we don't have real thinkers, we will cease to have real theology. There will be no "knowledge of God" there will just be a knowledge of what a spiritless algorithm says.
 
Venator Veritatis said:
It's not a fear of change, speaking only for myself here. There is a legitimate reason to think that people will no longer think for themselves and rely on AI to tell them all the intricacies they need to know about any given sermon, book or scripture passage. It's already happening. There is even a name for it, cognitive offloading. I know a gentleman who refuses to listen to a good Godly commentary but will accept what ChatGPT churns out. To ignore the dangers would be unwise.
Click to expand...
Yes, I had this problem last night when I was having a discussion with someone on Facebook. They posted a meme about the age of one of Islams prophets marrying a minor, and I responded that it wasn't just a slam-dunk "gotcha," because Muslims will respond Joseph was betrothed to what many scholars believe was a minor-aged Mary, and that there is a tradition within parts of Christianity (especially as it relates to PV) that Joseph was much older than Mary. Meaning it may not be as severe as 60/6, but Muslims can point to the possibility of the 60/12-14 of the Joseph and Mary situation. And now you have a whole different, but similar debate on your hands. Not trying to debate that here, but my point is, that more than a couple people on the post, you could tell, were simply responding with AI rebuttals. People can see this because AI talks a certain way, i.e.

"We do not have a birthday, but we absolutely have a bandwidth:"
"which is just bad history dressed up as piety."
"So trying to blunt that ethical contrast by waving around perpetual virginity folklore about Joseph is not only irrelevant, it is a category error."
"That is not a rebuttal, it is a confession that you are leaning on legend as though it were a primary source."
"You are trying to smuggle in authority by name-dropping traditions."

The people I point-blank asked if they were using AI came back with a response: "what does it matter, refute it if you can."

Then I showed them all you have to do is go to AI and ask it to refute any comment someone leaves you, and it will attempt to do so.

Then I asked, do we really want to go there? Meaning, is this the way we want to end up, is that our discussions now are simply copy and pasting AI comments into AI to argue/debate others, who are using AI to debate with in the first place? This brought up the point, "well what is the difference with using Google?" Google search inquiries make you go to websites that are linked to direct sources, so that the response can be tied to a direct source. AI many times just responds with info with no source. Like everybody knows here, I use AI for a lot of things. I just don't think it is presently that good for study (without cross-checking everything) because it pulls from everything on the web, and also, it wants to please you with its answers so it may misconstrue facts to do so. It can be good to point to direct sources, but one should be leery of taking AI responses in its present state, as fact. AI is still in its infancy. It has barely digested the corpus of human knowledge. It will still be a minute before it properly categorizes it and has the ability to decipher between good and bad sources.
 
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davejonescue said:
The people I point-blank asked if they were using AI came back with a response: "what does it matter, refute it if you can."
Click to expand...
I had to deal with this as well, when I was debating somebody on the five points quite a while back.

Instead of realizing their unfaithfulness to what true debate or conversation looks like they almost step up into it and seem almost proud or prideful to be using AI as if they have acquired some superior intellect when in reality they know they aren’t able to think it out for themselves. I would have more respect for them if they took the arguments AI provided and put them in their own words, but it’s not even that, it’s just word for word copy paste of whatever AI spits out at them.
 
De Jager said:
Question:
according to the reformed understanding, what does God promise in the covenant of grace? And what are some scripture proofs to support?
Click to expand...

The phrase, "according to the reformed understanding" sets parameters. If one is very careful in setting parameters it can be helpful for different things. I once had a discussion on genealogies where it helpfully showed who was alive and who was dead at different points in a timeline, but I had to keep saying, "according to the biblical timeline." It seemed to keep reverting to the liberal view of the composition of the books. Like a car that needs the wheels balancing. Make sure you keep a firm grip on the steering wheel so can correct it.
 
MW said:
The phrase, "according to the reformed understanding" sets parameters. If one is very careful in setting parameters it can be helpful for different things. I once had a discussion on genealogies where it helpfully showed who was alive and who was dead at different points in a timeline, but I had to keep saying, "according to the biblical timeline." It seemed to keep reverting to the liberal view of the composition of the books. Like a car that needs the wheels balancing. Make sure you keep a firm grip on the steering wheel so can correct it.
Click to expand...
Agreed, I am only interested in leveraging it as a tool if it pulls from sources that I trust. Any time I've ever asked it a question, I always set parameters like I did above. Also, I think it's helpful that you can simply ask it to produce a list of the sources that it used to produce the answer so you can do your own digging and verify the results.
 
MW said:
Like a car that needs the wheels balancing. Make sure you keep a firm grip on the steering wheel so can correct it.
Click to expand...

^ This cannot be overstated even to the point of having wisdom for your own conscience as to how much work you are doing as you do this, or even if what you are doing is worth the extra work of constant vigilance.

* "you" is a general "you" for all of us here and not Rev. Winzer specifically. I was only quoting his post as tacit agreement or a tacit thumbs up.
 
Venator Veritatis said:
It's not a fear of change, speaking only for myself here. There is a legitimate reason to think that people will no longer think for themselves and rely on AI to tell them all the intricacies they need to know about any given sermon, book or scripture passage. It's already happening. There is even a name for it, cognitive offloading. I know a gentleman who refuses to listen to a good Godly commentary but will accept what ChatGPT churns out. To ignore the dangers would be unwise.
Click to expand...
Be honest: are these people really the same cohort who would take the time and effort to work through a good, Godly commentary?

