for though the twins were not yet born and had not done anything good or bad, so that God’s purpose according to His choice would stand, not because of works but because of Him who calls,
– Romans 9:11
You see that before the twins were born, God elected Jacob and rejected Esau.
For He says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion. So then it does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy.”
– Romans 9:15-16
Here you see that God saves whom He wants to save and rejects others.
WHY DOES HE DO SO?
20 But who are you, a human being, to talk back to God? “Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, ‘Why did you make me like this?’”[h] 21 Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for special purposes and some for common use?
22 What if God, although choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath—prepared for destruction? 23 What if he did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory
— Romans 9:20-22
They stumble (and destroyed in hell) because they disobey the message–which is also what they were destined for.
-1 Peter 2:8
God created this universe and humanity for His glory. He wants His mercy and justice both to be glorified. His mercy will be glorified when He saves a handful of people whom He elected before the foundation of the world. His justice will be glorified when He punishes sinners in hell for their sins.
DOESN’T THAT MAKE GOD RESPONSIBLE FOR OUR SINS?
No, it doesn’t. God is holy, holy, holy. He is light. There is no darkness in Him. When it comes to sinning, He is helpless, totally unable. It is impossible for God to sin. That’s what makes Him God. Yes, God’s everlasting inability to sin (holiness) separates Him from all false gods. God is neither directly nor indirectly responsible for sin. If you ever doubt God’s holiness, look at the cross. He loves righteousness so much that He saved some people from justice (hell) by giving hell to His own Son.
You see God’s sovereignty (predestination) and man’s responsibility for sin are not incompatible. In divine reality, it is possible for God to predestine something and yet have the sinner be responsible for sin. I will give you one example. Joseph’s brothers threw him into the pit and sold him. He was made a slave in Potiphar’s house. He was falsely accused and thrown into prison.
Then one day God made Him the second most powerful person in Egypt. When his brothers came to Egypt during a famine and recognized him and were afraid of him. He said, “God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant in the earth, and to keep you alive by a great deliverance.” (Gen: 45:7) Now, did God cause his brothers to sin? No, He only ordained it. His brothers were themselves fully responsible for their sins.
The chosen ones receive mercy and grace, the sinners receive justice for their sins (hell). Nobody receives injustice.
