I Doubt That - Q5

Why did God allow Satan into the garden?
And why did God not intervene on Eve's behalf to stop Satan's temptation and the ultimate downfall of man?

These are great questions! When answering questions like these, it's important to remember that God did not create out of necessity; he created out of the desire to have a loving relationship (John 1, 1 John 4:8). For love to be genuine, it must be freely given and received. Love without a choice is not love at all; it's coercion. Thus, Adam and Eve had the choice to obey or disobey. God's desire to offer a loving relationship to humankind opened the door for the fall of humanity. It's important to note that the presence of Satan is not an oversight by God but part of a moral environment in which real choice is possible.
 
Does allowing Satan into the garden and not intervening on Eve's behalf undermine God's sovereignty? Not at all. God's sovereignty is expressed not in God determining every action of man, but in God's ability to redeem and restore even the most wicked actions of man (Romans 8:28). As soon as Adam and Eve realize the implications of their sin and hid from God, God began pursuing them and His redemption plan immediately began (Genesis 3:7-9)
 
In summary, God has given us free will out of love (because love without a choice is coercion), Adam and Eve abused that free will and disobeyed. God's ultimate sovereignty has been and continues to be demonstrated in redemption (rather than prevention), and the enemy will never defeat his grace! This is the good news of the Gospel.
 
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