Maybe there's a bit of overlap, but my feelings are... generally, no.

The ones who want to do so will continue to do so because they see the value. The rest... just have a new toy that gives them some pretty snazzy--and honestly, surprisingly accurate--answers.
 
Andrew35 said:
Be honest: are these people really the same cohort who would take the time and effort to work through a good, Godly commentary?

Maybe there's a bit of overlap, but my feelings are... generally, no.

The ones who want to do so will continue to do so because they see the value. The rest... just have a new toy that gives them some pretty snazzy--and honestly, surprisingly accurate--answers.
Click to expand...
The people I have in mind have libraries that rival my own in terms of good reformed books and commentaries, and prior to the advent of easy answers via AI referred to them quite a lot. Now when I ask a theological question it's "well AI says..." Or even worse, a response that is obviously not their own but they give no indication that they are not actually the ones doing the thinking.

However, I'm sure there is some truth in what you say.
 
It has a tendency to multiply points and subpoints needlessly, even for simple questions. As others have noted, it is necessary to bias the model's 'theology'. I have also biased it to keep everything as brief as possible, and it still goes on and on sometimes.

The biggest danger seems to be that it can 'feel' like you are speaking with a person, especially with a biased top-end model.

I have told it that I value insights from older Presbyterian writers, so it will always ask me if I want it to dig up their views on some topic, even if it is obvious to me that the older writers didn't address it. What it comes up with can be entertaining, and occasionally insightful.

Better than taking Poole's annotations off the shelf for Bible study? Possibly not, but it's in the air we breathe now.
 
arapahoepark said:
Was this generated by AI?

There have been a few here where the syntax is suspect...
Click to expand...
This one was human generated by yours truly. However, because of the sheer amount brain activity required to do so, I will be hibernating for a week. See you all then.
 
De Jager said:
Has anyone tried this? I have to be honest, I've been BLOWN AWAY at the thoroughness and comprehensive answers that this AI site has give me when I put in a theological question. Obviously, you need to take the answers with a grain of salt - this is not a pastor, this is a computer program, but I am fairly sure that this technology can be used to glorify God. Here is an example of something I've searched:

Question:
according to the reformed understanding, what does God promise in the covenant of grace? And what are some scripture proofs to support?

Answer:
In classic Reformed theology—as expressed in the Westminster Standards, the Three Forms of Unity, and the broader Puritan tradition—the Covenant of Grace is God’s gracious promise to save sinners through faith in Jesus Christ, the Mediator. The covenant unfolds throughout redemptive history (Genesis → Revelation) but is unified in substance.

Below is a concise yet thorough summary.

What God Promises in the Covenant of Grace (Reformed Understanding)​

1. Salvation through a Redeemer​

God promises to save His people from sin and condemnation through Jesus Christ, the Mediator of the covenant.

Scripture proofs:

  • Genesis 3:15 — first gospel promise; the “seed of the woman” will crush the serpent.
  • John 3:16 — God gives His Son so that whoever believes has eternal life.
  • Acts 4:12 — salvation is in Christ alone.

2. Forgiveness of sins​

The covenant includes the full pardon of sin on the basis of Christ’s atoning work.

Scripture proofs:

  • Jeremiah 31:34 — “I will forgive their iniquity, and remember their sin no more.”
  • Ephesians 1:7 — redemption and forgiveness through Christ’s blood.
  • Romans 8:1 — no condemnation for those in Christ.

3. Adoption as God’s children​

Believers become members of God’s family and heirs with Christ.

Scripture proofs:

  • Galatians 4:4–7 — adoption as sons through Christ.
  • John 1:12 — those who receive Christ become children of God.
  • Romans 8:15–17 — Spirit of adoption; heirs with Christ.

4. Renewal and Sanctification by the Holy Spirit​

The covenant promises a new heart, the indwelling Spirit, and ongoing sanctification.

Scripture proofs:

  • Ezekiel 36:26–27 — God gives a new heart and His Spirit to cause obedience.
  • Titus 3:5–6 — washing of regeneration and renewal by the Spirit.
  • Philippians 1:6 — God completes the good work He begins.

5. Perseverance in faith​

God preserves His people so they will not finally fall away.

Scripture proofs:

  • John 10:28–29 — none can snatch Christ’s sheep from His hand.
  • Philippians 1:6 — He will bring His work to completion.
  • 1 Peter 1:5 — kept by God's power through faith.

6. Eternal life and glorification​

The covenant culminates in resurrection and everlasting communion with God.

Scripture proofs:

  • John 6:39–40 — Christ raises up His people on the last day.
  • Romans 8:30 — those justified will be glorified.
  • Revelation 21:3–7 — God dwelling with His people forever.

Summary from the Westminster Confession (7.3; 7.5; 7.6)​

The Covenant of Grace is God’s promise to give:

  • Christ as Mediator,
  • the Holy Spirit,
  • faith,
  • all saving benefits,
  • and eternal life,
    to all whom He calls.
If you want, I can also:

  • Give the full Westminster proof-texts for the covenant,
  • Provide a comparison with the Three Forms of Unity,
  • Or trace the covenant’s unfolding through Scripture (Adam → Noah → Abraham → Moses → David → New Covenant).
Click to expand...
Thank you for this, as was not even aware of that app, set it up, and was able to get some really good information when I typed in to search Reformed Baptist
 
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