Editing Predestination in Calvinism (section)

{{Short description|Theological doctrine}}
{{Calvinism}}
[[File:Profetie van Christus over het einde der tijden.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|This etching by [[Frans Hogenberg]] illustrates the [[Second Coming of Christ]] and references the [[Olivet Discourse]]. Angels can be seen gathering the elect.<ref>{{cite book|last=Veldman |first=Ilja M. |editor-last=Finney |editor-first=Paul Corby |title=Seeing Beyond the Word: Visual Arts and the Calvinist Tradition|chapter=Protestantism and the Arts: Sixteenth- and Seventeenth-Century Netherlands |year=1999 |publisher=Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing |location=Grand Rapids |page=404 |isbn=0-8028-3860-X}}</ref>]]
'''Predestination''' is a doctrine in [[Calvinism]] dealing with the question of the control that God exercises over the world. In the words of the [[Westminster Confession of Faith]], God "freely and unchangeably ordained whatsoever comes to pass."<ref>{{Cite journal |title=Westminster Assembly and Confession of Faith |website=Encyclopedia of Christianity Online |doi=10.1163/2211-2685_eco_w.12 |at=Chapter III.1 'Of God's Eternal Decree'}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Macpherson |first=John |title=The Westminster confession of faith |publisher=Kessinger Pub |year=2008 |isbn=978-1-104-40849-7 |at=Chapter III.1 'Of God's Eternal Decree'. |oclc=707096039}}</ref> The second use of the word "[[predestination]]" applies this to 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 [[Christian views on sin|sins]], even their [[original sin]]. The former is called "[[unconditional election]]", and the latter "[[reprobation]]". In Calvinism, some people are predestined and effectually called in due time ([[Regeneration (theology)|regenerated/born again]]) to faith by God, all others are reprobated.

Calvinism places more emphasis on election compared to other branches of Christianity.<ref name="Cambridge" />
[[File:The Doctrine of Predestination Explained in a Geneva Bible.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|The Doctrine of Predestination explained in a Question and Answer Format from a 1589/1594 Geneva Bible]]