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Romans 8:29
29For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.
29For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.
God's purpose in history has always been to make a people for Himself, and this purpose was finally realized in Jesus as the 'second Adam', the new man. Those who are in Christ are called to imitate this newness that Jesus Himself authored in his own life and thereby visibly become His people. If we do not take up this call, however, it is only evidence that we have not known Him as He really is. For in calling us to Christ, equipping us with the Word, and enabling us by the Spirit, God has given us all that we need and more to grow up as children of light. It is God's determined and unchanging will that none of His children would perish (see 2 Pet. 3:9) -- His church, hidden in Christ and protected by the Great Shepherd, is to emerge victorious from the sufferings of life and the assaults of Satan. Paul writes all of this to remind the Romans of the great hope laid up for them; for the God who called them to belong to Christ is not only able but dedicated to bringing them to Himself spotless and pure as grown-up brothers and sisters of Jesus (see also Jn. 14:1-4). Amen, LORD, let it be!
Bookmarked 6 months ago.
Romans 8:31
31What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?
31What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?
What shall we say to God's love poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit whom He has given us? This is the love that, Paul tells us, was pledged to us before creation came to be (v.30; see also Eph. 2). This is the love that will see us through all sorts of trials and suffering and make us more like Jesus (vv.26-29). This is the love that brought Christ our Lord to the Cross with joy in offering up Himself to ransom our souls from sin, death, and hell (vv.1-4). Indeed the Cross is God's ultimate sign of His unfailing love, in that He would not let our deserved ruin, misery and destruction go on forever (1 Jn. 3:16). In Israel He chose a people to be *with*, and through Israel brought forth a Savior who is Immanuel, *God with us*. If God is for us in all of these things, who can be against us? We must accept His word of promise, understand His purpose revealed in His word, and we must pray for spiritual insight into this unfailing love of God so that we can understand in Spirit and Truth (Eph. 3:14-19). For we will produce greater and greater fruit for God the deeper our hearts and minds dig into this central Gospel truth -- for it is not something that can be moved beyond. Instead, we must continue to grow in this understanding until we see Him face to face and are caught up in His fullness.
Bookmarked 7 months ago.
Romans 8:30
30And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.
30And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.
In this statement we can see and be encouraged by God's view of the salvation that we now experience as a process of growing, groaning, and glory. The encouragement is that those whom God promised to Abraham (Gen. 12:1-3, 15:1-6)--that is, we who believe--were in sight long before Abram was even born. Those who would become children of the promise -- who would become coheirs with Christ -- were chosen by the Father before the creation was ever spoken into existence through the same eternal Christ. This is God's way of doing things. Those whom God predestined were first called into salvation by the word of the Gospel (just as God called Abram with a promise), justified in their believing (just as God counted Abram righteous for his), and soon glorified as they received God's grace through perseverance in faith, hope, and love. If we are those to whom the Word of God has come, who share in the Holy Spirit and walk in this same faith of Abraham, we have great hope! We are the sheep that the Father has given to Jesus, whom he will never lose (Jn. 10:22-30). No one can snatch the child of God out of the Father's hand, and it is not at all His will that any should perish.
Bookmarked 8 months ago.
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