The Necessity of Sin in God's Perfect Plan

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Many people have asked me how a perfect God could allow things like sin and pain and suffering. For many years I simply assumed that that was just the way things were. However, God has shown me that in order to honor Him, it is necessary that there be sin in this world.

If there were no sin in this life choosing God would be the only option open to us. If choosing to follow God were just as easy as following your own desires, the decision would be left to chance. Only when choosing God is the hard choice can he be honored by our actions. Because of this, sin must be present in this world in order for us to honor Him by chosing to follow the narrow path. A perfect world where we can have the free will to pick God as the Lord of our lives requires sin.

Why is there pain? Why is there suffering? Sin is necessary for God's perfect plan and these things are what sin breeds.

Since writing this essay, I have begun reading C.S. Lewis' Mere Christianity. I realize that my argument here is almost identical to Lewis' argument but I will continue to present it as my own idea because I had not read the book or any other source on this issue before writing this essay.