Predestination is TRUE

I am a little bit fuzzy on your purpose in proposing this debate. In actuality, I only took up your offer because you asked my opinion on the meaning of a certain biblical quote. As such, I really didn't see it as being a debate. The title of the debate would be hard to disprove, "Predestination is True" as there are elements of truth in most of the major religious concepts of the world. The Calvinistic concept of determinism (predestination) is widely held by many people. My problem with it is that it predisposes that man does not have free will. My concepts concerning free will are outlined in my debate: http://www.debate.org.... It seems that there are two views of predestination: conditional and unconditional. While you want to focus on just one biblical quote which seems to support the unconditional camp, there are other quotes which seem to support the conditional concept. I find it odd that you be allowed a quote to support your idea and yet deny me the same opportunity. The biblical quote that you want to narrow this discussion to, on the surface, seems to also support a unconditional form of predestination but is subject to the interpretation of the reader. On the surface it seems that God is saying: "I will forgive and accept whomever I choose too" which one might deduce that means that we have no choice in the matter. However God has given us a pretty good idea on who He is going to choose. He sent His Son, Jesus to save all of mankind. He sent His Son to fulfill the Scriptures (Old Testament) and establish the New Testament. Forgiveness only works if the forgiveness is accepted! And, one must choose to accept it. Suppose a man is drowning (spiritually dead), but a sailor (Jesus) throws him a life preserver (the message of love and kindness) attached to a rope (spiritual rebirth). The drowning man by himself was powerless to be saved (spiritually dead). The sailor (Jesus) was his savior. But the man still had to choose (exercise free will) to take hold and continue holding on until he was in the boat (eternal communion with the Father/heaven). So God is the source and provider of salvation through Jesus. Salvation is by God's grace. But He has decreed that each individual MUST CHOOSE FOR HIMSELF whether or not to accept the salvation offered. While God, being omnipotent, may already know what our choice will be, He does not influence that choice! 18 Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden. (Throughout the New Testament God says He will have mercy on those that follow Jesus.) 19 One of you will say to me: "Then why does God still blame us? For who resists his will?" (is tantamount to saying it doesn't matter what I do I am already saved or doomed .) 20 But who are you, O man, to talk back to God? (Amen!) "Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, 'Why did you make me like this?' " (so, how can you, God, punish me? It's your fault! You made me this way!) 21Does not the potters have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for noble purposes and some for common use? (Some will choose to follow Jesus, and some will not. While the outcome might already be known to God, it is not known to us. Man still must make the choice!) My rule of life is very simple. What is the spirit of the Bible? What is the soup? Jesus said to love the Father and to love your fellow man the same way as you want to be loved. This is the true test, despite anything else that seems to be supported by an individual bible quote or two that has been taken out of context(the ingredients). I prefer the soup more than the individual ingredients.