is that a commentary from Fr. Athanasios Mitilinaios or is this your reaction to it? "When I first read it, I was not all that impressed. I am afraid you may feel this way initially as well." Anyways I don't think God should control these things. I do agree if he did intervene we would lose our freedom and not learn and grow from our own mistakes. I guess this commentary might be referring to why God sent his son to die on the cross to save humanity from its sins? and Why couldn't God make us not sin ?

I don't believe those questions are even worth contemplating about anymore. It just seems absurd that humanity can be saved through a supernatural being sending his son to die? How is that going to make us not sin? So, I guess Jesus dying for our sins is an expression of God loving us and we should do the same for God. What does us drawing near to God have to do with our own depravity? I don't see the relationship between the two. In my honest opinion, the more I hear and read about these things I just think its all lies. I am more inclined to believe that these doctrines are made up by human beings to explain why there is suffering in the world and to give people hope.

sorry for the extra comment and if this comment sounds like i'm undermining what you are posting. That is not my intent at all. I need to better phrase my question. God sending his son to die will not stop us from sinning. My real question is how is God sending his son to die going to save us from our sins??? "All this was accomplished so our human race could find its way back to Him, to draw near Him." How is drawing near to God relevant to salvation or saving us from our sins? That is what God wants to accomplish right?