Westminster Project 3.3-3.4

3. By the decree of God, for the manifestation of his glory, some people and angels are predestined to everlasting life and others are foreordained to everlasting death. 

4. These angels and people thus predestined and foreordained are particularly and unchangeably intended, and their number is so certain and definite that it cannot be either increased or decreased. 

(WCF 3.3-4)

Someone once illustrated salvation by comparing God to a man walking past a well in the middle of nowhere. At the bottom of the well, he hears a group of his enemies crying out for help. Rather than ignoring their pleas, he’s moved with compassion, makes a rope, and climbs down to rescue them. It’s a compelling image meant to reflect God's compassion and grace in salvation—and creation’s total and utter need for rescue. But there’s something glaringly obvious staring us in the face: this illustration falls far short in many ways. Let me explain.

When God created all things, He saw that it was very good (Gen 1:1–3, 31; 1 Tim 4:4). This included both the physical and spiritual realms, and the spiritual beings within them (Ps 104:4; Heb 1:10, 13–14). Angels were created to live in relationship with God as His servants (Heb 1:7, 14a). But something happened—Satan and his followers rebelled against God and His purposes (Isa 14:13; Ezek 28:13–17a; 1 Tim 3:6; Luke 10:18; cf. Gen 3:1a).

The Old Testament shows Satan as a rebel (Job 1:6–12; 2:1–7a) who persecutes both God’s people (Job 1–2; Zech 3:1–2) and other spiritual beings (Dan 12:1; Jude 9; Rev 12:7–12), even seeking to destroy the coming Messiah (Gen 3:15; John 8:44). The New Testament confirms that when Jesus entered the scene, Satan was actively working against Him (Matt 4:1–11; Mark 1:21–27; John 13:27). Nothing has changed. We are still warned that Satan and demons are at work today (1 Thess 3:5b; Gal 6:12; 1 Pet 5:8–9).

Scripture reveals that although Satan and the demons were created by God and know Him personally, they will not repent of their wickedness and are destined for eternal judgment (Matt 8:29; Mark 1:24). In fact, some have already been judged and cast into hell for their actions in Noah’s day (2 Pet 2:4; Jude 6), and Satan himself already feels the weight of the coming judgment (Rev 20:1–2).

In a similar way, humans were created to live in a loving relationship with God (Gen 1:26–31; 2:7; Job 33:4). But we, too, rebelled—tempted by the desire to be our own gods (Gen 3:1–6; 1 John 2:16). Sin entered the human experience (Gen 3:14–19, 23–24). According to Scripture, Adam’s rebellion—as the representative of the human race—didn’t just bring a curse and sickness. It spiritually killed us all. And because we are all born “in Adam,” we are all born under that curse, spiritually dead (Rom 5:12, 14; 1 Cor 15:21–22).

This is where the initial illustration breaks down. If God were standing at the top of that metaphorical well, no one would be calling out for help—because demons won’t, and the spiritually dead can’t.
That’s the dreadful news: in and of ourselves, all is lost. But here’s the good news—God, in His incredible mercy and grace, gives spiritual life to His people. That life enables them to call upon the name of the Lord and be saved (Ezek 37:1–14; Acts 2:21; Heb 2:14–18). Those whom God has chosen will hear the gospel, repent, and be saved—and nothing can snatch them from His saving hands (Mark 4:8, 20; Matt 11:15; John 10:28–30; Rom 8:30).

Jesus sums up this difficult truth by saying:
“All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of Him who sent me. And this is the will of Him who sent me: that I shall lose none of all those He has given me, but raise them up at the last day.”
(John 6:37–39, NIV)
Take heart, brothers and sisters. If you see your need for salvation and have called upon the name of the Lord, know this: God has been at work in your soul. The salvation you have received was earned for you through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus—planned before the very first atom came into existence.