If God plans it then it will happen.
What we decide matters because our actions have very real consequences.
God planned for man to fall into sin to display His justice and mercy--His wrath and grace.Right, because God doesn't decide who is saved--man does.
Okay Clothed, I will present a scenario for you, but first, I would like to address your words, '
God doesn't decide who is saved-man does'.
So, you are saying God doesn't predestine, determine, or decide who is saved. I wholeheartedly agree with this. So then, there is no election for salvation before the foundation of the world. Man can't decide anything if he is not around. Man has to decide during his lifetime. Wonderful, we agree on something.
And God determines how He deals with man according to man's ways and deeds, which is during his lifetime (Zechariah 1:6).
Now, I will give the scenario.
I will use you as the father, and your children as your creation.
Did (do) you plan for your children to sin? Did you do this to display your justice, mercy, wrath, and grace? Did you predestine what would happen so that your children would follow your plan? One way to carry out your predestination is to drink, curse, be angry, have fights, beat your wife, beat your children, commit adultery, and lie in front of your children. Did you do this?
Another way, is to present your children with temptations in order to make them fall. You know, have booze open around the house, have harlots in the house, have bullies over, have porn on the TV, have someone murdered in your house, leave knives and guns laying around, expose them to all religions of the world, put candy in front of them and tell them not to eat any of it, and other such temptations.
All these things you predestine for your children to put your plan into action. And yes, when your children get drunk, curse, fight, watch porn, believe in another religion, eat the candy, and lie, you can come down on their heads for their sins. Yes sir, they are responsible, and you can get your justice, mercy, wrath, and grace on them. Doesn't that make you feel special your children acted the way you set out for them to do?
I will ask, did you, or would you do this to your children? If you did, I think the authorities need to be notified about your plan and behavior. Do you think the law would consider you just as guilty as your children, and maybe even set out to punish you for child abuse. If you say you wouldn't, then you are a better man than God; you have more love and respect for your children than God does for His. Congratulations. This is exactly what God does according to your views.
God planned for human history to happen for His glory. It is man who plans evil in his own heart and it is man who carries it out: Man is responsible for his own actions. God cannot do evil because he is Holy, but He has planned that man should commit evil for His own good purpose.
If God did not purpose evil to happen then He would have made sure it never did, because God is God, and what He says goes.
So, if you did not purpose evil to happen to your children, do (did) you make sure it would never happen?
It very much could be, because the other guy has no control over his will.
