Romans 9:10-24 (New King James Version)
10 And not only this, but when Rebecca also had conceived by one man, even by our father Isaac 11 (for the children not yet being born, nor having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works but of Him who calls), 12 it was said to her, �The older shall serve the younger.�[a] 13 As it is written, �Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated.�[b]
14 What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? Certainly not! 15 For He says to Moses, �I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion.�[c] 16 So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy. 17 For the Scripture says to the Pharaoh, �For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth.�[d] 18 Therefore He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He hardens.
19 You will say to me then, �Why does He still find fault? For who has resisted His will?� 20 But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, �Why have you made me like this?� 21 Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor?
22 What if God, wanting to show His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, 23 and that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory, 24 even us whom He called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?
God is sovereign over all events including salvation. The five points of Calvinism spell the word TULIP. Arminianism is man-centered, but Calvinism is God-centered. The Bible teaches the five points of Calvinism without any apology. Predestination must be viewed in terms of cause and effect. God's grace is the cause and our faith is the effect, it is not the other way around. No one comes to Christ against their will and no one rejects Christ against their will. God's sovereignty and man's will are two sides of the same coin. Free will is best defined as the ability to make decisions according to our desires. We always have to obey our strongest desire, otherwise it really isn't our strongest desire. God changes our desires so that we come to Christ willingly.
Total Depravity - Man is sinful and unable to come to Christ on his own power. Man would never seek God in his natural state. Man cannot choose to come to Christ. He is utterly helpless to save himself or come to God. All of mankind is born deserving God's eternal wrath.
Unconditional Election - Before the foundation of the world, God the Father chose some people to be saved but passed over the rest of humanity. He chose the elect for reasons known only to Him and not because they deserve God's salvation.
Limited Atonement - Jesus died for the elect only. He died for each kind of person, every tribe and tongue, but not each person in particular. Jesus did not waste any of His blood for the non elect.
Irresistable Grace - The Holy Spirit irresistably draws the elect to faith in Christ. While people do resist the Holy Spirit, the elect cannot resist Him unto salvation.
Perseverance of the Saints - The elect will persevere throughout their lives. They cannot lose their salvation. They persevere because God preserves them.
For more study on Calvinism click on the following links:
The Five Points of Calvinism by Robert L. Dabney
A Defense of Calvinism by Charles H. Spurgeon
T.U.L.I.P
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