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Predestination in Romans Chapter 8 by Paul and in the Scriptures

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David Virgil Hobbs

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Sep 3, 2003, 12:42:33 AM9/3/03
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PREDESTINATION IN ROMANS CHAPTER 8 BY PAUL AND IN THE SCRIPTURES

Rom 8:29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be
conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn
among many brethren.
Rom 8:30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and
whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he
also glorified.

What Paul is talking about in Romans 8:29-30, is the first spiritually
successful christians. Of these first successful christians it can
truly be said, that all the things described in Rom 8:29 and Romans
8:30 happened to them. The passage does not mean that all who are
predestinated to be called, are justified and glorified. It means that
this first group of successful christians, were not only predestinated
to be called but also justified and glorified. They were justified and
glorified by God because they responded adequately to the call from
God.

To properly understand Romans 8:29-30, you have to trace backwards
from verse 29 to get a handle on the question of who Paul is referring
to in the verses. We find that from the beginning of chapter eight,
Paul speaks of a group of people that God has done all these things
for, a spiritually successful group of people that was the first wave
of persons in history to be saved to go to heaven and given the Holy
Spirit through their practice of the christian religion.

This spiritually succesful group of persons, that was the first
spiritually successful group of Christians in history, is the group of
people that Paul speaks of in verses 29 and 30 of chapter 8 in Paul's
letter to the Romans. In verse 29 Paul refers to this group as those
whom God predestined to be "conformed to the image of Christ", that
they might be the "firstborn among many brethren". In verse 23 he
speaks of them as "the firstfruits of the spirit" (note the similarity
between "firstborn" and "firstfruits"). In verse 16 he refers to them
as "the children of God". In verse 15 he speaks of them as having
"received the spirit of adoption", whereby they cry, "Abba, father".
In verse 4 he says that "the righteousness of the law" was fulfilled
in this group, because they walked, "not after the flesh, but after
the Spirit".

This group was "predestinated to be conformed to the image of his
(God's) son". Looking at the meaning of the greek words such as
conformed and image this means that they were pre-ordained to be
similar to a resemblance of Christ God's Son. Another way scripture
describes this is in the Book of Revelation where such people are
spoken of as having been written in the Lamb's Book of Life from the
beginning of the world. All people are not from the beginning, from
the foundation of the world, written into this book of life
(Revelation 17:8). Whoever at the last judgement is not found written
in this Book of Life is "cast into the lake of fire" (Revelation
20:15).

Predestined to be "conformed to the image of God's Son", means,
written into the Book of Life from the very foundation of the world.
It does not mean "predestined to go to heaven". It means, predestined
to have a chance to go to heaven. Those whose names have been written
into this Book of Life, can have their names blotted out of this Book
of Life. In Revelation Chapter 3 we read: "And unto the angel of the
church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven
Spirits of God...I have not found thy works perfect before
God...repent...He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white
raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life".

In the first chapter of his second epistle Peter says, " brethren,
give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do
these thing(practice these virtues), ye shall never fall..." (2 Peter
1:10). By this he means that these persons predestined to bear a
similarity to the resemblance of Christ, that is these persons who
were written in the book of life, should make sure that they are not
blotted out of the book of life by practicing the virtues he
recommends.

The first wave of christians Paul speaks of in Romans chapter eight,
were predestined to be similar to a resemblance of Christ. Despite
this if they had offended God enough God could have decided not to
call them, but call them he did. After God called this first wave of
christians, if they offended him enough he could have decided not to
justify them, but justify them he did. And after God justified these
christians he could have decided not to glorify them but glorify them
he did.

God in his great power and wisdom, is capable of setting in motion
events he cannot completely foresee or predict. In Genesis 6:6-7 we
read, "it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it
grieved him at his heart...the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I
have created...it repenteth me that I have made them".

In Isaiah chapter five we read, "he (God)...planted it (the vineyard)
with the choicest vine.. he looked that it should bring forth grapes,
and it brought forth wild grapes...(God said) What could have been
done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? wherefore, when
I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild
grapes?"

In the same short epistle in which he warned his flock to make their
election "sure", Peter warned in chapter 2 of misinterpretation of
Paul's writings, saying: "(There are in letters of 'the beloved
brother Paul') some things hard to be understood, which they that are
unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other Scriptures,
unto their own destruction."

@ 2003 David Virgil Hobbs
http://www.angelfire.com/ma/vincemoon


NOTE: I am aware of predestinarian doctrines (i.e., the idea it is
predestined for all whether they go to heaven or hell) I disagree with
but I have not as of yet read any commentaries dealing specifically
with the issue of predestination.

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