Romans Chapter 8 Vs. 29

 

Future Glory

For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Rom 8:29

he did foreknow... Greek: proginosko, to know beforehand. Knew before (2Pet. 3:17); foreknew (Rom. 8:29; 11:2); foreordain (1Pet. 1:20; Rom. 11:1); and know (Acts 26:5). See prognosis, foreknowledge (Acts 2:23; 1Pet. 1:2). Foreknow is God’s determination from eternity to bring certain ones into a special relationship with Himself. This is not simple advance knowledge. This knowledge should also not be understood in the sense of “being acquainted with,” but in the sense of “bringing into a special relation with”. Foreknowledge is God’s determination from eternity to bring certain ones into a special relationship with Himself.

also did predestinate... Greek: proorizo, foreordain. Determine before (Acts 4:28); ordain (1Cor. 2:7); and predestinate (Rom. 8:29-30; Eph. 1:5, 1:11). It is God’s plan that He has foreknown and predestined, not the individual conformity of free wills to the plan. He has called all people and all are free to accept or reject the call (John 3:16; 1Tim. 2:4; 2Pet. 3:9; Rev. 22:17). All who do accept, He has foreknown and predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son that His Son might be the firstborn among many brethren (Rom. 8:29). Predestinate literally means “to mark off or choose before.” God chooses those He knows will participate in His plan of salvation and extends it to all who respond in faith. The doctrine of predestination in Scripture relates to the foreknowledge of God.

Eph. 1:5: “Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will”.

Predestination is especially noticeable in the conversion of the apostle Paul. Since he was a blasphemer and persecutor of the church, some Christians had a difficult time believing Paul could be saved even after he so testified. Still, knowing what was ahead and how Paul would respond, God chose him as Apostle to the Gentiles.

When we understand that God has chosen and predestined us, we should also realize we have been ordained to good works, to bear fruit and to become like Jesus.

Those who reject the plan, He has foreknown and predestined to be consigned to eternal hell as an everlasting monument of His wrath on rebels (Isa. 66:22-24; Rev. 14:9-11; Mat. 25:41, 25:46). This is the sum of foreknowledge and predestination.

to be conformed... Greek: summorphos. Only here and in Phlp. 3:21 where the resurrected body will be made like His glorious body. This is what God has foreknown and predestined for all who conform to the gospel.

be the firstborn... Greek: prototokos, (see, Luke 8:19; see, Col. 1:15).

We see from this scripture, that this predestination did not overrule our will. What this is really saying, is that God knew from even before you were born, how you would choose. God has foreknowledge of all happenings, not only in my life and yours, but he knows everything from the beginning of time to the end of time.

This is because of His foreknowledge. It is predestined, because He foreknew your decision. Jesus’ crucifixion was planned from the foundation of the earth. Jesus is the Son of God. Jesus paid for you and me to be adopted into the family with His precious blood at Calvary. We are part of the family of God, because our elder brother (God’s only begotten Son), purchased our right to be called God’s sons.

These verses give Paul’s explanation of what it means to be one who has “been called according to His purpose” and why God keeps on working all their experiences together to their benefit (Rom. 8:28). Believers are those God foreknew. This does not mean simply that God foreknows what believers will do, but that God foreknows them. Nor does divine foreknowledge merely mean an awareness of or acquaintance with an individual. Instead it means a meaningful relationship with a person based on God’s choice (cf. Jer. 1:4-5; Amos 3:2) in eternity before Creation. “He chose us in Him before the Creation of the world” (Eph. 1:4).

This eternal choice and foreknowledge involves more than establishing a relationship between God and believers. It also involves the goal or end of that relationship: Those God foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of His Son (cf. 1Jhn. 3:2).