"The Plan of God" (Part 2)

A big change is coming!

How many of you like change?

This is part of the big picture.

Does all the small stuff fit into something bigger? How?

Does all the bad stuff fit into something good? How?

Is there a bigger picture here? Yes!…

God’s Plan - What He has decided to do, and is doing, and will perfectly accomplish.

Verse 28 - the called of God will received the good of God.

Here, Paul expands on that.

What did God do?

ANSWER: He predestined those He foreknew.

“foreknew” - (at least 6 lexicons) to know beforehand (people), or to choose beforehand (God) - WHICH?

USE:

“foreknow” (4 other times in NT - Romans 11:2; Acts 26:5; 1 Peter 1:20; 2 Peter 3:17), “foreknowledge” (2 times in the NT - Acts 2:23; 1 Peter 1:2) For example...

Used in relation to Christ (1 Peter 1:20).

1 Peter 1:20 ESV

He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you

Used of the crucifixion of Christ (Acts 2:23).

Acts 2:23 ESV

this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men.

Used for the chosen nation of Israel (Romans 11:2).

Romans 11:2 ESV

God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he appeals to God against Israel?

Used of believers (1 Peter 1:1-2).

1 Peter 1:1–2 ESV

Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood: May grace and peace be multiplied to you.

In each of these uses, God is not just knowing something in advance, but choosing something in advance.

God’s foreknowledge is not just knowing in advance but choosing in advance. God’s advanced knowledge is assumed (omniscience), so to say that He foreknew something is to say much more. In each of these uses, He ordained or chose something in advance. (Romans 8:29)

Romans 8:29 ESV

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.

CONTEXT:

God did not foreknow everyone here in this text, so this must be more than just knowing beforehand. It must be choosing beforehand. And it is a choosing for everything else here.

It does not say (here or anywhere in scripture) that He foreknew something specific about them or, in other words, that He chose them because of something He saw in advance.

For example, that they would choose Him or believe/have faith in Him

That is adding to scripture.

That leads to merit based salvation. Any merit eliminates grace.

It is relational - “to befriend… ahead of time… ; implying an exclusivity of choice…” (Lexham Research Lexicon)

Notice verse 33 - the elect (chosen) are those who are justified like the foreknown in verses 29-30. Highlighting again what the choosing is for - justification

“Foreknew” means, chose in advance. Why not just use the word “chose”? Because it is one word that means choose beforehand

So, those He foreknew (chose in advance), He also predestined (same as Ephesians 1:4–5).

Ephesians 1:4–5 ESV

even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will,

“predestined” - determine beforehand, decide in advance

“foreknow” (choose) is the WHO, “predestined” (pre-determine) is the WHAT (Acts 4:28 “to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place.” Ephesians 1:5 “he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will,” Ephesians 1:11 “In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will,”).

“conformed” - to become similar in form

“image” - likeness, appearance

Believers will be like Christ, in contrast to what they are like now in the sufferings, groanings, and weakness of the present time (vv. 18-27).

This will be the “redemption of our bodies” (v. 23), the resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:49 “Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven.” 1 Corinthians 15:53 “For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality.” Philippians 3:21 “who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.” 1 John 3:2 “Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.”).

This is what Paul was longing for (Romans 7:24–25).

This is the “good” (v. 28).

Why did God do it?

ANSWER: that he might be the firstborn among many brothers

“firstborn” - the true/rightful heir - but believers are IN CHRIST, or IN the true/rightful heir (v. 17)

“brothers” - siblings, equality of believers adopted into the family of God

He is the representative for the whole. He is the example for the whole. He is the first to receive what all the children will receive. He deserves it. Believers are graciously included in it, that is, in the future resurrection, glorification, and inheritance (Galatians 3:29 “And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.” Galatians 4:7 “So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.” Titus 3:7 “so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” Ephesians 1:11–14 “In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.”).

This is a reminder of how we can be included in this.

This exalts Christ (Colossians 1:18).

Colossians 1:18 ESV

And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.

From the beginning to the end, this is the believer’s destiny.

Awe for the plan of God, thanksgiving for our inclusion

Response - Glorify God, exalt Christ

Benediction: Romans 11:33–36 “Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! “For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?” “Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?” For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.”

Scripture Reading: Philippians 3:12–21