As has been noted there are both internal [as contained in Morgoth's Ring] and external [TOlkien's Roman Catholic Christianity] reasons for the 'gift of Iluvatar'.
It is of note that until the 50's [when most of hte Morgoth's Ring writing hails from], there was no exploration [just the merest hints in the Silmarillion] as to how man 'fell', indeed a fall is not explicit, until we see the back story in the Finrod ah Andreth [ a must read imo].
In Christian theology the Angels cannot repent of the fall of Lucifer [and his accomanying 1/3rd], due to their spiritual constitution.
So when mankind [collectively and genetically] fell in/from the Garden, God mercifully foresaw the possibility/probability and designed or natures in such a way that repentance [i.e. the transformation of the nous ' the heart mind or eye of the soul].
So much of this becomes incorporated into the Legendarium, as can be seen first hand in HoM-E vol. 10 [my favorite] Morgoth's Ring.
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The dwindling Men of the West would often sit up late into the night exchanging lore & wisdom such as they still possessed that they should not fall back into the mean estate of those who never knew or indeed rebelled against the Light.
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