Romans 8:28-39 (v30)

Three weeks we began to unpack glorious blessings and promises made from God, that should cause us to rejoice even though this present age of weakness, groanings, and sufferings continue on in our lives and the lives around us.

We saw in v28 that God is at work for our good (eternal good and final good) in all things and all circumstances!

Which is meant to lead us to rejoice in Christ.

We also saw (beginning last week) of the certainty of salvation in Christ.

We read "For those he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, so that he would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.” ()

And today in v30 is the continuation of that thought, Under the heading of:

God’s gracious dealings with His people.

That those whom God chooses for salvation, He calls, and the ones He calls, we will justify, and they will certainly make it to glory!

30 "And those he predestined, he also called; and those he called, he also justified; and those he justified, he also glorified.” ()

“And those he predestined, he also called; and those he called, he also justified”

The people of God will respond to His call in faith, and by faith they are justified.

And what happens to all the justified? They’re all glorified.

The glorifying of God’s people for the climax of these verses.

Entering into glory forms the climax of God’s divine purpose for your life.

This glory involves the ultimate and complete conformity to the image of Christ.

4 "When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.” ()

2 "Dear friends, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that when he appears, we will be like him because we will see him as he is.” ()

This, then, is the purpose of God’s gracious predestination—

the creation of a new race sharing and displaying the Creator’s glory.

What’s chap. 5:2 say? 2 "We have also obtained access through him by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.” ()

We rejoice in the hope of the glory of God! Taking theses successive stages from v29.

God’s foreknowing and predestining are all wrapped up into God’s definite and determinate plan that is fixed! It’s His decree!

Then we have the calling and justifying of us from sinners to children of God.

This takes place in our lives and becomes our experience.

But glory? This isn’t something that we’ve experienced yet.

This is something that lies in our future.

From our perspective:

As a matter of history, the people of God have not yet been glorified; so far as the divine decree is concerned,

however, from God’s perspective:

their glory has been determined from all eternity, hence—‘those whom he justified he also glorified.’

Why doesn’t he mention sanctification? Remember what’s on the forefront of Paul’s mind.

Glory is on His mind. Sanctification is progressive conformity to the mind and image of Christ here and now.

Glory is perfect conformity to the image of Christ there and then.

Sanctification is glory begun; glory is sanctification consummated.

Paul looks forward to the consummation of the work of grace—a consummation guaranteed by its inception:

6 "I am sure of this, that he who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” ()

So let’s see the DESCRIPTION of God’s gracious dealings with us.

In this verse the apostle describes succinctly the broad sweep of God’s gracious dealings with believers.

Then we see the DEVELOPMENT of God’s gracious dealings with us.

Each of these aspects of which are found scattered throughout his letters.

They were ‘predestined’ before the world began ‘for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ’ ().

Then they were ‘called’ by God according to his purpose (8:28)

through the preaching of the gospel ()

to belong to and be in fellowship with Jesus Christ (1:6; ) and

Bruce, F. F. (1985). Romans: an introduction and commentary (Vol. 6, p. 177). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.

to enter his kingdom and glory ().

Being predestined and called, they were justified through faith in Jesus Christ (5:1; ) and

by the blood of Christ (5:9).

Finally, those whom God predestined, called, and justified, Paul says, he also glorified’.

That’s the DESCRIPTION of God’s gracious dealings with us.

Then we see the DESIGN of God’s gracious dealings with us.

Taking Scripture together as one book.

How is this description, designed by God to be profitable to us?

How is this information useful to the church body? Well, it teaches us first of all that...

[1.] Salvation is all of grace.

How about when we see this glorious chain of redemption in v30? All we see is God’s grace.

We see no mention of human effort.

These things are acted upon our souls with no mention of human merit.

From the first step to the last, salvation is all of grace!

It’s just like we read in 11 "For though her sons had not been born yet or done anything good or bad, so that God’s purpose according to election might stand—” ()

In Jacob and Esau’s case (and ours) the purpose of God was stated before they were born

The Pillar New Testament Commentary: Paul’s Letter to the Romans d. God Works All Things Together for Good for Those Who Love Him, 8:28–30

His primary purpose was to provide comfort and encouragement for vulnerable believers caught in the overlap of the ages and exposed to suffering and persecution (cf. 8:18, 31–39). They are to know that the Holy Spirit comes to their assistance by his intercession on their behalf, and that God works with the Spirit to make all things work for their ultimate good. They are to know also that, as those whom God foreknew and predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, having been called and justified, they will also certainly be glorified.

(and therefore was not dependent on their actions).

Election is not based on foreseen actions, deeds, or faith.

Rather, it is based on God’s sovereign predestinating grace.

[2.] Salvation is all free.

I mentioned, it’s not dependent upon any works or merit in us or faith in us.

Certainly, we’re chosen TO faith and TO holiness but not because of it.

13 "But we ought to thank God always for you, brothers and sisters loved by the Lord, because from the beginning God has chosen you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and through belief in the truth.” ()

4 "For he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in love before him.” ()

But we’re not chosen because we believed and were made holy or because God did foresee it.

But chosen that we would be holy, chosen that we would believe.

Faith and holiness are only the fruits or the effects of God’s saving grace in us.

[3.] There’s also a warning in here.

