# Why did God permit the fall (Samuel Crooke)



## Reformed Covenanter (Aug 31, 2022)

_Q. Why did God permit man’s fall?

A._ He did it in great wisdom, _to_ _make way for the glory_ both of his mercy in those that shall be saved by Christ, and of his justice in those that shall perish for their sins; yet _without wrong to any,_ being not bound to his creature to uphold him from falling by his grace.

Samuel Crooke,_ The guide unto true blessedness. Or, A body of the doctrine of the Scriptures, directing man to the saving knowledge of God _(London: John Pindley, 1613), p. 22.

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## SolaScriptura (Aug 31, 2022)

I wish, just once, someone would have the honesty to say, "Ultimately, I don't know. But here's my guess..."

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## Taylor (Aug 31, 2022)

SolaScriptura said:


> I wish, just once, someone would have the honesty to say, "Ultimately, I don't know. But here's my guess..."


While I appreciate the sanctified hesitancy*, there are _some_ things we can say in answer to the question. It's not _all_ speculation. At the very least, we can say that God permitted the fall for his glory because everything he does, he does for his glory. Similarly, we can also say that he permitted fall because it seemed good to him to do so. Of course, these are more vague answers and will not satisfy everyone's curiosity, but they are answers.

*This isn't sarcasm. I mean it. This is the characteristic I love most about John Calvin. He refused to attempt to venture into the mind of God beyond what he has revealed of it in his Word.

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## kodos (Aug 31, 2022)

We can certainly say that without the Fall we would not have the wonder of the Incarnation. 

The Son of God come into the world, Jesus Christ, ultimately, makes the Fall a glorious providence. That we may say of a divine person - flesh of my flesh, bone of my bones - that we may touch God and see God with our own eyes as Job panted for.

To see in the death of Christ that _God commendeth His own love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. _

Beauteous tokens of love which have only been given to us due to the Fall. 

*Praise God for His decree that man would fall, if you are a believer. *

The believer looks on the Fall and mourns it, yes. But will ultimately rejoice in it because it gave them Jesus.

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## Phil D. (Aug 31, 2022)

Reformed Covenanter said:


> _A._ He did it in great wisdom, _to_ _make way for the glory_ both of his mercy in those that shall be saved by Christ, and of his justice in those that shall perish for their sins;


This seems essentially a summary of the rhetorical question in Romans 9:22-24, which Paul then proceeds to answer in the affirmative.


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