Our Predestination

Text - Romans 8.28-30

Romans 8:28–30 NASB 2020

28 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. 29 For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters; 30 and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.

Title - Our Predestined End

Intro

This is not a teaching on the theological subject of “predestination”

we have previous sermon on the subject

Rather, I want to address a few issues regarding the destiny of the believers, those who were predestined in Christ, which is - to be conformed to the image of the Son of God

what does it really mean?

how does God make it happen?

I. Conformed vs. Conformed

“Do not be conformed...” Paul said in Romans 12.2

Romans 12:2 NASB 2020

2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

conformed - Grk. syschematizo, to become molded to a certain pattern; assimilate

“Conformed to the image of His Son”, in Romans 8.29 is different

conformed - Grk. symmorphos, like-natured; like-shaped

Syschematizo is used when referring to the worldly things

1 Peter 1:14 NASB 2020

As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance,

symmorphos is used of being transformed by the working of the Holy Spirit

II. Like God vs. Like Jesus

“You are gods” statement - is this true? to what extent?

John 10:30–36 NASB 2020

30 I and the Father are one.” 31 The Jews picked up stones again to stone Him. 32 Jesus replied to them, “I showed you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you stoning Me?” 33 The Jews answered Him, “We are not stoning You for a good work, but for blasphemy; and because You, being a man, make Yourself out to be God.” 34 Jesus answered them, “Has it not been written in your Law: ‘I said, you are gods’? 35 If he called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture cannot be nullified), 36 are you saying of Him whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’?

to the Jews, Jesus’ statement makes Him God, or equal with God

Note - John 5.18

John 5:18 NASB 2020

18 For this reason therefore the Jews were seeking all the more to kill Him, because He not only was breaking the Sabbath, but also was calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God.

Son of God, equal with God

It is a not a truth statement

when Jesus quoted “you are gods” - he was not making a truth statement

Psalm 82 NASB 2020

A Psalm of Asaph. 1 God takes His position in His assembly; He judges in the midst of the gods. 2 How long will you judge unjustly And show partiality to the wicked? Selah 3 Vindicate the weak and fatherless; Do justice to the afflicted and destitute. 4 Rescue the weak and needy; Save them from the hand of the wicked. 5 They do not know nor do they understand; They walk around in darkness; All the foundations of the earth are shaken. 6 I said, “You are gods, And all of you are sons of the Most High. 7 “Nevertheless you will die like men, And fall like one of the princes.” 8 Arise, God, judge the earth! For You possess all the nations.

it was not God who made the statement

these “were” not really “good gods”, but corrupt judges

they were called gods because they were the powerful ones on the earth

It is a demonic claim

It was Satan who was first to make a claim

Isaiah 14:12–15 NASB 2020

12 “How you have fallen from heaven, You star of the morning, son of the dawn! You have been cut down to the earth, You who defeated the nations! 13 “But you said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God, And I will sit on the mount of assembly In the recesses of the north. 14 ‘I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’ 15 “Nevertheless you will be brought down to Sheol, To the recesses of the pit.

the Antichrist will claim it!

2 Thessalonians 2:3–4 NASB 2020

3 No one is to deceive you in any way! For it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, 4 who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God.

It was the cause of man’s Fall

Genesis 3:4–6 NASB 2020

4 The serpent said to the woman, “You certainly will not die! 5 For God knows that on the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will become like God, knowing good and evil.” 6 When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took some of its fruit and ate; and she also gave some to her husband with her, and he ate.

Genesis 3:22–23 NASB 2020

22 Then the Lord God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of Us, knowing good and evil; and now, he might reach out with his hand, and take fruit also from the tree of life, and eat, and live forever”— 23 therefore the Lord God sent him out of the Garden of Eden, to cultivate the ground from which he was taken.

desiring to become “like God” does not go well for man

God’s intention was for us to become “like Jesus”, NOT “like God”

Why not “like God”

because there will only be one God!

the “essence/substance” of being cannot be duplicated

Jesus is not a duplicate God, or a second God. He is God revealed in flesh!

Hebrews 1:3 NASB 2020

3 And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,

exact representation - the visible appearance of the invisible

nature - Grk. hypostasis - substance/ essential nature

Why like Jesus?

because it was the “sonship” that God wanted to be reproduced -

male and female bearing His “image and likeness”

“be fruitful and multiply” - to Adam; Noah;

“go into all the world andpreach the gospel…” - to Jesus and the disciples

Jesus was to be the “first among many!”

Romans 8:29 NASB 2020

For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters;

because in Christ, it is not the “essence” of God that will multiply, but His “attributes”

Ephesians 4:23–24 NASB 2020

23 and that you are to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.

Ephesians 4:24 NIV

24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

new self - Christ’s life

in true righteousness and holiness

2 Peter 1:1–4 NASB 2020

1 Simon Peter, a bond-servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have received a faith of the same kind as ours, by the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ: 2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, 3 for His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. 4 Through these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world on account of lust.

III. Fate vs. Predestination

Fate - tadhana; kapalaran;

a mysterious power that some believe to control and determine everthing that happens in such a way that it is impossible to precent or change things.

the belief that all things are predetermined, by some superpower, removing human freedom and responsibility .

destiny or end, esp one that is inevitable

Comparison

Fate is said to happen regardless of one’s action

Predestiny is worked by God in us

Romans 8:30 NASB 2020

30 and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.

God insures that His predestined end for us will be fulfilled!

note - on the opposite side, destruction of the sinners

human choice by ignoring the gospel

appointed by God after man’s disregard of the opportunity to be saved

Conclusion

Let’s NOT desire be like God

Let God be God alone!

Let all worship go to Him alone!

Let us desire tobe like Jesus!

How?

1 John 3:1–3 NASB 2020

1 See how great a love the Father has given us, that we would be called children of God; and in fact we are. For this reason the world does not know us: because it did not know Him. 2 Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is. 3 And everyone who has this hope set on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.

purification

2 Peter 1:5–11 NASB 2020

5 Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, 6 and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, 7 and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. 8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they do not make you useless nor unproductive in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For the one who lacks these qualities is blind or short-sighted, having forgotten his purification from his former sins. 10 Therefore, brothers and sisters, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choice of you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble; 11 for in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you.

To be like Jesus is our predestined end!

SONG - To be Like Jesus