Some have seen the doctrine of the certainty of salvation and have given up their responsibility to evangelize.

They say: God’s sovereign and all powerful and He will save perfectly all the predestined ones!

We cannot forget that the same God who ordained the end, also ordained the means.

No one will be in glory that’s not been born again here on earth.

No one is born again without knowing Christ. Who He is and what He did on the cross!

Everyone will have a heart transplant, the heart of stone removed and a soft moldible heart planted inside.

All must repent of their sins and believe the gospel!

So we’ll never lay down the task of evangelism. Because nobody gets saved with out a saving understanding of the gospel.

[4.] We also are helped to see the greatness of our obligation to God.

Once we see the the eternal love of God descend down upon our lives, choosing us out of the others living in the misery of our sin.

That He’d pass by thousands (10’s of thousands) who were better outwardly than us and justify us freely by His grace.

Forgiving us of so many offences, giving us the gift of His sanctifying Spirit!

This is how He regenerated us and fitted us for glory!

Never forget this beloved, and let the believer contemplates the love of God poured out upon His daily failure!

It’s there you find the rise and fountain of all the benefits granted to us in the gospel!

This is the love that was theirs before any planet had been formed.

That that love would be born along so long of time for the likes of us!

Who are we, that God’s thoughts may be taken up with the likes of us for so long?

The feast of the Lamb of God has been a long time in preparation.

[5.] Think of how blessed you are as a follower of Jesus.

Being predestinated, called, justified, and glorified.

These are all special grounds of comfort and patience under the crosses of this life God calls you to carry!

Whatever befalls a true believer we are the

objects of God’s grace.

The instruments of His glory in this world; and

The instruments of His glory in this world; and ultimately to be conformed to the image of His Son!

ultimately to be conformed to the image of His Son!

Who but those who belong to Christ

have been delivered out of the corrupt and miserable state of mankind and

have been brought to faith in Christ.

Who else besides those who belong to Christ who

have been justified before God?

Freed from the curse of the Law,

pardoned from all the guilt and eternal punishment for our sins.

Who else has a eternal life in them that shall never be quenched!

[6.]

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Let me close with three ways in: How does God’s gracious dealings with you effect you today?

[1.] Love to God. God’s gracious dealings with you should cause you to love God more!

Scripture teaches that from everlasting to everlasting He is God!

And from everlasting to everlasting, His faithful love and mercy is towards those who fear Him.

17 "But from eternity to eternity the Lord’s faithful love is toward those who fear him, and his righteousness toward the grandchildren” ()

We see the love of God in His purpose for our lives which started before the world began.

We see the love of God in His performances, which leads us to the place after this world comes to an end.

Hence in the person of God, we have the two eternities meeting.

We see eternal glory arising from purposes of eternal grace, given in Christ!

So that whether the believer looks forward or backward, you see the everlasting love of God for you dear believer!

So then we have God as our first and last in this little life of ours!

When you let His everlasting purpose in grace and that becomes your meditation, you begin to admire God.

[2.] Holiness. God’s gracious dealings with you should cause you to hate your sin more and desire more Christ-likeness.

Christ-likeness is a special fruit that stems out of His predestinating you to eternal life.

"For he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in love before him.” ()

Or 9 "He has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began.” ()

This calling is from misery to happiness. From sin to holiness.

Justification and sanctification are inseparable companions.

No one shall enjoy everlasting glory after this life, but only such as are holy here.

This renewed life, sanctified life is by the Spirit, is part of the glory!

[3.] A third response to God’s gracious dealings with us is: Endurance under afflictions.

The Holy Scriptures point us in an altogether different direction than that which we’re used to.

It points us to view our afflictions as being appointed by God, which then becomes our privilege!

3 "so that no one will be shaken by these afflictions. For you yourselves know that we are appointed to this.” ()

We are to look upon all that happens in this life, as the One who appointed me to wear a crown in glory,

has first appointed me to carry the cross of Christ in this life.

This is our calling. It’s a holy calling yes, but it’s also a calling to affliction:

21 "For you were called to this, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.” ()

We are called to fellowship with Christ in the midst of our sufferings! He is with us!

Do you want to know the terms that we consented to when we said “I DO”?

38 "And whoever doesn’t take up his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 "Anyone who finds his life will lose it, and anyone who loses his life because of me will find it.” ()

Sufferings here point us to our final blessedness:

12 "Dear friends, don’t be surprised when the fiery ordeal comes among you to test you as if something unusual were happening to you. 13 "Instead, rejoice as you share in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may also rejoice with great joy when his glory is revealed.” ()

Christ’s life of sufferings is meant to cause you to rejoice when He comes again!

_______________________________

While vv28-30 have implications for our understanding of the doctrine of predestination,

we must remember that that’s not his main point!

His primary purpose was to provide comfort and encouragement for vulnerable believers

caught in the overlap of the ages and exposed to suffering and persecution (cf. 8:18, 31–39).

You are to know that the Holy Spirit comes to your assistance by His intercession on your behalf, and

that God works with the Spirit to make all things work for your ultimate good.

You are to know also that, as those whom God foreknew and predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son,

having been called and justified, you will also certainly be glorified as part of God’s gracious dealings with you.

Bruce, F. F. (1985). Romans: an introduction and commentary (Vol. 6, p. 177). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.