fbpx
Articles

The 830 Resolution

/
February 21, 2014

I, ­­­___________________, hereby resolve, by the power of the Holy Spirit working within me, to seek to

Act like a man in watchfulness and strength, fulfilling my duties to my God, to my church, to my family, to my employer, to my neighbor, to my nation, and to all nations, governed by the precepts of Scripture and guided by integrity of heart (Job 38:3; 40:7; Prov. 11:3; Jer. 29:4-7; Matt. 25:14-46; 28:19-20; Luke 10:25-37; Acts 1:8; Rom. 13:1-7; 1 Cor. 16:13; 1 Tim. 2:1-4; 1 Pet. 2:13-17);

Bless the God and Father of my Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten me again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for me, kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time (1 Pet. 1:3-5);

Confess my sins to the Lord and to others forthrightly, striving to keep a clear conscience before God and man, knowing that if I regard iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear my prayer and that he who covers his sins will not prosper (Ps. 66:18; Prov. 28:13; Acts 24:16; James 5:16; 1 John 1:9);

Delight myself in the Lord, trusting in Him thoroughly, serving Him unswervingly, committing my way to Him unreservedly, and waiting on Him expectantly, thereby positioning myself properly to see Him act powerfully, granting my heart’s desires accordingly, to the glory of His name (Ps. 37:3-7);

Encourage every soul God brings across my path, building up rather than tearing down, blessing rather than cursing, letting no corrupt communication proceed out of my mouth but that which is good for edification that it may minister grace to the hearers (Matt. 5:44; Luke 6:27-28; Rom. 12:14; Eph. 4:29; 1 Thess. 5:11);

Forgive others just as God in Christ has forgiven me, a helpless sinner, covering my sins through His atoning sacrifice, carrying them from me as far as the east is from the west, and casting them into the depths of a crimson sea, never to be charged against me (Ps. 103:12; Is. 1:18; 43:25; Micah 7:19; Eph. 4:32);

Give unto the Lord the firstfruits of my labor, bringing all the tithe of my increase into the storehouse, along with offerings as I’ve purposed in my heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, but gratefully, for God loves a cheerful giver (Prov. 3:9; Mal. 3:10; 2 Cor. 9:7);

Humble myself in the sight of the Lord, who then will lift me up, for whoever exalts himself will be humbled and he who humbles himself will be exalted, as God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble (Matt. 19:30; 23:12; Mark 10:31; Luke 1:52; 14:11; 18:14; James 4:6, 10; 1 Pet. 5:5-6);

Invest in the lives of others as a doer of the Word and not a hearer only, evangelizing the lost, discipling the found, and uplifting the cast down, developing and using my spiritual gifts and natural talents for the expansion of the Kingdom and the building up of the saints (Matt. 25:14-46; 28:19-20; Luke 10:25-37; 1 Cor. 12:1-31; 2 Tim. 2:2; James 1:22);

Join the great cloud of witnesses who have gone before me walking by faith, not by sight, refusing to sell God’s blessings for a pot of porridge to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, but instead esteeming the reproaches of Christ greater riches than the treasures of this world, for without faith it is impossible to please God (Gen. 25:29-34; Heb. 11:1-40; 12:1-2);

Keep my heart with all diligence, walking by the Spirit with integrity of heart within my home, setting no unclean thing before my eyes and covenanting with my eyes that I will not look upon a woman lustfully, mindful that a young man cleanses his way by taking heed according to God’s Word (Job 31:1; Ps. 101:2-3; 119:9; Prov. 4:23; Gal. 5:16);

Love the Lord my God with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength, and to love my neighbor as myself, being kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another and esteeming others better than myself, looking ever and always to Jesus, the author and finisher of my faith, who demonstrated the highest form of love by humbling Himself and becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross (Deut. 6:5; Matt. 22:37-39; Luke 10:27; Rom. 12:10; Phil. 2:3-8; Heb. 12:2);

Make every effort to add to my faith virtue; and to virtue, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly affection; and to brotherly affection, love, for if I have not love, I am nothing (1 Cor. 13:1-3; 2 Pet. 1:5-7);

Navigate the billowing seas of life guided by the compass of Scripture, with my eyes fixed not on my storm but on my Savior, the Captain of my salvation and Commander of my soul, the omnipotent Lord who reigns supreme over wind and wave and can immediately steady my feet, still my storm, and station me on dry land (Matt. 14:22-34; Mark 6:45-52; John 6:15-21; Heb. 2:10);

