"Yeah I hear you but I also can't see why the God I worship would destine someone to hell at creation. It doesn't fit His pattern."
Nonsense. None of us deserves anything. We all belong in Hell to begin with and it fits in nicely with God's righteousness and holiness.
If you follow your statement to the logical conclusion why would God have a Hell at all?
God is more then a God of love. If you don't think so please explain the plagues and wars He will set loose on the earth at the end times?
God is also a God of Justice.
At the end of it all ... if you still have sins to pay for ... you will pay for them.
I think that Cindy's struggling with the idea of a God Who builds an ark to save some from destruction ... but Who, then, picks and chooses among those who present themselves to be saved, ... allowing some onto the ark, ... and others not.
I think that we all believe that the ark of salvation is available to ... "Whoseoever will ... .
These are those which Calvinists refer to as the 'elect'.
Those that are bound for destruction will not come to God to be saved.Romans 10:13 For whoseover shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
If you "present yourself to be saved" than you are one of the Elect chosen by God before the foundation of the world.
His purpose and grace was established in us before the world began. His Omniscience, Omnipotence, and the act of Creation argue for nothing less.
He tells us that whosoever comes to Him He will "in no wise cast out." I believe that with all my heart. All those who do come are of the Elect and they come because they have been sought out by God and were lovingly drawn by Him (Lk 15:3-6; Jn 6:44). No one who comes to Christ comes by a different way.
Those who do not come to Christ are not of the Elect. They have been left by God to collect the wages they have rightly earned. Don't mistake me, the Elect had also earned the same wages but God in His Grace saved us from what was rightfully our due.