And, what that proves is that God does not necessarily force His will on those He "wills" not to perish.

No, it's talking about something else. When God appears to man, he never COMMANDS man to sin and then perish--that is not God's will that any would perish in that sense.

This story should illustrate the point:

1 Samuel 2:25--If one man sin against another, God shall judge him; but if a man sin against Yahweh, who shall entreat for him? Notwithstanding, they didn't listen to the voice of their father, because Yahweh was minded to kill them.

Eli conveyed the Lord's will for his sons to not sin, as is God's will . . . ON ONE LEVEL.

On the other hand, he hardens whom he wants to harden, and we can see that happening in this story--Yahweh was minded to kill them justly, and therefore hardened their sons to the warning from his father (from God, of course).

So God's will has two layers. On the one hand, he has never commanded someone to sin and bring death on himself, and that's why "it is God's will that none would perish." His command to the whole world is to repent and live, but on the other hand, some were essentially made by God not to listen to him, so that God would demonstrate his wrath on them such as the case with Eli's sons.

Hi all!

I would like to offer some input, if you would have it. I'm not that smart, and I definitely cannot take credit for the information I know.  I learned it from men smarter than me, and am only presenting it, is all. That's my little disclaimer, LOL.

As for the Romans 10 verse "Whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved"

Much emphasis is placed on the word "whoever" or other translations "whosoever".  However, the problem here is that there is no equivalent of the English word "whosoever/whoever" in the Greek language.  That means when John wrote John 3:16, or when Paul wrote Romans 10:13, they did not write "whosoever", because there is no such word in the Greek.

In the statement "Whosoever believes", in John 3:16 for example, those 2 words are not the translation of two Greek words, but instead, the translation of an entire Greek phrase (3 words, I believe). Using John 3:16 for example:  pas ho pisteown.   This literally reads "all the believing" or "all the believers" or "everyone who believes". In the Romans 10:13 case, it is "everyone who calls". (The ESV translates Rom 10:13 this way).  The point is, the old English word "whosoever" has connotations that the authors John and Paul did not intend to be in their verse. "whosoever" does not suddenly "erase" the concept of unconditional election or disprove predestination.  It simply means "everyone who.." does such-and-such. Are the statements "everyone who believes will be saved" and "everyone who calls upon the Name of the Lord will be saved" compatible with unconditional election/predestination? Yes, they are.  They do not serve to either prove or disprove anything.

That being said, when Paul writes "everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved", he is not saying anything that disproves unconditional election.  For both Calvinists and Arminians believe that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will find him to be a perfect Saviour.  There is nothing in Paul's statement in Rom 10:13 that says anything to the effect of who will call upon the name of the Lord, who has the capability to call upon His name, or why they call upon his name.  (Both John and Paul answer these questions in John 6, 8, 10, and Romans 1, 3, 8, for example - No one can come to me unless it is granted to him by the Father - Jesus speaking, John 6:44, 65.)

The only thing we can derive from Rom 10:13 and John 3:16, is that yes, every single caller and every single believer will in fact be saved.  This does not disprove the Calvinist doctrine of election, nor does it prove conditional Election (non-Calvinism)

Also, someone mentioned 2 Peter 3:9, but I would like to respectfully urge you to check the context.  

2Pe 3:9  The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.

What "promise" is the verse speaking of? The promise of salvation, or something else? If you would read the prior 8 verses, you'd find that the promise being spoken of is not salvation, but the Lord's 2nd coming.  So the verse is not a salvation verse at all, but a second coming verse!

Next, who is the "you" that God is "patient towards"?   Every single human being head for head, or the people to whom Peter is writing?  Again, if you read the first 8 verses of 2 Peter, and also find out who Peter addresses the letters of both 1st and 2nd Peter to, you would find that Peter is specifically writing to "Gods elect". (1 Pet 1:1-2).  In writing his second letter to them (2 Peter), he starts the letter by saying "I'm writing to those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours". So again, he is writing to believers.  Not only are they believers, but they "obtained their faith" (suggesting that faith itself is a gift).

