God Permitted

God, despite the decree of Adam’s fall, is not the author of sin. God does not force anyone to do anything. In fact, the [Westminster] Confession–unlike Calvin–for example, argues that God permitted the fall; permission is a category that Calvin largely rejected. The Confession states, “This their sin, God was pleased, according to his wise and holy counsell [sic] to permit, having purposed to order it to his own glory” (6.1). Judas could have refrained from betraying Christ, but instead freely chose to do so, and he freely chose suicide over repentance (J.V. Fesko, The Theology of the Westminster Standards, 100).