Portal:Reformed Christianity/Article Archive/2007/September

The Calvinistic doctrine of predestination is two-fold in its scope:

It refers to God's control over all things. In the words of the Westminster Confession of Faith, God "freely and unchangeably ordained whatsoever comes to pass."
The second, more specific usage applies this to the salvation, and refers to the belief that God appointed the eternal destiny of some to salvation by grace, while leaving the remainder to receive eternal damnation for all their sins, even their original sin. The former is called "unconditional election", and the latter "reprobation". In Calvinism, men must be predestined and effectually called (regenerated/born again) unto faith by God before they will even wish to believe or wish to be justified.