Reprobation – What is it? What is a reprobate?

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

The Bible teaches that God elects some for salvation and justly condemns others. Reprobation refers to those not chosen for salvation who will face eternal judgment. This does not mean that God condemns innocent people or forces anyone into sin. Instead, it describes God’s sovereign decision to pass over some sinners, allowing them to persist in rebellion and then judging them rightly for their unbelief (Romans 1:24-28, 2:5-8).

Election is spoken of in active terms—God choosing, predestining, and calling—while reprobation is usually portrayed in passive terms. For example, Romans 9 contrasts God’s active preparation of “vessels of mercy” with His patient endurance of “vessels of wrath.” The emphasis is not that God instills sin into people but that He withholds saving grace, leaving them to their chosen path until judgment comes.

Though difficult—French theologian John Calvin called it the decretum horribile (“horrible decree”); this teaching flows logically from Scripture’s teaching. It highlights that salvation is entirely by grace and that God would be just to condemn all (Romans 3:23, 6:23). The wonder, then, is not that some are condemned but that any are saved, displaying both God’s mercy and His justice.

FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT

• One of the earliest examples of reprobation is the flood. God chose to spare Noah and his family. The rest, whom He did not choose, were killed in the flood (Genesis 6–9). Notice that though they died because God did not choose to save them, it was their rebellion that earned the death sentence.
• In Pharaoh, we see both God’s sovereignty and human responsibility together. While we read that God hardened Pharaoh’s heart to display His power (Exodus 9:12, 16), we also read that Pharaoh hardened his own heart (i.e., Exodus 8:15). While Scripture does not explain precisely how God’s hardening worked alongside Pharaoh’s own choices, it shows that Pharaoh was guilty of rebellion even as God’s sovereign purpose was accomplished. God can ordain reprobation without being the author of sin and still condemn only the guilty.
• The prophets also highlight this reality. Malachi records God’s words, “Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated” (Malachi 1:2-3), a distinction later used by Paul to illustrate God’s freedom in mercy and justice. God, for His part, said that “the soul who sins shall die” (Ezekiel 18:4, 20), reinforcing that judgment is always tied to the individual’s guilt. Together, these texts reveal the Old Testament roots of reprobation: God sovereignly passes over some and then condemns them for their sin.

FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT

• Jesus Himself spoke in terms that reflect the distinction between active election and passive reprobation. He described two gates: the narrow gate that leads to life and the wide gate that leads to destruction (Matthew 7:13-14). When speaking to unbelieving Jews, He said, “You do not believe because you are not among my sheep” (John 10:26), indicating that disbelief shows the absence of God’s saving choice. Reprobation is not God forcing unbelief, but His sovereign withholding of the saving grace that is needed to be able to believe.
• Paul makes this doctrine most explicit in Romans 9. He affirms that God has mercy on whom He wills and hardens whom He wills (Romans 9:18). When describing “vessels of wrath prepared for destruction” (Romans 9:22), his wording is passive: God endures them in their rebellion until the day of judgment. The contrast is deliberate, highlighting God’s active preparation of “vessels of mercy” while showing His patience toward those who persist in sin.
• Other writers echo this same theme: Peter notes that some “stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do” (1 Peter 2:8), and Jude warns that “certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ” (Jude 4).
• In every case, reprobation is tied to guilt. Those who perish do so because they “refused to love the truth and so be saved” (2 Thessalonians 2:10-12). The New Testament, therefore, defines reprobation as God’s sovereign passing over of sinners when choosing some to save, patiently enduring their rebellion, and then justly condemning them for it.

IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY

The doctrine of reprobation is sobering, reminding us that God's sovereignty extends over both salvation and judgment. It’s essential to approach this truth with humility, recognizing that without God's grace, we too would be lost. God's mercy is the reason any of us are saved, and His justice is evident in His judgments.

This truth also encourages believers to share the gospel with urgency. Some might worry that the idea of reprobation diminishes the importance of missions, but actually, it emphasizes the need to proclaim God's word to everyone, trusting that He will draw His sheep to Himself (John 10:27). Reprobation reminds us of the serious consequences of rejecting the gospel and the urgency of responding with repentance and faith.

For those who feel troubled by this doctrine, remember that God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked (Ezekiel 33:11). His judgments are completely righteous, and He calls all people everywhere to turn back to Him (Acts 17:30). The “horrible decree” isn’t horrible because God is unjust but because sin is so widespread that, without grace, all would be lost. It’s a wonder, indeed, that any are saved at all. Allow that thought to cause you to praise and thank Him for your salvation!

UNDERSTAND

• Reprobation is God’s eternal decision to pass over some sinners, leaving them in their sin.
• Scripture shows that God actively elects some to salvation and passively reprobates others (God does not elect people to hell; that is called double predestination).
• The doctrine of reprobation emphasizes God’s sovereignty over salvation.

REFLECT

• How does the doctrine of reprobation help you to appreciate God’s sovereignty over your salvation?
• How does God’s grace in saving you impact your faith?
• How does the doctrine of reprobation affect how you share the gospel?

ENGAGE

• How can believers defend the doctrine of reprobation against the charge that it is supposedly unjust?
• What challenges does the church face in the modern culture when teaching the sinfulness of human beings?
• How can the doctrine of reprobation be explained to those who also believe in the doctrine of humankind’s free will?