Taking every thought captive for obedience to Christ (2 Cor. 10.5)

Vision
Artificial Intelligence
One’s purpose in life is directly related to his or her vision of what “life” is or should be.

Human beings are unique as the only creatures which operate on the basis of purposes and goals. That is, within the scope of our conscious minds, humans know what we want to achieve, and we are able to determine purposeful and effective steps toward achieving those goals.

While, for most people, their vision of the “good life” may be vague, still, they undertake their daily lives with a view to making progress along the lines of what that vision suggests. The clearer and more compelling the vision, the stronger their purpose, the more precise their daily goals, and the more efficient and productive will be the routines and disciplines by which they pursue those goals.

Animals and plants differ from humans in this matter. They do and make things instinctively, driven by genes and their environment. And while some of those things may seem to express purpose and goals, such behavior is not the same as humans.

Certain whales and dolphins, for example, create bubble or mud “corrals” to trap small fish, which they then devour. In so doing, they may seem to be following some purpose or goal. But this is merely instinct, as appears from the fact that all classes of such creatures follow the same practice, and they do not seem concerned to improve the practice.

Humans are different, and what is especially interesting and fraught with potential – or perhaps danger – in our generation, is the ability of humans to enlist computers in pursuit of their purposes and goals.

The possibilities for this are what have engaged the fertile mind of Stephen Wolfram for most of his career, as he reports in an Edge interview (“AI & The Future of Civilization,” March 1, 2016). Humans have always engaged machines in pursuit of their goals and purposes, and Mr. Wolfram foresees a day when, increasingly, computers will know us and our histories and preferences sufficiently well to understand our purpose and goals and interpret those into efficient directions, instructions, and actions, leaving us free to think about new and more ambitious goals. Just as people today are taught to read and write and communicate with other people, so, he believes, people in the near future will know how to read and write and communicate with computers.

At which time, the question of what purpose and which goals we ask our computers to perform for us will be more important than ever.

The Christian’s purpose in life, as the Westminster Shorter Catechism summarizes it, is “to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.”

Easy to say, no?

But how does such a purpose translate into daily goals, efficient routines and disciplines, and, most importantly, a vision of life, the mere contemplation of which brings a certain measure of pleasure and satisfaction? Christians have the mind of Christ and of His Spirit. Thus, the horizon of consciousness, and of the kind of life vision and purpose that we might construct within that horizon, would seem to be unbounded.

But where is the evidence that Christians are thinking and living with the kind of goals that reflect such a compelling vision and such a high and holy purpose?

This is the challenge all face who are determined to “press on” with the Apostle Paul toward the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus with respect to every area of their lives (Phil. 3.14). Each of us must understand the unique vision and purpose this “upward call” intends for us, as well as the goals, routines, and disciplines required to “press on” toward these.

The world is looking for intelligence about the purpose of life, but not necessarily in the right places. For the Christian, the details defining life must be daily and prayerfully received from the Giver of life Himself, through faithful and deep immersion in the Word of God. Others may look elsewhere for their basic information about and orientation to life, but the believer stands alone on the Word of God in this and all other matters.

For reflection
1.  Meditate on Matthew 6.33. How clear is your vision of the Kingdom of God? How do you see the Kingdom come “on earth as it is in heaven” in your daily life (Matt. 6.10)?

2.  What’s involved in setting your daily schedule with the mind of Christ?

3.  What are the most important influences shaping your vision and purpose in life? How is that evident in the goals, routines, and disciplines you pursue each day?

Talk with a Christian friend about what it means to “glorify God and enjoy Him forever,” and how you might help one another translate that purpose into meaningful goals in life.

T. M. Moore

Stretch your vision of Christ and His Kingdom by ordering a copy of T. M.’s book, The Kingship of Jesus, from our online store (click here). You can download a free meditation on the glory of Jesus Christ exalted, Glorious Vision: 28 Days in the Throne Room of the Lord, by clicking here.

The Week features insights from a wide range of topics and issues, with a view to equipping the followers of Christ to take every thought captive for Jesus. Please prayerfully consider supporting The Fellowship of Ailbe by sending a gift to The Fellowship of Ailbe, 19 Tyler Drive, Essex Junction, VT 05452.