Does god elect who he will bless even before we are born? ~ Cross reference of Romans 9:10 Genesis 25:23, Malachi 1:3
Paul uses the event that when Rebecca conceives, she needs to visit a prophet as she does not understand what is happening as the children in her were struggling with each other. So she meets the prophet and he tells her that she is going to give birth to 2 children and these two will become two nations. He also tells her that the elder one will serve the younger one. Paul latches onto this point and says that it is about what we do in this life that matters but that god decides who to bless and who not to bless. This he will take forward to say that works does not save you from hell but one needs to have faith in the blood of Jesus to get to heaven. He finally concludes in verse 15 that we are left to god's mercy as he will bless who he wants to bless and will show compassion to who he wants to show compassion. I think this is what Calvinism teaches, that god has already decided who will be in heaven and who will be hell irrespective of what you do in this life. Kind of sad don...