Open my mouth for the voiceless, rescuing those who are being drawn toward death and imploring a confused and deceived culture to choose life, not death, for every human life is an image-bearer of the Creator (Gen. 1:26-27; Deut. 30:19; Ps. 82:3-4; 139:13-16; Prov. 24:11; 31:8-9);

Preach good tidings to the poor; to bind up the brokenhearted; to proclaim liberty to the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners; to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God; and to comfort all who mourn, giving them beauty for ashes, oil of joy for mourning, and a garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness, that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified (Is. 61:1-4);

Quiet my soul daily before the Lord, drinking deeply from His Word and sitting silently in His presence, seeking to know Him and to hear from Him, ascribing to Him the glory due His name and worshipping Him in the beauty of holiness, for great is the Lord and greatly to be praised (Ps. 29:2; 46:10; 62:1, 5; 145:3; Phil. 3:10; 1 Pet. 2:2-3);

Remember the tender mercies of the Lord, recounting His magnificent workings in my life, from the biggest of breakthroughs to the smallest of details, meditating on all His work and talking of all His deeds that His name will be remembered in all generations (Ps. 45:17; 77:10-12);

Study to show myself approved unto God, a workman that does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth and ready always to give a reason for the hope that is in me, with gentleness and respect (2 Tim. 2:15; 1 Pet. 3:15);

Trust in the providential timing of Almighty God—the Sovereign Lord who can do all things and carries out His plans in the fullness of time—not limiting the Holy One of Israel or charging Him with wrongdoing for trials that brew and temptations that ensue during seasons of wilderness and wait, but keeping my eye on the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night, my Deliverer who leads His people like a flock (Gen. 18:14; Ex. 13:21-22; Job 1:22; Ps. 77:20; 78:41; Jer. 32:17, 27; Luke 1:37; Gal. 4:4; James 1:12-15);

Uphold the high vision God has given me of marriage—a picture of Christ and His Bride, the Church—loving my wife even before I know her and preparing to lead her in all godliness and to lay down my life for her just as Christ laid down His life for the Church, meanwhile praying that my bride-in-waiting, a precious jewel to be found, would cultivate virtue through a deepening walk with God, that we would not arouse or awaken love until it pleases, and that in covenant marriage the Giver of life would bless us with fruit of the womb whom we may teach faithfully to know and to love Christ, for he who finds a wife finds a good thing, obtaining favor from the Lord, and children are a heritage from the Lord (Gen. 1:28; 2:24; Deut. 6:4-9; Ps. 127:3-5; 128:1-6; Prov. 18:22; 31:10; Song 2:7; 3:5; 8:4; Jer. 31:3; Hab. 2:2-3; John 15:13; Eph. 5:22-33; 1 Pet. 3:7);

Value every moment as a gift from God, redeeming the time because the days are evil and asking God to teach me to number my days that I may gain a heart of wisdom to know and to carry out His will, for He who began a good work in me will carry it out until the day of Jesus Christ (Ps. 90:12; Eph. 5:15-16; Phil. 1:6);

Walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God, strengthened with all might according to His glorious power, with all patience and longsuffering with joy (Col. 1:10-12);

X-ray my innermost being, inviting God to search me and know my heart, to try me and know my thoughts, and see if there be any wicked way in me and lead me in the way everlasting (Ps. 139:23-24; 1 Cor. 11:28);

Yield my will to God just as Christ yielded His will to the Father all the way to the cross, drinking the cup He prepares for me, all the while trusting Him to show me the path of life, for in His presence is fullness of joy and at His right hand are pleasures forever (Ps. 16:11; Matt. 26:38-42); and

Zero in on God’s all-encompassing purpose for my life: to know Him and to make Him known, testifying with both my life and my lips that Jesus Christ—the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End, the crucified Lamb and the coming King—is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Phil. 2:9-11; 3:10; Rev. 1:8, 11, 17; 22:12-13, 20).

So help me God. Amen.

But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. – Matthew 6:33

Doug Carlson

Doug Carlson came to the ERLC in 2004 and serves as the Leland House’s Office Manager, overseeing the administrative and organizational needs of the Washington office. A Fort Wayne, Ind., native, Doug attended Word of Life Bible Institute and received his B.S. from Liberty University and his Master of Public … Read More

Article 12: The Future of AI

We affirm that AI will continue to be developed in ways that we cannot currently imagine or understand, including AI that will far surpass many human abilities. God alone has the power to create life, and no future advancements in AI will usurp Him as the Creator of life. The church has a unique role in proclaiming human dignity for all and calling for the humane use of AI in all aspects of society.

