@Trevor -- God created Adam and Eve and put them in a perfect environment -- satan was on earth because he had rebelled in heaven and was thrown out to be down where we are. God had given Adam and then Eve One direction. They chose to listen to satan Instead of listening to God. God had told them One thing, satan had 'adjusted' God's Word to them. They chose to believe the 'adjustment'. Touching that one fruit tree was their Only restriction. But That tree was of the knowledge of both good and Evil. They were told what would happen if they Touched it , much less ate of it.
So -- looking back -- we can see and still Do see just how evil people can be. Left to our own devices -- we are capable of horrendous evil. The Hitlers and Nero's of this world. And people like Jeffry Dahmer -- as horrible a person as he was -- he ended up in prison in solitary -- his father prayed and reached out to him continually -- he finally Did acknowledge and Did accept Jesus Christ as his personal Lord and Savior. He had God's forgiveness but couldn't forgive himself. He'd asked to be put in regular prison surroundings knowing that he wouldn't survive and it wasn't long before he was found dead.
Back to the subject. God actually regretted that He had made mankind. But there Was the one man and his family who'd survived all the evil and still lived a righteous life for God. You commented that Noah was Chosen -- God Knew -- but I wouldn't say he was 'chosen' per se -- he Was the only righteous person Left on earth and was Told by God how to build the ark because He Would destroy all of mankind, and the animal world. God Did start humanity the second time with Noah and his family. And , as a result of the world-wide flood -- the earth ended up Very different than it had been.
It's because of/ through the shedding of the blood of Jesus Christ on the cross -- and His death, burial and bodily resurrection that a person CAN have forgiveness of sins
Saul was definitely determined to rid the world of believers. / Christians. But God got his attention that one day on the road. He had to go through a process to receive his sight again. And then he had to prove himself to God's people. They didn't trust his intentions and for good reasons. And, yes, Paul Was used greatly by being given the ability by the Holy Spirit to write at least those 4 Epistles of the New Testament.
All of Scripture is God's Word -- Moses was Also used Greatly -- he was called a Friend of God. And David / King David was a man after God's own heart. And Solomon was granted to be the wisest?
We all tend to want to 'adjust' God's Word to a certain extent -- it's in our human nature. We all have our little pet sins -- we tell ourselves that God understands us and knows our inner weaknesses and it's not Really hurting anyone else. So.......
Born-again believers Will feel like 'aliens' in this world. The more we are trying to live Godly lives -- the harder it is to do so. But we Will have inner peace -- well -- a more settled inner feeling when we Do manage to live a closer life. And something else will then start getting to us.
