Tuesday, June 27, 2023

AI-assisted research using ChatGPT

Brace yourselves! My recent journey with ChatGPT 3.5, and now 4.0, has been nothing short of a roller coaster ride. Now, I'm incredibly excited to share the incredible highlights of this adventure with you!

Once upon a time, ChatGPT was just another tech term that had fluttered by my ears. I mean, who needs another AI chatbot when you've got kids to keep you on your toes, right? But then, a respected colleague suggested an interesting angle - using ChatGPT for Bible study. Intrigued, I decided to plunge in and explore, and boy, was it a revelation!

From the moment I started interacting with ChatGPT, it was as if I was engaging in conversation with a fellow human being! No complicated tech lingo, no new syntax - just plain, simple English. I could ask anything - basic or intricate, generic or specific - and always be met with an answer that mirrored my query.

Imagine the joy of receiving responses tailor-made to your curiosity! You pose a specific question, you get a precise answer. And the best part? No risk of getting side-tracked or lost in translation. It's like having a super knowledgeable friend who can hold a conversation exactly at your desired pace and depth!

Now, let's get down to the reasons why ChatGPT is the most refreshing and exhilarating tech encounter I've had.

  1. Relevance: It provides responses that precisely match your query. If an answer feels incomplete, keep the questions rolling until you're satisfied!
  2. Well-rounded: It strives to deliver unbiased responses, full of varied details and even alerts you to contentious topics.
  3. Speed: Even the free version responds faster than the average human conversation - if it can keep up with your reading speed, then you're all set!
  4. Easily Digestible: It crafts responses that are effortlessly understandable. You can even ask it to simplify to a level a 5-year-old can grasp.
  5. Perfectly Sized Responses: Its responses are just the right size for research, quenching your immediate curiosity while leaving you with tantalizing questions to keep exploring.

So here's the deal: ChatGPT has supercharged my productivity, both at work and home. A quick question here, a swift response there, and I'm off to the races! Plus, it's turned Bible study into an even more enriching experience.

Let me tell you, this brilliant tool isn't without its bloopers! There have been quite a few instances where it didn't hit the mark. But here's the beauty of it - if you're navigating a digital workflow and hit a snag, you simply let ChatGPT know it made a boo-boo. And guess what? It leaps right into action, refining its responses. It's like having a persistent problem-solving buddy who doesn't mind rolling up its sleeves a couple of times to get things right. How cool is that?

ChatGPT has truly made a splash in my world!


Try this prompt out:

Exegete John 3:16.

John 3:16 is one of the most well-known verses in the Bible, and it reads: "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."

Let's break down this profound verse:

  1. "For God so loved the world": The verse starts with the assertion of God's immense love for the world. This refers to all of humanity – every person in every nation. The use of "so" emphasizes the depth and extent of God's love.

  2. "that he gave his one and only Son,": God's love is demonstrated in the act of giving. The magnitude of the gift – His "one and only Son" – underscores the magnitude of His love. This refers to the incarnation of Jesus Christ, God's Son, who came into the world as a human being.

  3. "that whoever believes in him": The word "whoever" makes clear that this invitation is open to all. The only condition set is belief in Jesus. Belief (faith) here implies trust, acceptance, and commitment to follow Jesus.

  4. "shall not perish but have eternal life.": The consequence of this belief is twofold: first, believers will not perish – this is a spiritual death, a final separation from God. Secondly, they will have eternal life. In the Christian understanding, eternal life isn't just unending life, but a quality of life characterized by love, peace, and fellowship with God. This life begins now and continues beyond physical death into eternity.

John 3:16 is the essence of the gospel message: God, out of His vast love, gave His Son Jesus Christ to the world, so that whoever places their faith in Jesus will be saved from spiritual death and receive eternal life.