Since God Is All-Knowing, All-Powerful and Eternal, Did He Know When He Created Mankind That They Would Sin?

Question from a reader:

Since God is all knowing, all powerful, and eternal, did He know when He created Adam and Eve that they would fall and the earth would be as it is now, filled with sin and immorality? It is hard for me to understand why God would knowingly allow all the sin and suffering.

Answer from Randy Alcorn:

Yes clearly God did know, but ultimately he also knew he would be more glorified and the universe itself would be a better place and God’s people redeemed would be better after being redeemed, and after the curse is lifted.

Eph. 2:7 says it is his grace and kindness expressed to us in Christ Jesus that he will be revealing to us in the coming ages. His redemptive work, of course, would not have happened except in response to human sin and suffering. It’s the sin and suffering which gives opportunity for his redemptive work.

As a result of God permitting sin and suffering, He took upon himself more suffering than anyone else. This is not to minimize sin and suffering as no big deal, because they are a huge deal, and God weeps for his suffering people. But we have to remember that God took the ultimate suffering upon himself, through the atonement of Jesus.

Randy Alcorn (@randyalcorn) is the author of over sixty books and the founder and director of Eternal Perspective Ministries

Topics