Was the Fall of Man Part of God's Plan?

Theology
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Was the Fall of Man Part of God's Plan?

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As Christians reflect on sin, redemption, and God’s sovereignty, we invite your voice in Crosswalk Forums.
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Why did God allow Adam and Eve to fall? Couldn’t He have prevented it? These are questions that strike at the heart of our understanding of free will, love, and the purpose of creation itself.

Some believe the Fall was a tragic accident—others see it as a necessary part of God’s redemptive story. After all, without the Fall, would we ever fully grasp grace, mercy, or the depth of Christ’s sacrifice?

What do you believe—was the Fall a deviation or part of divine design? How does that shape your view of God’s character?

“Only a sovereign God could take the worst decision in human history and use it to unfold the greatest redemption ever known.”

Read this perspective on why the Fall might have been necessary:

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Oh, brother this one is deep, it requires a lot of understanding, theology, philosophy, and took me 1-2 weeks to learn about this- i will extend this to two parts in two posts tomorrow, by the time i want to see and learn what others have to say and then i will modify my thoughts accordingly
i want to discuss about
-If God knew Adam would disobey, why didnt God prevent it?- Very famous and deep question
-Was it Judas’s fault, wasn’t it written in sciptures that Jesus would be crucified, yet why was Judas condemned and why allowed Jesus to be crucifed–ik this is a different question but i want to talk about Penal Substitutionary Atonement.
-Are we pawns, if everything is predestined, does God allow evil to happen, why doesnt God stop evil once and for all, if God knows the future, why not prevent evil from happening
Since im tired, i want to discuss about it tomorrow, meanwhile i will read what others have to say.
This topic will be helpful for millions of Christians who raised this question.
ets cry together, Lets Praise God togother, along with the Angels and Archangels, we praise God, we raise up a hymm of praise to him who creates and gives breath of life, He who crushed the head of the serpent, we praise him, so immense is your glory O God, its a marvel, we are unable to grasp it, O Adonai, hearken to our prayers
Praise God in everything we do.
peace
I’ll come tomorrow

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The Fall of Man was not a deviation that caught God by surprise, nor was it merely a tragic accident—it was foreseen within the sovereign wisdom of God and allowed as part of His redemptive plan. This doesn’t mean God authored sin or willed rebellion, for He is holy and righteous (James 1:13), but it does mean that He created humanity with genuine free will, knowing they could choose disobedience. The Fall provided the backdrop upon which the glory of God’s mercy, justice, and love would be revealed most profoundly through Jesus Christ. Without the Fall, we would not fully comprehend grace, nor would we experience the depth of God’s redemptive power. Ephesians 1:4–5 tells us that we were chosen in Christ “before the foundation of the world,” and Revelation 13:8 refers to Jesus as “the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world”—both passages indicate that redemption through Christ was not an afterthought, but part of God’s eternal purpose. The Fall allowed for the unveiling of a Savior, the manifestation of divine love at its highest, and the ultimate plan for reconciling man back to God. Rather than seeing the Fall as a failure of the plan, we should view it as the stage upon which the greatest demonstration of God’s grace would be made known to the world.

