Imagine, using the warden example, that we were given a choice of grilled cheese, chicken, or fish for dinner. Now, say God knows in advance that we’re always going to choose the grilled cheese. So the question is, why doesn’t He just offer us only grilled cheese? What’s the difference?
Perhaps part of the purpose of this life is not just our choices, but for us to realize that we knowingly chose the grilled cheese over the chicken and the fish. If the grilled cheese were our only choice, there would be neither blame nor praise in us having chosen it. But if we know there are other choices available, and yet we choose that one — even if someone who knows us best knows beforehand what we will choose — still we do not know what we will choose, and just the knowledge of the other options tells us something about our choice.
Right, this existence is meant to shine a lot on our souls for us. I think the external understanding of judgment, as if this is some big contest to win God’s affection, has it inside-out. This is about the birth of awareness, not winning some cosmic game.