Thanks, Anthony, for your post. I don't think you are missing anything. If we accept that God has decreed what is for His glory, this safeguards the doctrine of God's freedom from being misconstrued as any kind of arbitrariness. What He wills He wills freely, and yet He wills what manifests His glorious perfection.

We just need to be careful where we place the point of necessity. It cannot be in the things willed. He has not determined what shall come to pass because these things are wise and good in themselves, as if there is some standard outside of God which binds Him to act in this or that way. Rather, the things decreed are wise and good because the wise and good God freely determines them.

Sin and grace are the two main themes of holy Scripture. If we reflect for a little on these themes we will see that both preclude the idea of necessity in God's determination of whatsoever comes to pass. Sin can't be decreed necessarily, otherwise God would be the author of sin. Nor can grace be decreed necessarily, otherwise grace would cease to be distinguishing and would end up being nothing more than a divine obligation to seek the salvation of all.

Blessings!

__________________
Yours sincerely,


"Illum oportet crescere me autem minui."