I wonder if the reason God allowed sin into the world isn’t because we only grow through adversity and struggle. Without sin, would we not be spoiled brats, always getting everything we wanted? Character is built through struggle. We are probably much more interesting as individuals because we haven’t had it too easy in this life. Then, too, God is always there for us, helping us if we will only ask for His help. We are made in His image, and don’t we experience joy when we can help another? God must feel joy when He can help His children.
I believe the only part God had in “allowing” sin into the world was that He let man experience the consequences of his actions. Had man not disobeyed God there would be no sin nature. With out a sin nature we wouldn’t be spoiled brats, and we wouldn’t need adversity to “grow”. And as a matter of fact none of our attempts at growth ever get us any closer to God. That’s why He had to die for us.
The only thing we can do to commend ourselves to Him is to “believe in the one He has sent.” (John 6:28-29) And it only pleases Him to see us help each other when we do it out of gratitude for what He has done for us. Our gratitude is the only thing He wants from us.
One of the most difficult passages in the Bible for man to understand is that God is neither harmed by our sins nor helped by our acts of righteousness. These things only affect ourselves and those around us (Job 35:6-8). This is what makes God’s effort to save us such a pure and unconditional act of love.
For God so loved the world that he gave His only begotten son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life (John 3:16).