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In a recent commentary, Chibnall et al¹ criticized medical studies that use remote, intercessory prayer. One basis for their criticism was that God should not be tested, and the authors cited several biblical scriptures to support this claim (ie, Exodus 17:7 [all Bible references herein are to KJV], Deuteronomy 6:16, and Luke 4:12). These verses indeed seem to warn against testing God. Accordingly, in Luke 1:18, Zacharias is punished by being muted after he asks God for a confirming sign. However, in Judges 6, Gideon asks for and receives 3 confirming signs from God without negative consequences. Furthermore, several biblical verses even seem to invite direct or indirect testing of God through use of the words "prove" or "try." Consider Malachi 3:10 " . . . and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of Hosts . . ."; 1 John 4:1, " . . . but try the spirits . . . [Full Text of this Article]

RELATED ARTICLE

Experiments on Distant Intercessory Prayer: God, Science, and the Lesson of Massah
John T. Chibnall, Joseph M. Jeral, and Michael A. Cerullo
Arch Intern Med. 2001;161(21):2529-2536.
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