The words of eternal life
Think how powerful the sound of a person's voice is - Chris Cartwright
AI is big news. It seems every day we hear of breathtaking advances in artificial intelligence and the potential impact it could have on our lives. We're already aware of warnings concerning deepfake images. There are countless examples online of pictures and videos that have been altered or cloned to produce unbelievably realistic-looking versions of events and appearances that never really happened.
I recently heard an alarming story where fraudsters used AI to copy the sound of a person's voice. Once they had captured the sound, they were able to use AI technology to create and manipulate messages that sounded exactly like the person concerned.
The news report told of how such techniques were increasingly being used in scams to extort money from people who were drawn in by the authenticity of the sound of the voice. Even family members were fooled. Think about how powerful the sound of a person's voice can be. How many times have we taken a call where the person on the other end has simply said, "It's me." No introduction. None is needed. We know who it is just by the sound of their voice – perhaps a loved one or a close friend. Just hearing their voice, we relax and respond instantly.
Researchers point out that it's not only the words that are spoken but the way they are spoken that matters. In conflict situations, they estimate that the tone of a person's voice accounts for 90 per cent of the argument.
When the crowds heard Jesus teaching, the Gospels tell us that they said to each other that they never heard anybody who spoke like he did. They heard him speak with such knowledge, wisdom and authority. Yet his words were also words of kindness, compassion and love.
While many throughout history have wondered about the sound of Jesus's voice, crowds recognised that he not only spoke words that were wise and true but there was a power at work in and through his words. His words were followed by signs and wonders.
When he spoke, the storm was stilled, the lame walked, the blind could see, captives were set free from spiritual oppression, and the dead were raised to life. His words were words of life. John 6:66 records a moment when "many of Jesus's disciples turned back and no longer walked with him."
Jesus turned to the Twelve and asked, "Will you leave me as well?" Typically, it's Simon Peter who speaks up: "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life."
It is as though Peter was saying, "How can we leave you, Lord? We found you, and in you, we have found life itself. No one else has what you have; no one else can give us eternal life."
I think in all of the Bible, this truth is most intimately and personally revealed through David, the psalmist, shepherd and king. David constantly speaks in the Psalms about God's Word and repeatedly shows that life comes out of not just knowing and repeating God's Word but of feeding on it and living from it.
David hid God's Word in his heart, it fed and strengthened him, caused his mind to be clear and his spirit to be strong, whatever confronted him. It ignited his heart to worship God, who alone is to be praised and glorified.
In the person of Jesus, the Word became flesh. New Testament believers receive an invitation to "let his Word dwell in you richly" (Col 3:16), and to "hold fast to the Word of life" (1 Cor 15:2) by which we can face every circumstance and situation. We draw near him to receive his cleansing, healing, delivering, renewing and empowering Word into every situation.
No wonder Peter said what he did. With all his human faults and failings, he had come to depend not on his own words under pressure but on the faithfulness of what Jesus had said – personally revealed and spoken to Peter – and through him now spoken to all who follow Christ. Peter knew that having come to Jesus and having received his words of life, there was no other place to go and no other way to live.
This article first appeared in Direction Magazine. For further details, please click here.
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