I don't mean to offend, but God, according to the Bible, knew right from Day one and before, that Jesus would be nailed to the Cross for our sins.
I realize you meant that God reached down to us, but even your explanation showed me that you didn't explain it Biblically correct, and that does make part of my point. God did not give us a 'second chance because he saw us go bad when He thought we would go good'
Your saying that, "and were probably not going to get any better on our own." shows that either you typed too fast, or you yourself just don't understand just what sin is and how far we as humans are separated from God and condemned because of our sin.
That is what I didst see in the 2nd show. These people had no clue why Jesus had to die. They knew the story, but they had no idea of what sin is to God, how it is that which condemns us, and it is that very reason God knew that He would have to die for us in our place, to place the full punishment for MANKIND on Jesus Christ in the way He did.
And those people laughed, ate popcorn, not knowing any meaning behind what they saw in that theater. It was just a movie! It had no personal bearing on what they knew of life and living, and eternity and where they will go when they die and even that they themselves are CONDEMNED without Jesus Christ.
The sin of Adam condemned MANKIIND entirely! ALL OF US! We are all born SINNERS. It is not about a second chance, it is about proving His love to men and Angels because of Satan and his fellow demons who were sinners before the World began, and how fragile men, who are only in the flesh, and must trust God by faith! and never saw God face to face, that His mercy to us is why Jesus Christ had to DIE on th cross for us, to pay the penalty for sin.
I'm not telling you off. Really. It's just people dont know or explain in Biblical terms with Biblical accuracy the things that are Biblically true!
...(me too sometimes...) :)
Being factually correct is wonderful, and admirable, but not entirely necessary. I don't hold myself out as a student of the Bible, much less a teacher.. My faith is personal. I know Race, that you are correct, but this is how my faith works for me.. and as long as my internal behavioral compass holds my actions, and my interactions with others in check, and leads me to try to live within the conditions of a decent man, in accordance to the commandments.. the details really don't get in my way..
Now raising kids, and cooking great food takes meticulous accuracy, and that indeed is were I draw the line.. :)