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@SincereSeeker, @Kpuff
I invite you guys to this profound and challenging topic, everyone, come lets praise our God.
Lets first talk about supralapsarian teleolgy and divine oikonomia. The inquiry into whether the Fall of Man as narrated in Genesis 3, constitues an integral facet of God’s eternal plan engages the supralapsarian-infralapsarian debate in the Reformed Theology. Supralapsarian posits that God’s decree to permit Fall precedes His decree of creation and election, suggesting that the Fall was not merely forseen but purposively ordained to manifest the plentitude of divine attributes like justice, mercy nd redemptive love, within the divine oikonomia. Augustine of Hippo in De Civitate Dei (Book XI, Chapter 18, we had to study it) argues God’s omniscience subsumes all events under His providential will, such that the Fall serves as a propaedeutic to the revelation of grace. Romans 11:32 “For God has bound everyone over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all” intimates that human sinfulness, shown in the Fall, is instrumental to the universal scope of divine mercy. Yet this raises a profound theodical question of does such view implicate God as the author of sin, thereby compromising His aseity and moral perfection. This is one of the questions I asked myself when I was young, and in my teen years. Lets talk abt it more
We need to talk first about Human freedom and Contingency of Moral Evil. THe interplay of divine sovereignty and human freedom constitutes a crux in this theological conundrum. THe Molinist paradigm, put forward and reformed by Luis de Molina in Concordia Liberi Arbitrii, proposes that God’s Scientia media enables His to actualise a world wherein human free choices, including Adam’s transgression, align with His eschatological purpose without negating libertarian freedom. Genesis 2:16-17 we see:
“You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil”
presupposes a genuine capacity for disobedience or obedience, grounding moral responsibility. Maimonides, in his Guide for the Perplexed, underscores that human freedom is essential for the cultivation of intellectual and moral virtues, a perspective resonant with Jewish emphasis on tshuvah (repentance) as a return to divine alignment. Conversely, I remember learning that Friedrich Schleiermacher’s The Christian Faith critiques determinist reading of the Fall, arguing that they undermine the authenticity of human agency, aligning with Arminian assertion that the Fall was a contingent deviation permitted but not necessitated by God, as we see in reference to Ezekiel 18:20.
Now by brothers, let go to the concpet of
THe Felix culpa and soteriological necessity
The patristic concept of felix culpa, articulated by Gregory of Nyssa, Later poetically rendered by John Milton in Paradise Lost, posists the Fall as a paradoxically fortunate event that unveils the superabundance of divine grace. Without the Fall, the soteriological depth of Christ’s atonement as prefigured in the protoevangelium of Genesis 3:15 would remain unmanifested. Romans 5:20-21
“When sin increased, grace increased all the more”
suggest that the fall amplifies the glory of redemption, positioning Christ’s sacrifice as the telos of human history. Thomas Aquinas in Summa Theologica argues that God permits evil to bring about a greater good, not as a direct cause but as a sovereign orchestrator who integrates human failure into His redemptive narrative. In jewish thought, the kabbalistic notion of shevirat ha-kelim parallel this, suggesting that cosmic rupture akin to the Fall is a prerequisite for tikkun olam, the restorative process wherein humanity participates in divine redemption.

Then coming to the theodicy and character of the divine, the question of the Fall’s place in God’s plan profoundly shapes our conception of divine character. If the Fall was divinely ordained, God’s sovereignty is absolute, yet His benevolence may be scrutinized as it implies the intentional permission of moral evil. If the Fall was deviation, God’s omnipotence might appear circumscribed, raising questions about His control over creation. The resolution lies in the doctrine of divine concursus, wherein God’s providence operates concurrently with human freedom. Isaiah 55:8-9
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways”
underscores the epistemic distance between divine and human rationality, cautioning against reductive anthropomorphisms. Karl Karth, in Chruch Dogmatics emphasizes God’s freedom in love, suggesting that the Fall while not caused by God, is subsumed under His gracious will to redeemed as evidenced by the pre-temproal election of Christ as in Revelation 13:8
At last we gonna come to the topic of divine pedagogy and eschatological synthesis. THe Fall, whether deivation or a divinely permitted event, functions as a pedagogical moment within the divine pedagogy of salvation history. It reveals the depths of human finitude and heights of divine grace culminating in the eschatological restoration through Christ’s Parousia. The synthesis of divine sovereignty and human freedom, as the eschatological restoration through Christ’s Parousia. The synthesis of divine sovereignty and human freedom as explored by Augustine, Molina, Maimonides and Barth shows the dialectical complexity of this doctrine. The Fall is not a mere accident but a chapter in the divine narrative that magnifies God’s glory through a mystery of redemption, inviting humanity into a participatory communion with the Triune God. As 1 Corinthians 2:9 , it is written:
"but, according as it hath been written, `What eye did not see, and ear did not hear, and upon the heart of man came not up, what God did prepare for those loving Him --’ " Young’s Literal Translation (YLT)
The Fall in its tragic necessity shows the unfathomable depth of divine love.
Praise be to God
For more information on the 5 sorrowful mysteries of our Lord, I recommend everyone to open The complete visions of Anne Catherine Emmerich, go to Volume 11- the bitter passion of our Lord Jesus Christ, it has 15 parts, I call everyone to read it, it will open your eyes, truly. (Volume 11 - The bitter passion of our Lord Jesus Christ archivos – The complete visions of Anne Catherine Emmerich)

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Just do a deep dive study on Isaiah 53, that will truly open your eyes brother.

Johann.

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OH MAN ISAIAH 53, man what to say, I started reading it first, oh man, it was an eye-opening moment, I was crying, man how..how is it possible…the exact passion of our Lord being depicted beautifully in Isaiah 53, really, it was as if an arrow went through my heart, @Johann acutally Isaiah 53 helped me in many instances where I doubted my faith but this chapter helped me bounce back and become stronger.
Continue with your good work and may God make u stronger day by day…Praise be to God
Sam

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@Samuel_23

Unfortunately, I won’t be around much longer - my browser is outdated and I’m still running an old Windows 7 system.

Shalom alekha ve’el mishpakhtkha, achi.

