Seebs, you have written such excellent posts, I do not think that I could add a thing.
Just a few comments:
Unless you can come up with a reason that God was FORCED to create someone with these traits and forseen decisions. Outside of you coming up with one of those, you are left with the conclusion that everything you say, do and feel is ultimately owing to God's sovereign ordination.
I have no idea how a soul is created, and how it becomes associated with a fetus (very likely even the zygote). But---it is my observation from Scripture, that God has set into motion certain "natural laws". One of these laws was spoken by Noah: "Go forth and multiply, and replenish the Earth."
Although there are verses such as Psalm 139:13, isn't it possible that God does NOT have a "workshop" where babies are manufactured? Using Seeb's computer-program-illustration of a few posts back, DNA creates the process known as "gametogenesis". Mitosis & meiosis, (and then mitosis again on fertilization), very real "computer-programs" written in molecular chemistry by God, yet following natural law as God prescribed. So then, He very much did "form our inward parts and knit us in our mothers' wombs", yet the biology was ordained by Him
to run by itself. Can we then discuss how "God creates some, KNOWING that they will perish"? Do you think God is an ACTIVE participant in creating each person, or do you think He is more
passive, because of His plan (when the program was WRITTEN) that life will reproduce?
If mankind has been, by God's omnipotent will, created and placed in the world according to a paradigm of "sentient choice", then those who REJECT God certainly are not "thwarting His will". And this is consistent with the idea that He has ordained naturally-occurring reproduction, where each person comes into being with the potential of being saved.
You haven't given a shred of evidence that God holds this so-called "Free Will" in the esteem that you claim. You've made pious assertions about it, but shown nothing except that you really, really want it to be true.
Jesus prayed for Peter,
"that his faith not fail". Lk22:32 Why do you suppose Jesus did that? Jesus was GOD, so if Peter had been
predestined, surely Jesus would have KNOWN that Peter's faith
COULD not fail. Or was Jesus simply being obtuse? Maybe rhetorical?
And then there was JUDAS---absolutely chosen by Jesus, yet he became a devil. Judas cast out demons---if he was never a believer, does this not contradict Jesus' OWN WORDS? "How can you say I cast out demons by the prince of demons? If satan casts out satan, he is divided against himself, how shall he stand?" Do you see ANYTHING but free will represented in John6:67-70 These are only two examples of free will---there are many others (Hymenaeus and Alexander for example in 1Tim1:19).
What of all the warnings about perseverence and endurance for us? Do you take all of them as "empty hyperbole"?
On the other hand, I have shown that God is omnipotent, omniscient and our Creator, and that as such, He had absolute control over whom He created. And that X number are born with one eternal destiny, and Y with another. (forgive me, in mathematics different variables are required unless the quantities are equal... )
How have you shown this? Please show this in Scripture, and please be specific...
Also, you have made no attempt to refute that the Fall was ordained. Do you have any response of any kind to this? Or do you think God had his arm somehow twisted into creating Adam? Was there some cosmic force pressing in upon God causing Him to create a man whom He knew would be the secondary cause of billions of people going to Hell?
Then you believe, by definition, that satan was predestined to rebel. This contradicts God's nature---because He is PERFECT, and
PERFECTLY JUST, God is constrained to allow each person to be condemned on their own blame---and this includes the angels. "JUST" means "right, fair, deserved". For GOD to have decided that a man, or a demon, would be assigned to Hell
apart from his/its own choice can NEVER be called "right, fair, deserved".
RE "God
causing the creation of billions of people, KNOWING they would go to Hell"---I think a passage from 1Corinthians applies:
"Love is patient and kind, it is not arrogant or boastful, does not act wrongly,
does not seek its own way, is not provoked, does not hold a grudge, does not rejoice in unrighteousness; but love rejoices in truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, endures all things,
and never ends."
What does this passage from 1Cor13 have to do with God, and His Creation?
GOD IS LOVE.
Do you understand the connection? God has a nature---He is absolute and perfect GOOD, perfect LOVE. He
cannot do evil. He cannot tempt (Jms1:13). He cannot cause anyone to fall.
We are God's creation---very probably because He was LONELY. Such a fierce and deep love in God's heart for us,
we cannot even BEGIN to understand. "Greater love hath NO ONE than to lay down his life for a friend." Love so great, that God became MAN, dwelt with us---and then endured the worst kind of death in history---
simply because He LOVES US!
God's heart ached, and still aches, for
FELLOWSHIP. Do you understand now? Fellowship must be freely given---it can never be "sculpted".
LOVE DOES NOT SEEK ITS OWN WAY!
God's own nature demanded that there be only one way to create mankind---with the ABILITY to fall. The pain and sorrow in God's heart for EACH child that DOES fall, we again cannot even BEGIN to understand. (This is the meaning of the verses, "There is more rejoicing in Heaven over one sinner who REPENTS than over ninety-nine righteous who NEED no repentance!" Lk15:7)
Why would God either directly or indirectly create people whom He KNEW would go to Hell?
Because of love.
Fellowship and love can only be solicited---never demanded.