Prayer Challenge Update

errancy@infidels.org errancy@infidels.org
Sun, 2 May 1999 13:14:23 EDT (00925683263, f719df15.245de1ef@aol.com) 

 >  REV. BAKKE
 > 
 >  About a month ago, I posted a message here mentioning a prayer challenge
 >  that I had made on my web site (and in private e-mail) to a debate
 >  opponent.  In short, I challenged my opponent to prove that God exists
 >  and that the believer will receive what he prays for by praying that God
 >  would reveal himself to me in an undeniable way prior to 01 May 99. . .
 >  Well, friends, the first of May has now come and gone and no revelation
 >  has taken place.  I guess that one of two things has happened.  Either
 >  God isn't out there or he doesn't listen to the prayers of those who
 >  believe in him.
 > ===============
 > Joe Alward:
 > 
 > Now, hold on there.  The way I read it, your friend's god acted just the 
way
 > his Bible said he would:
 > 
 > 9 And he brought him to Jerusalem, and set him on a pinnacle of the temple,
 > and said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down from hence:
 > 10 For it is written, He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep
 > thee:  11 And in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou
 > dash thy foot against a stone. 12 And Jesus answering said unto him, It is
 > said, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.
 
 REV. BAKKE
 My prayer challenge is not directed at God, nor does it seek to tempt or
 cajole God into doing anything.  
============
Joe Alward:


>From your friend's point of view, you were asking him to ask his god to prove 

his existence to you by granting his prayer to make himself known to you.  
That's what tempting god means:


1598 ekpeirazo {ek-pi-rad'-zo}  

AV - tempt 4; 4
1) to prove, test, thoroughly
2) to put to proof God's character and power


The believer can rightly claim that Luke 4 makes it clear that all such 
challenges WILL fail, but not for the reason you claim.