"Double predestination makes God out to be unjust, arbitrarily dispensing mercy to some and not to others. Certainly, human beings cannot compel God to be merciful, but this does not mean that he is arbitrary in his exercise of mercy (Romans 9:15). . . Moreover, God can appeal to obstinate people and be disappointed by their lack of response, in a way that would be inconsistent with his having hardened them himself (Romans 10:21)" (I. Howard Marshall, A Concise New Testament Theology, Downers Grove, Il.: InterVarsity Press, 2008) 127-28.
Calvinists teach the doctrine of double predestination. Supralapsarian Calvinists, often referred to as hyper-Calvinists, teach symmetrical double predestination, teaching that God predestines the elect to salvation and actively hardens the reprobate. Infralapsarian Calvinists, such as R.C. Sproul, teach that predestination is asymmetrical. That is to say, God predestines the elect and passively allows the reprobate to harden themselves. God simply passes over them.
John Calvin's teaching of double predestination is stated: "By predestination we mean the eternal decree of God by which he determined with himself whatever he wished to happen with regard to every man. All are not created on equal terms, but some are preordained to eternal life, others to eternal damnation . . ." (John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, 3:21:5).
I. Howard Marshall asserts that double predestination makes God "unjust, arbitrarily dispensing mercy to some and not to others." Calvinists would reply that God owes no one mercy. He chooses to give justice to the reprobate for sins committed and mercy to His elect. The argument is that God is both just and merciful, as well as sovereign in His dealing with all men. All believers should agree that God is sovereign, merciful and just, however, the apostle Paul concludes in Romans 9-11 concerning God's attitude toward all people, both Jew and Gentile, that He is merciful toward all. "For God has committed them all to disobedience, that He might have mercy on all" (Romans 11:32).
We come to the ultimate question concerning double predestination. Why does God choose to save some and harden or pass over others? The Calvinist can answer by saying it's simply the good pleasure of His sovereign will. Furthermore, He owes no one anything but justice, which means condemnation for our sins. All Bible students should agree that God is sovereign and just. However, He has stated His will in Holy Scripture. "For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth" (1 Timothy 2:3-4).
