Sin: Not a Mistake?

Just some thoughts of mine:

Omniscience. Omnipotence. Omnipresence. It's something most (if not all) Christians believe about God. If they were not true of God, He wouldn't be God, right? But what happens when you follow the rational course they present? I don't think many think about this.

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." Generally, I feel people use this according to specific situations, the "It'll be alright" verse. But can it be a little more universal? How far back can you take it, and how far forward?

God's omnipresence, omnipotence, and omniscience say this: God doesn't make mistakes. A simple statement, right? But take that far enough, believe it enough, and you get into some stuff people aren't too fond of. Christ's death - not a mistake. It's the foundation of our faith, after all. The choosing of Israel - not a mistake, for all its rough points. The promise to Abraham - definitely not a mistake. But take it way back and things get messy. How about the Fall of Man through Adam and Eve? Or how about the fall of Satan (whenever and however that was)? Kinda dicey. Because if you still believe that God doesn't make mistakes, that in all things He works for the good of those who love Him, you have some stuff you have to wrap your mind around.

You have to say that the creation of Satan was according to plan, not a mistake. My personal assertion, and the assertion of others, is that heaven will be a perfect--the most perfect "perfect"--place. And God's plan to get us there is also perfect. But if, as I just said, God's creation of Satan was not a mistake, then that means the fall he caused (both in humans and among angels) was also foreseen by God. Now, why would an omniscient God create Satan and man, knowing that both would be the cause of a lot of sin and death. My belief--and this is where things get offensive--is that a reality in which sin, pain, hunger, and death had been present is ultimately better--more perfect--than one in which they were not. In the end, something better comes out of pain/sin/death.

People don't like that. They take offense to the idea that their pain and suffering is part of some cosmic plan. It makes these things seem "good." It doesn't necessarily make them good, though. It's still not what it should have been, would have been; it's not what God intended (but at the same time, it is). It certainly doesn't make God the creator of sin, but I think He uses it as a tool, turning Satan's own game against him. It does fit into His perfect plan. If something else would ultimately have been more perfect, He would have made it so. No?

I'm no theologian. I could be way off. But I see this as a way to reconcile God's omniscience and omnipotence to the problem of sin. He certainly didn't cover his eyes and spin a top. He's got a plan. It's going to come together. And I love it when a plan comes together.