I'm not here to debate Levitical law and its 21st-century application, or to quote seemingly contradictory passages from the teachings of Jesus or Paul, because I think that the nature and character of God must be taken into account before one can accurately view the Bible in its entirety. My only advice here is, if you have legitimate questions, a legitimate hunger, and you are willing to be humbled, then begin to read the Bible and take note of His character as you read. Please take honest notes and do your best to leave preconceived notions or cultural biases at the door. This is not altogether easy for me, and I am practicing this daily in an attempt to know the God of the Bible in a better and more accurate light. I would say to start in the Book of John, then retrace through the Matthew, Mark, and Luke, before heading to Acts and Romans. I believe this to be wise, because I believe that God's character is beautifully revealed in the interactions of Jesus, the early Church, and the writings of Paul.

In the Old Testament, when God seems harsh and unforgiving, quote the Scripture and brief context, and move on. When you see time and time again that "God's desire is that none shall perish", take note of that as well. When God is pleading with Hosea "What can I do with you, Ephraim? What can I do with you, Judah? Your love is like the morning mist, like the early dew that disappears", see how it grieves God's heart to not be in relationship with those whom He loves. Take note of how Jesus interacted with people, and see the dignity He displayed to the foreigners, the women, and the Gentiles.

Taking note of it all, honest questions should arise. When Paul says things that outright seem to contradict one another, write those passages down and do some cultural research to see if that helps fill in some gaps about his different audiences. If the analogy helps, a parent speaks very differently to a two year old than to an eight year old or to a teenager. This is how Paul caters his words differently to different stages of young believers in his Epistles.

When Jesus and Paul both make statements about how Christ came to "fulfill the law" and not to abolish it, think about what that means in terms of the Levitical law.

Once one reads that God desires that "none shall perish" and that He welcomes us into His "throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and grace to help us in our time of need", then His commands that seem disjointed and contradictory should hopefully make more sense. Old Testament passages about building parapets on our roofs "so that you may not bring the guilt of bloodshed on your house" make sense because now we know that God doesn't want anyone to perish. Commands about not eating particular things or not associating with certain people should begin to make sense because He wants to keep His children, His dearest love, free from potential harm and distractions.

In regards to the sin in this world, my response would be two fold: 1. Love is a choice, and many choose not to love God. 2. This world is not all that there is. God desires that we spend eternity in perfect communion with Him.

1. We are not automaton that must choose God above all else, because then it wouldn't even be a choice, and it wouldn't even be love. In order for the possibility of love to exist, the possibility of choosing not to love, thus choosing for self, must also exist. One of the most heartbreaking verses to me is in Paul's letter to the church at Rome where it says that, "God gave them the desires of their hearts." I know my heart, and I know the selfishness that lies there. I know that God wants more for me than that selfishness, but I also know that God isn't going to force me to choose Him. He loves me enough, and all of us enough, to let us potentially choose for ourselves rather than rob us the dignity of free will (I'd love to use another term here for fear of the potential of getting sidetracked by the theological tinder that phrase ignites, but this phrase is what fits best).

God desires a relationship with us so dearly, that He was willing to allow His heart to be broken by those who do not choose Him. We reflect this on a smaller scale when choosing a spouse, or even a dear friend. We must be willing to potentially have our hearts wrung by those whom we allow to have a piece of it, but we deem it a worthy investment because of all the good we know that comes from relationships.

1. To quote C.S. Lewis, "If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world." The Bible says that, "God has placed eternity in the hearts of men." I think our world is full of examples of this. Why do we love superheroes and look for strong figures to idealize? Because we know we need someone outside of ourselves to break the cycle of degradation and sin we see around us. Why do we want to live forever and thus dream up the fountain of youth or the holy grail? Because we were made to live forever. Why do we look in "all the wrong places" for love and long so deeply to be loved? Because we were made for love and relationship with our Heavenly Father forever. Why do we strive for perfection, often beating ourselves up when we fall short? Because we were made to "be perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect."

I don't claim to have all the answers. In fact, if any Christian does, that should be a big red flag. If, in my finite and selfish mind, I could derive and explain every facet of God, and there was no mystery, then He wouldn't be infinite. I would have no need for Him. He wouldn't be God. I would be my own god. I don't want that. The world doesn't want that. There should be mystery and beauty. There should be a humble satisfaction in saying, "I don't know." I think a lot of our stress comes from always trying to have all of the answers. God doesn't require a full mental ascent to every intricate detail of Scripture. He wants our head, sure, but He also wants our heart. If one decides to give Him both, to trust Him without having to know exactly what that looks like, beautiful transformations will begin to occur, the likes of which will change everything.

If any Christian has ever made a claim on the status of your eternal destination, then I apologize on their behalf. No one has any right to make such a claim. I am truly, truly sorry, as I can't imagine how hypocritical and downright arrogant they must have been.

I'm not going to respond to things here publicly, as I don't think it's the place for that, but if anyone is truly hungry to know more about God's character, not to debate worldviews, I'll do my best to answer any questions via PM. This is literally my first post ever reading on this sub, and perhaps there's a purpose to be had for it. If you made it this far, I really do appreciate you taking the time, for it is a very valuable resource.