“The central thought of Calvinism is, therefore, the great thought of God. Someone has remarked: “Just as the Methodist places in the foreground the idea of the salvation of sinners, the Baptist—the mystery of regeneration, the Lutheran — justification by faith, the Moravian — the wounds of Christ, the Greek Catholic — the mysticism of the Holy Spirit, and the Romanist — the catholicity of the church, so the Calvinist is always placing in the foreground the thought of God. The Calvinist does not start out with some interest of man; for example, his conversion or his justification, but has as his informing thought always: How will God come to His rights! He seeks to realize as his ruling concept in life the truth of Scripture: “Of Him , and through Him, and to Him are all things. To whom be glory forever.”
Scriptures supports this emphasis on the focus on God and the focus on the sovereignty and pleasure of God as the appropriate emphasis. My devotion today provides one example in Luke 10:21-22:
“At that very time He (Jesus) rejoiced greatly in the Holy Spirit, and said, “I praise You, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants. Yes, Father, for this way was well-pleasing in Your sight.
“All things have been handed over to Me by My Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.”
To the Arminian who believes that God loves everybody and wants everybody to be saved, it makes no sense that God would hide the things of salvation from the wise and intelligent. But, to the Calvinist who believes that God only loves His elect and only wants His elect to be saved, it makes sense.
To the Arminian, the salvation of the sinner is the chief concern. To the Calvinist, the sovereignty of God and the pleasure of God is the chief concern.
Notice how the Son reveals the Father to only those whom He wills to reveal Him. The focus is the will of God, not the will of man.
Romans 9: 13-16 support this Calvinist teaching of the sovereignty of God and the pleasure of God in determining whom will be saved:
“Just as it is written, “JACOB I LOVED, BUT ESAU I HATED.” What shall we say then? There is no injustice with God, is there? May it never be! For He says to Moses, “I WILL HAVE MERCY ON WHOM I HAVE MERCY, AND I WILL HAVE COMPASSION ON WHOM I HAVE COMPASSION.” So then it does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy.”
Paul recognizes that such election may appear unjust, but He is the sovereign God with the right to make such decisions as stated in Romans 9:20-21:
“On the contrary, who are you, O man, who answers back to God? The thing molded will not say to the molder, “Why did you make me like this,” will it? Or does not the potter have a right over the clay, to make from the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for common use?”
None of us deserves God’s grace. God is not unjust, because He elects some, rather than all, to salvation. Moreover, God is interested in demonstrating more than just His mercy. God wants to demonstrate His justice as well. If God would save everybody, He would not demonstrate His justice. We need to focus on God and understand and know what God wants. God delights in both lovingkindness and justice as stated in Jeremiah 9: 23-24:
“Thus says the LORD, “Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things,” declares the LORD.”
In conclusion, because Scripture focuses on God, Reformed doctrine a/k/a Calvinism also focuses on God. Because Scripture focuses on the sovereignty of God and the pleasure of God, Reformed doctrine a/k/a Calvinism also focuses on the sovereignty of God and the pleasure of God.
Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions 