God foreknew who would be saved, who would respond to His offer of forgiveness so He chose to save those folks instead of letting them go to hell.
But Paul makes it clear in Romans that no one s without excuse.
How God deals with those who desire Him who were never presented the gospel is not revealed to us, but He is just and we have to trust that He will do righteously.
However, the problem I see with the election folks, is a lack of evangelism or apparent concern for the lost. I have worked for and with Calvinists and as a whole, they are the most aloof, unapproachable people as people as you have ever met. They didn’t share Christ with others, and had a rather callous disregard for their fate.
I know there are some exceptions, but in my experience, they are very few and far between.
From the beginning, man has been finding ways to pervert the good things of God. Do our failings make those things any less good or any less true?
Perhaps you, like me, believe in the doctrine of election but, you don't like what some believers do with it.
metmom, really, again? As a whole?
Do you know who started Evangelism Explosion? Why, none other that the "aloof, unapproachable" Dr. D. James Kennedy (a Calvinist). And what about the teachings of Dr. R. C. Sproul and Ligonier Ministries?
Your ping list includes many of these "aloof, unapproachable people," yet you continue to misrepresent us on this site. I'm sorry you have had bad experience in your personal life with those who claim to be Calvinists, but frankly, this is one bias of yours that I take as a personal offense.
Finally, your bad interactions with these people should not discredit their theology any more than bad behaving Christians discredit the teaching of Christ.
“However, the problem I see with the election folks, is a lack of evangelism or apparent concern for the lost.”
Excuse me?