Then, when we get to chapter 3, Peter starts the chapter by saying: "2Pe 3:1  This is now the second letter that I am writing to you, beloved..  The second letter? That means the same group that Peter wrote to in 1 Peter is also the people he is writing to in 2 Peter.  And again, 1 Peter 1:1-2 says "To God's elect..".  Therefore, 2nd Peter in total, including chapter 3, and including verse 9, are written to Gods' elect, just as 1 Peter was.

Further, if you look at the pronouns from 2 Peter 3:1-9, and follow the "you", you will notice something amazing.  Peter is striving to distinguish and make the difference between two groups or "types" of people: "you" (ie, God's elect"), and "them" (ie, the ungodly men whom God is planning to destroy) (2 Pet 3:7)

For a visual aid, see the chapter below with all of the pronouns color coded:

Here are the opening statements of Peter’s two letters.  Notice who he is specifically addressing his letters to:

 
1 Peter 1:1 Peter...to God's elect...
2 Peter 1:1 Peter...to those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours (ie, God’s elect, since God’s elect (chosen people) are the ones who obtain/receive the gift of faith)

And now, observe the opening line of 2 Peter Chapter 3:

(1) This is now the second letter that I am writing to you, beloved…

I will paste the entirety of 2nd Peter Chapter 3 here. You’ll notice that anytime Peter says “you”, he’s referring to the recipients of his letter. Anytime Peter says “them” or “they” he is referring to a totally different group of people.

Peter strives here to make a distinction between these two categories of people, saying different things about each of them.

It’s simply a matter of following the pronouns, which are colored accordingly.
 
2Pe 3:1-18
(1) This is now the second letter that I am writing to you, beloved. In both of them I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder,
(2) that you should remember the predictions of the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles,
(3) knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires.
(4) They will say, "Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation."
(5) For they deliberately overlook this fact, that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God,
(6) and that by means of these the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished.
(7) But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.
(8) But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
(9) The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.
(10) But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.
(11) Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness,
(12) waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn!
(13) But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.
(14) Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace.
(15) And count the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him,
(16) as he does in all his letters when he speaks in them of these matters. There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures.
(17) You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability.
(18) But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.

That being said, read verse 9 again:

(9) The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.

The Lord is patient towards YOU - God's elect - , not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance.  Hence, the "any" and "all" are colored blue, above.  Would anyone here suggest that they should be colored red?  If not red, and not blue, then what color? Some 3rd group that Peter is speaking of?

And since God is absolutely sovereign and in control of who is saved, every single one of God's elect will in fact not perish, but come to repentance, just as 2 Peter 3:9 says :)

As said above, 2 Peter 3:9 is a second coming verse. The passage asks the question, "Why has Christ not returned yet?" There are scoffers mocking us by pointing out that Christ has not returned.  And peter gives the answer.  God is patiently waiting, delaying His return, because "He is patient towards you (God's elect), not wanting any to perish, but all to repent.  Therefore, when every single one of God's sheep is found and saved, Christ will return. God is delaying the end so that all of His elect can repent and be saved! He's patiently waiting...We better get evangelizing!

Long story short folks, is context, context, context!  People who are opposed to unconditional election, etc, are found to be fond of dropping the "hand grenade" that is 2 Peter 3:9, for example. But very rarely (if ever), are they willing to stop and explain the context of the verse. I've never, ever, seen a non-Calvinist teacher or preacher stop and take the time to explain the context of 2 Peter 3:9 and how it supports what they are asserting.

*edits: typoes mostly*

1) It's not a 'problem'; unless the word is simply being used in terms of the challenge of understanding it.

2) Grace, not works, not human merit or cooperation, etc, but grace is basis of God's choice in blessing. It's both humbling and uplifting for the believer to know.