Bible questions on slavery, gods anger and more

[ilovemymac]

I have been a Christian for about 20 years. Although much of the time I was not living it.

Recently I started reading my bible again. I got an app on my iPad and it really helps me to read more because I always have it vs picking up my bible and reading it.

Anyway I know that today we believe slavery is wrong. I think it's racist and it's wrong.
But yet in the bible many of the people had slaves and I see nowhere where its deemed wrong so I'm confused on the subject.
Also God says he is the same always yet the biggest questions i hear from non Christians is why did God kill so many people in the old testament just for small things like when the wife looked back at soddem and she was turned to salt.
Yet in the new testament we have a more loving and forgiving God.

Also if you sin and you died before you asked for forgiveness or Jesus came back then would you go to heaven or not?

Thank you for your help.

[Bob]

You ask some terrific questions - thanks for asking them. I could write a book on just these three questions, ha ha! But I'll aim for brevity here.

Slavery is indeed not condemned in the Bible, but it is also not condoned. The Bible instructs slaves to obey their masters in a loving manner, but never does it say that slavery is okay. We serve a God that brings freedom to the captive. Oh yeah, and don't forget that God's people were in captivity and escaped from it in the book of Exodus.

There are some that believe that God acts differently depending on the time period, but that is not true since God clearly states He is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. God's wrath was poured out onto Christ as He hung on the cross. So because of that, we no longer receive the full wrath of God.

But Jesus isn't all love and roses - He mentions hell more than anyone in the Bible.

Hope this helps. Keep reading!

[ilovemymac]

Yes good stuff. I know that many people use the slave thing against our founding fathers as well. I always say well at the time no one thought it was wrong. And at least these guys knew God most anyway or the others did not get offended if someone did worship Christ.

I understand now why God has or seems more merciful then in OT days.
It's frustrating sometimes because I always feel like things I should forvbeing a Christian so long.
I long to hear God speak to me. I have thought many times he did and I journled it but it was not correct and that got to me too. God spoke to so many in the bible and even today to so many yet I don't hear and yet I have so many questions.