Hello, again.
The message is the same, no matter what lens you view it through. The message all refers to John 3:16, there are precursors in the Bible that foretell it, and there are explainative chapters after the event.
The verse of John 3:16 states quite plainly why Christ came to this earth, God's basic plan for man's redemption, and the persistance of hope.
For those who've never read it, here it is:
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King James Version >> For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever should believeth in Him, should not perish but have everlasting life.
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New Living Translation >> For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.
Worded slightly different in either of these two versions, but the same message is there.
However, because human beings have free will, what do you do? People have the right to choose between right and wrong, and in this day and age, the line between right and wrong becomes extremely blurred. You see, the Bible is not only the Word of God with a message, it is also a chronology of the folly of people who chose to rebel against God.
For example, Sodom, since it was named specifically in your post, we'll use that, was a deeply sinful city. People lived under free will, but look at how they chose to use it. Instead of creating beauty, they destroyed themselves in riotous drinking, murder, idolatry, de-humanizing lusts, they were filled with spite and venom and all manner of evil.
Some might wonder why God would say we have free will, when we choose to do something against God's law and are punished for it. Do you let your child walk into the path of a speeding train? Even after you explicitly told him or her not to go near the tracks in the first place? I would hope not. The price of sin is death. Just like the price of walking in front of a speeding train is death. It might feel good to disobey once in a while, but it will catch up with you.
We choose our paths. We obey God or we disobey God. Either way we make a choice. That is why it is free will. I could bungee jump off a 100 foot bridge with a 150 foot cord, but why would I? Just to defy the laws of physics? Well, even if you don't know the laws of gravity, the earth will be only too happy to remind you.
For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. What you do now will affect you later on. Whether it be positive or negative. In the physics of God, there are no neutral properties. If you are not for Him, you are against Him.
Therefore, when it comes down to it, men make the decision whether they will live for God or not. Yes, in the Old Testament there are times when God gets very angry and does some serious smiting (that would be punishing for those who do not speak the ye olde.) God protects the people who come to Him for protection. There IS a Master Design to everything that has ever happened. And how can finite beings understand an infinite God?
When Jesus Christ came to this earth, the old covenant was stripped away, and the New covenant was in place. Sealed by Jesus Christ. And yes, the Ten Commandments are included because Jesus spoke of them in His sermons and parables.
I would love to continue on, but I would have to write a book to go into every detail about this subject. So, quick rundown:
1. Read carefully, these people were messengers from God. Lot offered his daughters to the mob in Sodom because he would rather do that than have a mob of lustful people try to have sex with God's angels. That is how much faith in God he had. God would not have let Lot's daughters come to harm.
The decision was Lot's. And note: About the cave, when they were hiding out, they were worried that they could never find men for marriage, so the two daughters chose to get Lot drunk, and they had sex with Him. Doesn't sound very wholesome, right? However, it was
the decision of the daughters.
2. Jesus does not want you to hate and abandon your family.
Jesus says in Luke 14:26-34 That, basically, you have to be willing to give up your family to serve and follow Him. But that you should also count the cost before beginning, and that you should do so willingly and without regret. Would you choose against God because your family might? Your family should love and support you in decisions like that. When you give up the world, you recieve more than you will ever need.
3. As for women keeping quiet in the churches, don't forget that God was speaking to some very chauvinistic men in those days. If God would have explained to them what women are doing now, they would have scratched their heads and looked at each other questioning. Old habits die hard, and these men never knew about the liberation of women and their future role in the work of God. Now, I don't know about you, but I see many women who are Pastors, counselors and teachers of the Word of God, and they are blessed beyond their prayers. I fully support women who are ministers, and women who have strong personalities. Women are Human. In the eyes of the spirit, there is no color, sex, nationality or status. Simply one who is a believer of the Word of God.
I will check out the website you mentioned. It will be interesting to see what it says.
- Rev. Starscape