Not Ashamed- Part 30- The Believer's Destiny

Introduction- Romans 8:29-30

Last week we saw how God is able to work all things together for good and we discussed the qualifiers which serve to bring about the fulfilment of this promise in the life of the believer.

Tonight we are going to discuss some theological words and their meaning and application to you and I as believers.

This passage can be easily misunderstood so we must be very careful in our analysis of it.

This portion of the epistle is dedicated to the discussion of the believer’s destiny.

In this passage you will learn what God has done, is doing, and will do in the life of every believer.

Let us now take the time to consider the terms used in these two verses beginning with...

Foreknowledge (Vs. 28a)

God is unique in that He exists outside of space and time. Though this may be hard for us to comprehend nevertheless it is true.

The word foreknow simply means to know beforehand.

Isaiah 46:9–10 KJV 1900

Remember the former things of old: For I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times the things that are not yet done, Saying, My counsel shall stand, And I will do all my pleasure:

God is omniscient meaning He knows all. This is not confined only to the present but the past and the future as well.

God is able to declare the end from the beginning as is written in Isaiah. This means He is already aware of what shall be.

In this particular usage there is a group of people which God knew beforehand. This refers to those who will turn to Him in faith.

The truth is God knows at this very moment not merely the number of all that will be saved but he knows each personally.

Some have taken the fact that God has foreknowledge of all who would be saved to mean that it is God who is the cause of their acceptance or rejection of Him yet this is never stated in the scriptures.

The fact that God knows who will be saved does not mean that He has pre-determined who will be saved and who will not.

It is an amazing thought to think that God knew us, all our mistakes, all of our failures, and all of our faults and yet He was willing to save us even still.

This leads us to the next word that is mentioned here...

Predestination (Vs. 28b)

Most people hear the word “predestination” and they immediately think of God making a predetermination as to who shall be saved and who shall be lost but this is not the way that the word is used in the scriptures.

God has predetermined the destiny of those who trust in Him.

Ultimately the destiny of all who believe is that they shall be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ God’s Son.

Notice here that this predestination is not to salvation but rather to sanctification that those who believe should be made like unto Christ.

It is God’s desire that we should become more and more like Christ in this life, but sadly some resist this tranformation process because of the influence of their flesh.

Yet in the end every one who believes shall ultimately be made like unto Christ when their redemption is finally complete.

1 John 3:2 KJV 1900

Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

The destiny that has been predetermined by God is that every believer will be made like unto Christ.

The next word we come to is...

The Calling (Vs. 30a)

This speaks of the fact that God has called those who believe to Himself.

It is God which initiated the action to bring about our redemption not we ourselves.

John 6:44 KJV 1900

No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.

It is He who has called us to Himself and those who are saved have simply responded to His call.

We must remember that this epistle was written to the believers at Rome so there is an assumption that they have responded positively to this call which is implied here.

We must not somehow believe that we have contributed anything to our salvation. Rather those who are saved have simply responded in faith to God’s call.

From this we move on to...

Justification (Vs. 30b)

God calls men to Himself and those who respond in faith to this call are then justified.

The refers to the fact that those who believe on Jesus are now declared righteous and are no longer condemned in their sins.

Acts 13:39 KJV 1900

And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.

Romans 5:1 KJV 1900

Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

Romans 5:9 KJV 1900

Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.

The only way that any man can be made right with God is through placing his faith in Jesus Christ.

When you respond to God’s call in faith turning to Him you are made righteous, your sins are forgiven, and you are no longer condemned.

This leads us to the final word in this passage...

Glorification (Vs. 30c)

Those who are now justified before God will also one day be glorified.

2 Corinthians 3:18 KJV 1900

But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

There is a transformation that is already taking place in the believer that will one day be consumated when he receives a glorified body that is like that of Jesus Christ.

One day every one who has believed will be made perfectly whole and will be free from sin and corruption.

1 Corinthians 15:50–54 KJV 1900

Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.

This describes the time when those who have believed will receive a glorified body and will have the joy of sharing in the glory of Jesus Christ for all eternity.

Romans 8:17 KJV 1900

And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

We have the assurance that one day we shall be glorified with Him.

Conclusion

The significance of this entire passage is that it is God who is at work in those who believe and that we can be sure that He will do what He has promised.

Philippians 1:6 KJV 1900

Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

We can be sure that God will finish the work that He has begun in us.

It is He that has called us, He that has saved us, He that has predestinated us to be conformed to the image of His son, He that has justified us, and it is He that will one day glorify us.

The work is entirely His and in this we can be confident that He will complete it.