We deny that AI will make us more or less human, or that AI will ever obtain a coequal level of worth, dignity, or value to image-bearers. Future advancements in AI will not ultimately fulfill our longings for a perfect world. While we are not able to comprehend or know the future, we do not fear what is to come because we know that God is omniscient and that nothing we create will be able to thwart His redemptive plan for creation or to supplant humanity as His image-bearers.

Genesis 1; Isaiah 42:8; Romans 1:20-21; 5:2; Ephesians 1:4-6; 2 Timothy 1:7-9; Revelation 5:9-10

Article 11: Public Policy

We affirm that the fundamental purposes of government are to protect human beings from harm, punish those who do evil, uphold civil liberties, and to commend those who do good. The public has a role in shaping and crafting policies concerning the use of AI in society, and these decisions should not be left to those who develop these technologies or to governments to set norms.

We deny that AI should be used by governments, corporations, or any entity to infringe upon God-given human rights. AI, even in a highly advanced state, should never be delegated the governing authority that has been granted by an all-sovereign God to human beings alone. 

Romans 13:1-7; Acts 10:35; 1 Peter 2:13-14

Article 10: War

We affirm that the use of AI in warfare should be governed by love of neighbor and the principles of just war. The use of AI may mitigate the loss of human life, provide greater protection of non-combatants, and inform better policymaking. Any lethal action conducted or substantially enabled by AI must employ 5 human oversight or review. All defense-related AI applications, such as underlying data and decision-making processes, must be subject to continual review by legitimate authorities. When these systems are deployed, human agents bear full moral responsibility for any actions taken by the system.

We deny that human agency or moral culpability in war can be delegated to AI. No nation or group has the right to use AI to carry out genocide, terrorism, torture, or other war crimes.

Genesis 4:10; Isaiah 1:16-17; Psalm 37:28; Matthew 5:44; 22:37-39; Romans 13:4

Article 9: Security

We affirm that AI has legitimate applications in policing, intelligence, surveillance, investigation, and other uses supporting the government’s responsibility to respect human rights, to protect and preserve human life, and to pursue justice in a flourishing society.

We deny that AI should be employed for safety and security applications in ways that seek to dehumanize, depersonalize, or harm our fellow human beings. We condemn the use of AI to suppress free expression or other basic human rights granted by God to all human beings.

Romans 13:1-7; 1 Peter 2:13-14

Article 8: Data & Privacy

We affirm that privacy and personal property are intertwined individual rights and choices that should not be violated by governments, corporations, nation-states, and other groups, even in the pursuit of the common good. While God knows all things, it is neither wise nor obligatory to have every detail of one’s life open to society.

We deny the manipulative and coercive uses of data and AI in ways that are inconsistent with the love of God and love of neighbor. Data collection practices should conform to ethical guidelines that uphold the dignity of all people. We further deny that consent, even informed consent, although requisite, is the only necessary ethical standard for the collection, manipulation, or exploitation of personal data—individually or in the aggregate. AI should not be employed in ways that distort truth through the use of generative applications. Data should not be mishandled, misused, or abused for sinful purposes to reinforce bias, strengthen the powerful, or demean the weak.

Exodus 20:15, Psalm 147:5; Isaiah 40:13-14; Matthew 10:16 Galatians 6:2; Hebrews 4:12-13; 1 John 1:7 

Article 7: Work

We affirm that work is part of God’s plan for human beings participating in the cultivation and stewardship of creation. The divine pattern is one of labor and rest in healthy proportion to each other. Our view of work should not be confined to commercial activity; it must also include the many ways that human beings serve each other through their efforts. AI can be used in ways that aid our work or allow us to make fuller use of our gifts. The church has a Spirit-empowered responsibility to help care for those who lose jobs and to encourage individuals, communities, employers, and governments to find ways to invest in the development of human beings and continue making vocational contributions to our lives together.

We deny that human worth and dignity is reducible to an individual’s economic contributions to society alone. Humanity should not use AI and other technological innovations as a reason to move toward lives of pure leisure even if greater social wealth creates such possibilities.

