What scenario did he circumvent? Sacrifices to God, particularly burnt offerings, where common in the Old Testament. There have been numerous occasions in the New Testament that he no longer needs nor wants those offerings or sacrifices anymore. And yes, I have pondered on the thought. But I simply have chosen to believe in what the Bible says. I've turned ,y back on it before simply to return.

The scenario of sin. If everything happens according to God's will, then the scenario he chose to create included sin and foresight of having to arbitrarily take human sacrifice as a payment for it. Think of how barbaric it is to burn an animal as a sacrifice to a god.. You believe the god you worship once loved the smell of burning animal flesh. Just look at how a once ignorant belief in gods (Yahweh of Elohim was once one god of many) evolves over time to be more accepted by more people. It's easy to see that it's not true and never was. Christianity is a chameleon of sorts, always changing to fit what's going on, with no truth to it at all.

God didn't create sin. Sin is anything opposed to God's nature. It isn't God's will that we sin, it's God's will that his creation has a choice and the ability to sin is an unfortunate side effect of that. He could've made us without the ability to choose sin, but without choice there can be no love. And yes sacrifices are horrendous. That's the point, it served as a reminder of the penalty of sin, which is death. And ultimately, he came to earth, lived a sin free life and made the final sacrifice for our sins.

Is there sin in heaven?

No

Is there free will and choice in heaven?

Yes there is. Satan and his demons chose sin and we're cast out. However, the all knowing God who inspired the scriptures says that there will be no sin in heaven. So, one can conclude that while we would still have a choice, no one will choose to sin.

So which is it? Is sin necessary in order for there to be love/good? Because if there is no sin and heaven how is there love and freewill? Think about it. Based on your own admission, sin has no reason for existing. Why, then, did god create evil according to Isiah 45:7? "I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things." Even more so, why is a blood sacrifice necessary to forgive you for the sin that god created according to his will?

Sin isn't necessary, but it's a side effect. God existed for eternity past without sin and yet he could've chosen to sin. And the "evil" talked about in Isaiah isn't moral evil, it's natural evil, as in natural disasters. That doesn't mean that every natural disaster is puppeteered by God, but he does use them sometimes for his purposes. Mostly judgement. When you are both again, the Holy Spirit dwells inside you. He works on you through the conviction of sin to help rid you of sinful desire. So when you're in heaven, the combination of the holy spirit and being in the literal presence of God the Father and our saviour Jesus Christ, we will have no desire to sin, but we will still have a choice.

You still haven't answered the question. Does everything happen according to god's will? If so, that includes sin. If you're saying god didn't create sin, and that something can happen that wasn't god's will, then what does it mean to be god? And is sin possible in heaven? You say we have a choice, but if it's not possible then it sounds more like you are a robot in heaven. Remember, you said there is no sin in heaven. Also, why does god like sacrifice? That doesn't sound very godly. Well, actually it does. Is sounds just like all the other primitive god ideas of the past. Try and objectively think about the fact that the whole story is god sacrificing himself, to himself, to forgive people for something that he created, was his plan from the beginning, and is all according to his will.

God doesn't will everything to happen, but he can use everything that happens to accomplish his will. And we will have a choice in heaven, but even if we didn't, we chose to submit to God and give up our free will, but that's not biblical. And he doesn't like sacrifices, but they show us the severity of sin.

So god is subject to outside forces then? Who/what controls that?

What are you talking about? He can allow things to happen that he doesn't necessarily want to happen so as to not violate the free will of his creation. He could violate free will, but he chooses not to.

So if he allows something bad to happen, did he know it was going to happen? Was it not his will to let it happen? If god already knows, and everything happens according to his will, then bad things were predestined. You couldn't choose to do something that wasn't god's will. Your "free choice" is an illusion at that point. So, did god create sin or not? That's a yes or no question. We've already established that sin is not necessary for free will. So if god created sin, then he is evil. If he didn't, then what did? You've already bent scripture to fit your own desired outcome. The Bible says god created evil. There is not such thing as "natural evil" vs "moral evil." You made that up.

No I didn't make anything up. You are theologically illiterate. I'm not bending Scripture at all. And I've answered all your questions. You are desperately searching for justification of your unbelief. http://bible.com/100/1co.2.14-16.nasb But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised. But he who is spiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no one. For who has known the mind of the L ord , that he will instruct H im ? But we have the mind of Christ.

