and I often use “but rather,” ha ha
I appreciate each of your points, especially #3. When I bring it up that in heaven we will still have free will, say, in a Bible study or classroom, the room typically goes silent with fear and consternation ha ha.
I would only add that this world teaches His church the mechanics of implementing His law of love. We seem to agree that Eve exercised her God created faculties, but in ignorance, to devastating result.
God doesn’t want us to be ignorant.
Much of the Bible is dedicated to “fleshing out” what it means to love God with all of our heart, soul, mind, and spirit, and our neighbors as ourselves. So He gave us His word of instructions, for as long as we live in this mortal context, to be the principal guide on how to love each other.
It’s within this context that we demonstrate what sort of person we choose to be. We are surrounded and dismayed on every side by evil and temptations. We have ample opportunity to give full, observable expression to what we truly believe.
Question for homework - why did Jesus chide Nicodemus (a teacher in Israel) for not knowing that we must be born again?