Genesis 1:27; 2:5; 2:15; Isaiah 65:21-24; Romans 12:6-8; Ephesians 4:11-16

Article 6: Sexuality

We affirm the goodness of God’s design for human sexuality which prescribes the sexual union to be an exclusive relationship between a man and a woman in the lifelong covenant of marriage.

We deny that the pursuit of sexual pleasure is a justification for the development or use of AI, and we condemn the objectification of humans that results from employing AI for sexual purposes. AI should not intrude upon or substitute for the biblical expression of sexuality between a husband and wife according to God’s design for human marriage.

Genesis 1:26-29; 2:18-25; Matthew 5:27-30; 1 Thess 4:3-4

Article 5: Bias

We affirm that, as a tool created by humans, AI will be inherently subject to bias and that these biases must be accounted for, minimized, or removed through continual human oversight and discretion. AI should be designed and used in such ways that treat all human beings as having equal worth and dignity. AI should be utilized as a tool to identify and eliminate bias inherent in human decision-making.

We deny that AI should be designed or used in ways that violate the fundamental principle of human dignity for all people. Neither should AI be used in ways that reinforce or further any ideology or agenda, seeking to subjugate human autonomy under the power of the state.

Micah 6:8; John 13:34; Galatians 3:28-29; 5:13-14; Philippians 2:3-4; Romans 12:10

Article 4: Medicine

We affirm that AI-related advances in medical technologies are expressions of God’s common grace through and for people created in His image and that these advances will increase our capacity to provide enhanced medical diagnostics and therapeutic interventions as we seek to care for all people. These advances should be guided by basic principles of medical ethics, including beneficence, non-maleficence, autonomy, and justice, which are all consistent with the biblical principle of loving our neighbor.

We deny that death and disease—effects of the Fall—can ultimately be eradicated apart from Jesus Christ. Utilitarian applications regarding healthcare distribution should not override the dignity of human life. Fur- 3 thermore, we reject the materialist and consequentialist worldview that understands medical applications of AI as a means of improving, changing, or completing human beings.

Matthew 5:45; John 11:25-26; 1 Corinthians 15:55-57; Galatians 6:2; Philippians 2:4

Article 3: Relationship of AI & Humanity

We affirm the use of AI to inform and aid human reasoning and moral decision-making because it is a tool that excels at processing data and making determinations, which often mimics or exceeds human ability. While AI excels in data-based computation, technology is incapable of possessing the capacity for moral agency or responsibility.

We deny that humans can or should cede our moral accountability or responsibilities to any form of AI that will ever be created. Only humanity will be judged by God on the basis of our actions and that of the tools we create. While technology can be created with a moral use in view, it is not a moral agent. Humans alone bear the responsibility for moral decision making.

Romans 2:6-8; Galatians 5:19-21; 2 Peter 1:5-8; 1 John 2:1

Article 2: AI as Technology

We affirm that the development of AI is a demonstration of the unique creative abilities of human beings. When AI is employed in accordance with God’s moral will, it is an example of man’s obedience to the divine command to steward creation and to honor Him. We believe in innovation for the glory of God, the sake of human flourishing, and the love of neighbor. While we acknowledge the reality of the Fall and its consequences on human nature and human innovation, technology can be used in society to uphold human dignity. As a part of our God-given creative nature, human beings should develop and harness technology in ways that lead to greater flourishing and the alleviation of human suffering.

We deny that the use of AI is morally neutral. It is not worthy of man’s hope, worship, or love. Since the Lord Jesus alone can atone for sin and reconcile humanity to its Creator, technology such as AI cannot fulfill humanity’s ultimate needs. We further deny the goodness and benefit of any application of AI that devalues or degrades the dignity and worth of another human being. 

Genesis 2:25; Exodus 20:3; 31:1-11; Proverbs 16:4; Matthew 22:37-40; Romans 3:23

Article 1: Image of God

We affirm that God created each human being in His image with intrinsic and equal worth, dignity, and moral agency, distinct from all creation, and that humanity’s creativity is intended to reflect God’s creative pattern.

We deny that any part of creation, including any form of technology, should ever be used to usurp or subvert the dominion and stewardship which has been entrusted solely to humanity by God; nor should technology be assigned a level of human identity, worth, dignity, or moral agency.

Genesis 1:26-28; 5:1-2; Isaiah 43:6-7; Jeremiah 1:5; John 13:34; Colossians 1:16; 3:10; Ephesians 4:24