Doctrinal Discussion // Romans 8:29-30

Introduction

Romans 8:28–29 ESV

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.

I know your class struggled with the term “foreknew and predestined.”

People have struggled with Romans 8 and Romans 9 really since the Church Fathers - several generations of pastors/elders after the apostles.

I want to frame our time together, because this is one of those topics that people get incensed. We need to talk about theological triage. The reason that your Sunday school curriculum probably skipped it is because the tipic has become very incensed in recent years.

Albert Mohler is the president of Southern Seminary in Louisville, Ky. Mohler wrote a piece, maybe 15 years ago, for the need for theological triage.

There was so much fighting that was happening in the SBC over doctrines that really don’t matter.

We have to discern the weight of the doctrines that we hold.

Three tiers. First tier. Second tier. Third tier.

First tier doctrines are doctrines that make you a Christian or not a Christian.

Second tier doctrines are doctrines that Christians can disagree about, but they should probably go to different churches.

Third tier doctrines are doctrines that we can disagree about and still be in the same Sunday school class.

Example:

The deity of Christ - You don’e believe that Christ was God, then the implications of that mean that you aren’t a believer.

Baptism - Conservative Presbyterian denominations believe that baptism is the NT version of circumcision, so they baptized, not to show what God has done, but to anticipate what God will do. While they believe that Jesus is the Messiah, and we are only saved through him, our view of baptism and their view of baptism are vastly different. So, while we love Jesus, we should probably go to different churches.

End Times - Whether your premil, postmil, amil, pretrib, posttrip, etc. We can have different views about Jesus’ return. The fact that He is returning is first tier. How and when is third. Make sense?

Ask for questions.

What we are about to discuss - the nature of predestination - is a third tier situation. So, it is a conversation for discussion, but it isn’t one that should make anyone mad.

Explanation

Romans 8:28 “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”

This entire passage is supposed to be a passage of God’s good intentions towards his people.

We aren’t talking about a hateful God but rather a loving God.

Romans 8:29 “For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.”

Foreknowledge // God was acquainted with who we were before we knew Him.

Some would say that foreknew means that God foreknew who he would save from the beginning of time.

Some would say that foreknew simply means that God would know who would give their lives to Him and be saved.

Predestined // Predestined is a little stronger. Predestined means that one has predetermined a plan for you.

Romans 8:30 “And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.”

Those God predestined, he also called, justified, and glorified.

So, in essence, the question is - did God determine those who would be saved from before the beginning of time?

In Romans 9, Paul continues this vein of thought. He asks whether or not

Questions