If God knew man would turn from Him, why did He create man in the first place?

When I was doing my guard duty one night, (seems as though I'm doing guard duties aplenty eh? maybe I've been a naughty boy... mmmm...) one of my superiors posed me a question that, to say the least, gave me reason to reflect on my faith.

His question was: since God knows everything, and can foresee the future, why did He still create man, knowing that man will turn from Him and sin? What is God's purpose in creating man?

I didn't have an answer at that time. I mean, it DID make sense! It made me wonder about my purpose in this life... It made me ask: why do I believe in God, when I don't even know why he created man so that man can turn from Him.

I think i might have an answer (at least something that I'm satisfied with).

1) man is created perfect and free.
Contrary to popular belief (thank you John Calvin), we are born PERFECT, SINLESS, SPOTLESS. Just as Adam was created VERY GOOD, each and EVERY person was created VERY GOOD.

We are certainly not created with a natural propensity to sin. Having said that, however, through various traps and devices Satan always manages to get people to sin. Living in a world filled with sin and temptation certainly does not make things easy for the PERFECT creature to REMAIN in that state. thus the creature is LED ASTRAY.

The only way to be led astray is to be created with a CHOICE, or the power to choose. As free moral agents, man is able to choose between following God, or following the proverbrial DARK SIDE (i.e. Satan).

Without this ability to CHOOSE, we might as well be like Arnold Schwarzenegger in the Terminator series of movies: ROBOTIC.

2) the plan of salvation was in place FROM THE BEGINNING.
certainly our Father DID know that man would eventually turn to sin due to the influence of the Devil. thus from the BEGINNING of time was the concept of a plan of salvation in place to redeem the creature from the claws of Satan.

"And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; It shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise His heel." - Gen 3:15.

Certainly salvation of the world was on the cards RIGHT FROM THE BEGINNING. God is (as mentioned in an earlier post) ALL-POWERFUL. He knew of the fall of man even before man was created.

Jesus Christ did not come down to die on the cross for the remission of our sins as a BACKUP PLAN. He was part of THE plan. THE one and ONLY plan of salvation.

3) My question to those who question.
Would you like to be a robot?

I know my answer. Given a choice between being programmed without a choice and having my free will to decide my fate, I'd rather be a being of choice.

-conclusion-

Being free moral agents, we have the POWER to decide what's good or bad for us. Just as Eve chose to eat of the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil, in so doing breaking God's commandment, many in the world today choose to disobey and hearken not to His word.

Man was created PERFECT. (all infants are perfect, without blemish).
Man was created with a FREE WILL. (man chose to sin).
The plan of Salvation was in place FROM THE BEGINNING.

I hope the readers will be able to understand, I've tried to make it as simple and concise as possible. If however there are any doubts as to the points raised, or if there are any comments, I absolutely welcome them! =) It's a learning journey for me too.

-disclaimer-
This piece was written over a period of 2 weeks. It might not sound coherrent and probably does not. Please forgive this piece if it's been a little too disjointed for your liking.

-request-
I'm flying off to India tomorrow (Monday, 20th March 2006). Please pray for my safety. Thank you! =)