My Journey to Life, Step 15—The Great Controversy

4. Did God foresee this controversy between good and evil, and the introduction of sin into His newly created planet?

Lucifer’s rebellion and Adam and Eve’s sin in their garden home did not catch God by surprise. Several scriptural passages show that God not only foresaw that humankind would be deceived in joining the rebellion, but also that the Godhead had developed a “rescue plan” before time began that would eventually destroy sin forever. JTL15 7.1

All of God’s intelligent beings were created as free moral agents. This means they could choose to respond to God’s love with grateful obedience or to reject His authority. God longs for connection and relationship with His created beings, not a rigid response from an automaton. The basis of our fellowship is that God is our Creator and Father. We are His greatly loved children. Just as parents treasure freely given love and loyalty from their children, so God gives us freedom to choose to whom we will give our love and loyalty. JTL15 7.2