I’m not sure that this will stand up in either temporal court or His Court. How can you guarantee something without being responsible for it?
Within the realms of law and justice, both human and Divine, the concept of responsibility carries with it the premise or possibility of multiple cause levels. God created satan, satan caused evil. Therefore, is God the author of evil? I think we both would say "No". Now, did God KNOW that satan would cause evil when He decided to create him? I think we would both say "Yes". So now is God the author of evil? Again, my understanding is that we would both say "No".
The third step would be to say that if God predestined that satan would cause evil (with no sort of "infusion" of evil or any such thing by God) does that make God the author of it? I would still say "No" BECAUSE God owed no duty to satan or anyone else to prevent him from causing the evil. satan can only do what God allows. If you're with me on the first two steps, then I think the third turns on whether there is duty. I do not see that there is. Predestination guarantees the outcome, but does not attach authorship in the case of sin.
:::The third step would be to say that if God predestined that satan would cause evil (with no sort of “infusion” of evil or any such thing by God) does that make God the author of it? I would still say “No” BECAUSE God owed no duty to satan or anyone else to prevent him from causing the evil. satan can only do what God allows. If you’re with me on the first two steps, then I think the third turns on whether there is duty. I do not see that there is. Predestination guarantees the outcome, but does not attach authorship in the case of sin.:::
You may not see it, but it is there. If you make sure that something happens, then you are responsible. There is no duty or anything like that involved. There is only authorship. If the Reformed God predestines everything then He owns it, lock, stock and barrel. All the good. All the evil. Everything.