Peace to you and family.

Johann.

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oh…I still pray, that even if u may or may not be in this forum, may you continue learning about our faith, and become stronger day by day.
I will always pray for you.. day and night..not like a friend..but like blood-brothers.. my love will always be with you

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YOUR faith brother?

Jude 1:3 (KJV)
“Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.”

Is my faith any different than yours?

Johann.

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Yes my brother, I agree with you on all matters, I meant abt Christianity and its essence ..heheh, its the same faith..the one which is defined by the nicene creed
Praise be to God

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Samuel_23, I see you’ve unpacked the whole theological toolbox—Greek terms, Latin quotes, Rabbinic musings, and a shout-out to Schleiermacher for good measure. Impressive. But now let’s stop polishing the lenses and look squarely through them. Here’s the heart of it:

Was the Fall part of God’s eternal decree—or a tragic accident He scrambled to redeem?

Let’s clear the sanctified fog.

God’s Sovereignty Ain’t on a Leash

First, this idea that the Fall took God by surprise? That He was sitting in heaven wringing His hands after Adam bit the fruit? Nah. Psalm 115:3 says, “Our God is in the heavens; He does all that He pleases.” Not most. Not some. All.

So when Ephesians 1:11 says God “works all things according to the counsel of His will,” that includes Eden. You don’t get to exclude the most pivotal event in human history from “all things” without rewriting Scripture to suit your philosophical palate.

God Didn’t Cause Sin—But He Ordained a World Where It Would Happen

And here’s where your concern about divine culpability shows up with a furrowed brow. But let’s not confuse “ordain” with “author.” God is not the author of sin (James 1:13). But He ordained a reality where sin would occur to magnify His mercy, wrath, justice, and grace—Romans 9:22–23 style. He doesn’t need a PR team. He’s not hiding in the back, hoping no one reads the Old Testament.

The Cross wasn’t Plan B. Revelation 13:8 calls Jesus “the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” That means the Fall was not a theological whoopsie—it was the black canvas for the brightest light of redemption.

The Felix Culpa: Not Just Pretty Latin

Felix culpa isn’t sentimental poetry. It’s the blazing truth that without the Fall, we wouldn’t know the depth of divine grace. Romans 5:8 says, “While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” That “while” exists because of the Fall. No Fall, no incarnation. No incarnation, no atonement. No atonement, no resurrection. No resurrection… no hope. The cross wasn’t God fixing a problem—it was God revealing His plan.

Molinism? Cute. But Scripture Doesn’t Need a Middleman

I see the appeal of Molinism—it tries to sneak libertarian free will into the back door of divine sovereignty like it’s smuggling snacks into the theater. But Scripture doesn’t balance man’s freedom and God’s will—it crushes the pride of man under the throne of God. Job 42:2: “I know that You can do all things, and that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted.” That includes Adam’s misstep, Cain’s murder, and your Tuesday.

The Real Theodicy: God’s Glory Trumps Our Philosophical Comfort

You wanna talk theodicy? Okay—God permits evil to showcase His glory. Not because He’s callous, but because He’s holy. Isaiah 46:10: “I declare the end from the beginning… saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose.’” That means even the Fall serves the purpose of glorifying Christ.

So the real offense here isn’t that God included the Fall in His plan. It’s that He didn’t ask our permission to do it.

Here’s the bottom line:

If the Fall wasn’t part of God’s eternal decree, then the cross was a divine reaction, not a sovereign intention.

And if that’s your theology, you haven’t just undermined Calvin—you’ve neutered the gospel.

—Sincere Seeker. Scripturally savage. Here for the Truth.

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OO fire, sincereseeker came back with fire answers..right bro ur right i was just trying to show a multifaceted dimension to the question but yes i forgot to discern between whats the right and aligns with the scripture..my bad.

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Just fast-forward to Jesus’ death and resurrection for a clear example of God’s plan and human sin. Peter begins his sermon to the Jews on Pentecost:

Act 2:22 “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know—
Act 2:23 this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men.
Act 2:24 God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it.

It was God’s permissive plan to allow Jesus’ death, to bring tremendous good out of it for millions of believers, and to raise him from the dead–all for our salvation.

Yet, it was fully the religious leaders’ and the Romans’ great sins that crucified him, though he was the most innocent man ever to be put to death.

Yes, it was God’s permissive plan that allowed Adam and Eve to rebel against him, and they were fully at fault for their sin.

One other example is Joseph’s insight into his situation with his brothers’ sin in selling him into slavery:

Gen 50:19 But Joseph said to them, “Do not fear, for am I in the place of God?
Gen 50:20 As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.