Nice try. Please show the distinction between "natural evil" and "moral evil." Isiah 45:7 "I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things." Your god character creates evil. You can't reconcile this with your belief so you ignore it. The character is evil. Thankfully, it's all fictional any way. Just pointing out your hypocrisy and ignorance of your own religion. "Justification for unbelief?" Seriously? None of it has been demonstrated to be true at all. No "Justification" required. Believing in things that haven't been demonstrated to be true makes you a fool.

Words are hard, right? Making fallacious arguments based off of a single word from a single translation with zero context is intellectually dishonest and downright foolish. http://www.gotquestions.org/Isaiah-45-7.html

So does god create evil or not? You still won't answer that. If he doesn't, then who/what does? Does ANYTHING happen that isn't according to god's will? Why do you refuse to answer this?

I've answered it many times.

It's barbaric in today's culture, but not during the times when the Old Testament took place. The same times when people were thrown in holes and the towns would gather and hurl stones at them until they died or until they felt they suffered enough punishment. There are much bigger problems in this world than burnt offerings from centuries ago. Chinese fur trading where they literally skin animals alive. Genetically mutated chickens and cattle for fast food and other outlets. Whaling across all the seas of the world. Nearly 90% of the Whale population has been destroyed in the last 100 years.The fact is that people and society is the chameleon. Burnt offerings weren't required but voluntary. Most governments and officials were the ones who pushed them to be mandatory. It was also mostly the Israelites who did this. They would kill the animal prior to burning it also, I think that's worth mentioning. God also told us that he doesn't want our burnt offerings. Reason as to why we don't do that anymore.

God said in the old testament that he loves the smell of burning blood. Did the god change? You think it's barbaric now, but you worship that god. Why did he ever need sacrifice of a living creature?

Please give an example of where it says that. Because I am more than certain you are misinterpreting.

Before reading below, keep Malachi 3:6 in mind. Leviticus 1 King James Version (KJV) 1 And the Lord called unto Moses, and spake unto him out of the tabernacle of the congregation, saying, 2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, If any man of you bring an offering unto the Lord, ye shall bring your offering of the cattle, even of the herd, and of the flock. 3 If his offering be a burnt sacrifice of the herd, let him offer a male without blemish: he shall offer it of his own voluntary will at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the Lord. 4 And he shall put his hand upon the head of the burnt offering; and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him. 5 And he shall kill the bullock before the Lord: and the priests, Aaron's sons, shall bring the blood, and sprinkle the blood round about upon the altar that is by the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. 6 And he shall flay the burnt offering, and cut it into his pieces. 7 And the sons of Aaron the priest shall put fire upon the altar, and lay the wood in order upon the fire: 8 And the priests, Aaron's sons, shall lay the parts, the head, and the fat, in order upon the wood that is on the fire which is upon the altar: 9 But his inwards and his legs shall he wash in water: and the priest shall burn all on the altar, to be a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the Lord. 10 And if his offering be of the flocks, namely, of the sheep, or of the goats, for a burnt sacrifice; he shall bring it a male without blemish. 11 And he shall kill it on the side of the altar northward before the Lord: and the priests, Aaron's sons, shall sprinkle his blood round about upon the altar. 12 And he shall cut it into his pieces, with his head and his fat: and the priest shall lay them in order on the wood that is on the fire which is upon the altar: 13 But he shall wash the inwards and the legs with water: and the priest shall bring it all, and burn it upon the altar: it is a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the Lord. 14 And if the burnt sacrifice for his offering to the Lord be of fowls, then he shall bring his offering of turtledoves, or of young pigeons. 15 And the priest shall bring it unto the altar, and wring off his head, and burn it on the altar; and the blood thereof shall be wrung out at the side of the altar: 16 And he shall pluck away his crop with his feathers, and cast it beside the altar on the east part, by the place of the ashes: 17 And he shall cleave it with the wings thereof, but shall not divide it asunder: and the priest shall burn it upon the altar, upon the wood that is upon the fire: it is a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the Lord. It's disgusting. And what's even worse, is your whole religion is based on the even more disgusting act of [u]human[/u] sacrifice.