Are Calvinists Inconsistent with Romans 9? // Ask Pastor John

God sends the wicked to hell because they deserve it. God welcomes the humble to heaven because Christ secured it. This isn’t inconsistent. This is the gospel.

In listener emails, Romans 9 has been mentioned almost 300 times. We have lots of questions about that chapter. Today we have a question about why Calvinists so often speak of the election of believers as unconditional, but the reprobation of the non-elect as conditional? It’s a question today from Henry.

“Dear Pastor John, in Romans 9:10–13 Paul says God loved Jacob and hated Esau before either had done anything good or bad. I’ve heard many Calvinists say election has nothing to do with works done, good or bad, present or foreseen. That’s true and glorious. However, many of those same Calvinists say that when God predestines people to hell, he ensures that they are deserving of judgment, due to their sins. This sounds contradictory to me. If election is unconditional, why is perdition here so often presented as a conditional response?”

Episode 1302: https://www.desiringgod.org/interviews/are-calvinists-inconsistent-with-romans-9

Related Resources:

“What Is Calvinism? https://youtu.be/voe8omAxdRg

“Watershed Differences Between Calvinists and Arminians” https://youtu.be/1Ldlp-4OOG0

“How Does It Glorify God to Predestine People to Hell?” https://youtu.be/vbx-9neSzjU

“Am I Saved?” https://youtu.be/YHZaoOP-DuI

Ask Pastor John Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKvMOJ1T8T4&list=PLFF7F6AE365DA3564

Find other recent and popular Ask Pastor John episodes, http://desiringgod.org/ask-pastor-john