One student who is currently doing our Scripture Under Scrutiny courses,
has emailed me a bunch of their questions. I will post my answers here
over the next week or so. These Notes will also import into our Facebook Page, so feel free to head over there and discuss further.

He wrote:

"I'm struggling to work out how it isn't one big setup, or a game. God
made us for his pleasure, and is omnipotent. So He could've stopped
Satan from tempting us, but didn't. So He allowed us to fall and become
separated. Then all people have original sin from then on due to some
intrinsic rebellion, so humans have to sacrifice animals to be forgiven
in the OT. Then God saves us with Jesus, but He was in control of the
whole thing! I know that God wants us to come to Him freely and
not feel forced, but it sounds like the whole story has been set up so
that we're failing from the start and need a saviour.

Right, so 1. How do you see this? (response here)"

"2. Why did God behave so differently
in the OT and suddenly decided to change tack? He's omniscient/present,
so time isn't an issue. (response here)"
"3. Why does anyone at all need to ask for
forgiveness (in prayers and such) if Jesus has already paid the price?
Is it just an acknowledgement that we have to do?

It's important to remember, when we want answers to our doubts, that if there are answers, then Christianity is real. The force of this question kind of (unintentionally) assume that God is kind of half-real, that he invents things that he decides we need to do.

But it's not like that. If Christianity is true, then God really exists and we are really 'sinners' - enemies of God. Repentance and faith are turning back from God. Without them, we are still rejecting him and everything he gives - including forgiveness.

The goal of Jesus dying is not just to give us forgiveness so we can do our own thing. Jesus died to make peace between us and God. Repentance and faith is the start of a new life lived at peace with God.