Matthew 4:7 tells us, "Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’” - While Malachi 3:10 says, “‘Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,’ says the Lord Almighty, ‘and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.’”
So which is it? As an atheist, is it okay for me to test God so as to prove his existence?!
The above Malachi passage uses the Hebrew word 'bachan' for “test.” (Who's meaning we can best translate as “to examine, 'scrutinize' or 'prove.' ) Would it therefore not be acceptable for me, as an unbeliever, to ask God to 'prove' His existence to me in some kind of a test?
Originally posted by @ghost-of-a-duke Matthew 4:7 tells us, "Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’” - While Malachi 3:10 says, “‘Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,’ says the Lord Almighty, ‘and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much bless ...[text shortened]... able for me, as an unbeliever, to ask God to 'prove' His existence to me in some kind of a test?
Depends, are you are righteous atheist or an unrighteous atheist ?
God hears the righteous only.
His ears are turned away from the unrighteous.
Originally posted by @rajk999 Depends, are you are righteous atheist or an unrighteous atheist ?
God hears the righteous only.
His ears are turned away from the unrighteous.
Not particularly enamored with the word 'righteous' but for the sake of argument, would you say, that for a 'righteous atheist,' it's okay to test God?
I'm minded of a couple of biblical passages:
John 14:14 - "If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it." And:
Romans 10:12 - 'For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him.'
Originally posted by @ghost-of-a-duke Not particularly enamored with the word 'righteous' but for the sake of argument, would you say, that for a 'righteous atheist,' it's okay to test God?
I'm minded of a couple of biblical passages:
John 14:14 - "If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it." And:
Romans 10:12 - 'For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him.'
You are safe with Jesus' definition of 'righteous' in Matt 25.
Its not hard to be righteous.
So give it a shot and tell us if God responds. 🙂
Originally posted by @rajk999 You are safe with Jesus' definition of 'righteous' in Matt 25.
Its not hard to be righteous.
So give it a shot and tell us if God responds. 🙂
I did share previously about a strange 'dream' I had a year or so ago when a hand (quite possibly God's) reached down towards me from the sky. (No, I didn't reach up to grab it, or at least have no memory of doing so). - Theists will probably read a lot into this (I believe sonship did last time) but you need to keep in mind that due to my erratic and broken sleep I dream a lot and will often have several completely separate dreams in the course of one night. (Many of them odd).
So, I will hereby test God and ask that (if He exists) He reaches out again to me tonight in one of my dreams. - Now, as it is entirely possible I will subconsciously influence my own dream, I will also ask that He reaches out to my wife in her dream as well (something I will not tell her about, so as not to influence her dreams in any way).
If we both dream tonight of God reaching out to us He will have passed the test and I will report this faithfully back here tomorrow.
Originally posted by @ghost-of-a-duke I did share previously about a strange 'dream' I had a year or so ago when a hand (quite possibly God's) reached down towards me from the sky. (No, I didn't reach up to grab it, or at least have no memory of doing so). - Theists will probably read a lot into this (I believe sonship did last time) but you need to keep in mind that due to my erratic a ...[text shortened]... ing out to us He will have passed the test and I will report this faithfully back here tomorrow.
Well sonship and his type will make a big hullabaloo about such things. Chances are that your dream has nothing at all to do with God contacting you. If it happens often then you should get worried [or excited]. What God dislikes is ultimatums like .. contact me or I will kill myself. Some have done it like that and you know what happened ... 😀
I dont think so. I actually know someone who did that. A young guy got mixed up with some Pentecostal born again foolishness. Apparently the pastor told him that he has the Holy Spirit and anything he asks God will grant him. Well he decided to demonstrate that he can drink poison like the bible says and live. No box of doughnuts for him.
Originally posted by @ghost-of-a-duke I did share previously about a strange 'dream' I had a year or so ago when a hand (quite possibly God's) reached down towards me from the sky. (No, I didn't reach up to grab it, or at least have no memory of doing so). - Theists will probably read a lot into this (I believe sonship did last time) but you need to keep in mind that due to my erratic a ...[text shortened]... ing out to us He will have passed the test and I will report this faithfully back here tomorrow.
Sooooo???
Did God reach out to you and your wife??
Are you now a theist? With no more talk of banquets?
Originally posted by @ghost-of-a-duke Matthew 4:7 tells us, "Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’” - While Malachi 3:10 says, “‘Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,’ says the Lord Almighty, ‘and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much bless ...[text shortened]... able for me, as an unbeliever, to ask God to 'prove' His existence to me in some kind of a test?
I think it’s OK to test God to see if he is faithful. But testing God in sinful ways is a different way of testing God.
Is it okay to test God?
08 Jun '18 15:32
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