Wednesday Wonder

No AI was used in the generating of this Wednesday Wonder.

This comment comes from the conversation we had in the Tuesday morning Bible study group this week. We were talking about how the apostle Paul ended, or marked, his letters so that the readers would know they were truly from him.

I understand that in the ancient world, writing in the style of someone else was often done. In fact, there are many letters in the New Testament said to be from Paul, but there is dispute about them.

Not all the letters supposedly from Paul, were actually written by Paul. And yes, he often used a scribe or secretary, but those are still Paul’s letters. There was a school of Paul. Students gathered to study and learn what Paul was, and had been, teaching. They studied how he expressed himself and his ideas. They learned to express themselves in a similar manner.

Now, some who wrote like Paul, did so in order to continue to advance the work Paul had begun. Others used it so that what they wrote and sent would be accepted as true and important, because people thought it was from Paul!

There was the suggestion that after nearly 100 Wednesday Wonders someone might be able to write in a manner similar to mine and fool people into believing it was written by me. I am lead to believe that AI could analyze my writings, as found on my computer, and do a good imitation of my style and content. No, I did not try that today.

However, would you believe it came from me if the style was close enough? Maybe. My name would still be at the bottom. And you trust that what is written above my name came from me. The same was true in Paul’s time.

Today we have to be very discerning at times to ensure that what we are reading, seeing, or hearing are true. Between people who do not tell the truth and artificial intelligence it can be difficult to know what to believe anymore.

Apparently, it has always been so. Even those first believers of what we now call the Christian church had trouble at times knowing for sure what to believe when they heard about Christ and how to live a faithful life as a follower of the Christ.

Paul often has to tell the churches he is writing to that they are hearing misinformation. He tells them to continue to hold fast to what he, himself, had told them. His letters are often sent to encourage, support, and straighten out any misunderstanding or misinformation about what it is to be a follower of Christ.

While we might like to think we have come a long way since the first century of the common era, some things still remain the same. There are still people trying to tell us that being a follower of Christ is ridiculous. Or that the whole story/concept of Christ, or God is false. In some places in the world, those who follow Christ are still persecuted as the new believers were in Paul’s time.

Being a follower of Christ is still quite countercultural. Just as it was in Jesus’ time, just as it was in Paul’s time. And, it can be difficult to remain faithful in the face of all of it.

What is a present-day follower of Christ to do? Gather with other followers of Christ. Gather for worship and learning. Gather for meals and prayer. Talk, discuss and work to grow together in learning, in understanding and in faith.

No AI is needed to follow faithfully. Just as no AI is needed for me to find something to say. 😊