"Worthy of salvation"... again, not criticizing ~~ that's just a thought which is so strange to a Calvinist.
Luke 20:35 But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage:
Luke 21:36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.
Acts 5:41 And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.
Acts 13:46 Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.
Eph. 4:1 I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called.
Col. 1:10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God.
2 Thess. 1:5 Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer.
2 Thess. 1:11 Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power.
Rev. 3:4 Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy.
Why would an expression used throughout the New Testament seem strange to a Calvinist? (Put down the Institutes and read the Bible--just kidding!)
Hank
OP, Job was definitely worthy of salvation, in God's eyes at least, and he is not the only one even in the OT. Jews, unlike Christians, do not believe man(kind) needs saving. Jews, (remember) believed that works make one righteous and that a decent human being was acceptable to God. Christianity, among other things, sees a slightly different, more complex, yet perfectly simple God.
One's salvation in Christianity is never earned. We will never be perfect, but we can keep trying. Theosis is a life defined by a firm belief that trying to be as much as possible in God's image will make us better human beings. It may not be enough for slavation, but where is the error?
I am well aware of the Calvinist view. Calvinists are not alone in their belief that God sees humans as little more than tools in His workshop, to use and discard as He wills. Muslims and Hassidic Jews share those views and deny free will. Forgive me, but how does such a belief protect against moral depravity, since all human actions can be attributed to God's will?
In the end it's always God's will that prevails -- whether He wills it or whether He wills not to will it. In other words: do Calvinists allow for God to allow something to happen without His intervention, because He wants to?