Why Did God Allow This?

Q

Thank you for your website. It is truly a blessing. A question on something I have always wondered. Since God is all knowing, past, present, future, the alpha and omega – this means he already knew Satan would fall from heaven, challenge his deity, bring evil upon mankind, etc. Why would God allow this to happen to all of his creation including us humans?

A

God “allowed” this to happen because He allowed mankind to have the freedom of choice. It was Adam and Eve who chose to disobey God’s clear instructions. Even though God told them what the consequences of disobedience would be, they chose to believe Satan instead. You can’t have the freedom to choose unless you’re willing to accept the consequences of your choices. None of Satan’s deceptions can work without our cooperation.

Of course, God knew in advance what the outcome of man’s choice would be. But that doesn’t mean He wanted it to happen or that He made it happen. It’s a sign of our sin nature that we demand the right to make our own choices and then want to blame someone else if things don’t work out, even when that someone else turns out to be God Himself.

Be thankful that God doesn’t leave us to suffer the consequences of our choices forever. He provided a Redeemer to pay the penalty that’s due to us. In this way, if we choose to, we can be restored and live eternally with him. But Satan will go to the Lake of Fire to be tormented forever (Rev. 20:10). There’s no redemption for him.

For more on this, see God’s Plan in a Nutshell