Predestination and Salvation (Romans 8) | Does God choose who gets saved?

Reading for more information on:
People are free to believe in Jesus' salvation (Arminianism) https://amzn.to/4061fB7
God chooses who gets saved (Calvinism) https://amzn.to/3Jpz0Y7
A comparison of the two theologies https://amzn.to/40dgxUt
Romans Commentary by Reese https://amzn.to/3kZRl3D

Dumb Christian Podcast season 2, episode 7. In Romans chapter 8 Paul introduces this idea of 'predestination' (he gets more into it later in the epistle). This is an incredibly divisive concept when it comes to what it means for a person's belief system. Churches split over this word but what did it mean to the original Roman readers who came from a wide variety of ethnic and religious backgrounds? Paul encourages his readers that God is working to restore all things and that the way through which he will redeem people AND the rest of creation was determined before it all began. Through faith in Jesus Christ.