God's Plan "From Eternity to Eternity"
Thinking about Romans 8:29-30.
For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified. (Romans 8:29-30)
Christians can take comfort in knowing that God works all things together for good.
Romans 8:29-30 is an explanation of God working all things together for good. Paul refers to God’s eternal plan as evidence of God working all things together for the good of His people.
As a side note, I know there are many debates and discussions on the subject of “Predestination.” Lord willing, we’ll consider that specifically in tomorrow’s article. But first, I want us to understand the big picture of Romans 8:29-30.
Follow the plan of God.
Foreknew » Predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son.
To “foreknow” something means to “know beforehand.” It can also mean to “choose beforehand,” as it refers to Jesus in 1 Peter 1:20.
Predestined “indicates that God decided on a course of action beforehand. This sense is found several times in Paul’s writings (Romans 8:30; 1 Corinthians 2:7; Ephesians 1:5, 11; see Acts 4:28)” (Pollard, Truth for Today Commentary, 297).
What God knew “ahead of time” caused Him to decide on a course of action “ahead of time.”
But what did He know and decide “ahead of time?”
God had ordained from eternity that He would enter into spiritual union and fellowship with people who “looked like” His Son Jesus Christ. - McGuiggan, Romans, 253
Predestined » Called.
But how will God enter into fellowship and spiritual union with people who “look like” His Son Jesus Christ, when Jesus was sinless (1 Peter 2:22-23), and we are sinful (Romans 3:9-10, 23)?
He calls us by the gospel (or good news) of what His Son Jesus Christ has done for us (Romans 1:16-17).
…that you would walk worthy of God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory. For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe. (1 Thessalonians 2:12-13)
So He calls us by the gospel - by His word. But how does this call make sinners - the guilty ones - acceptable before the Righteous Judge of all the earth?
Called » Justified.
The earth-shaking, life-changing good news is that the Sinless One has died in the place of the sinful ones so that the sinful ones - you and me - might become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21).
Paul wrote several chapters earlier than when we were buried with Christ in baptism, we were raised up to live a new life of freedom from sin (Romans 6:3-7), able to serve righteousness now (Romans 6:17-18) because we are now in Jesus Christ.
Paul reminded the Christians in Rome that they had been justified by the blood of Jesus - by His death in our place (Romans 5:6-8). To be justified means you have “been acquitted of the charges brought against” you (Pollard, Truth for Today, 300).
Justified » Glorified.
Those who had the charges against them dropped because the blood of Jesus had forgiven them were glorified.
One might expect Paul to have used the future tense and say that those who had been justified would be glorified in the future. Instead, he used the aorist tense, signifying a past event. This means that the future glorification has already happened - and it has in the sense that the future benefits are “already” being experienced to some degree in the present, although waiting for the fullness of future blessings. - Pollard, Truth for Today Commentary, 300
While Christians certainly await the fullness of their future glory in Christ (Romans 8:18-23), we share in the glory of Jesus now.
But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. (2 Corinthians 3:18)
What is Paul’s point in Romans 8:29-30?
He’s reminding them that although they are suffering at this present time (Romans 8:18), God has a plan, and He works all things together for our good (Romans 8:28) - even our suffering in this life.
It’s a reminder that God is “ever present” and will be with us in our “momentary suffering and distress” (Pollard, Truth for Today, 300).
His plan reminds His people of His great love for them - which is where Paul will go in the final section of Romans 8.
Question:
Did Satan have more power before the crucifixion of Christ than now? Maybe I should ask this way: fid God allow Satan to operate differently before the crucifixion than after? Did Satan have a different mode of operation yhen than now? I've been puzzled by demon possession then and not now as we read about in scripture. I feel that God allowed him to operate differently then than now even though both are spiritually lethal. Just curious.