His Purpose our confirmation
Romans · Jim Pool · Feb 4, 2007
Romans (2005-07), No. 68
Holly Hills Bible Church
https://hollyhillsbiblechurch.org/teaching/messages/4926016294320

Transcribed from the recording by SermonAudio, so expect the occasional misheard word.

Okay, open up your Bibles to chapter 8 of Romans. I've had like 7 weeks off. It's kind of bizarre. supposed to go last week but then the weather set it back another week so that's kind of a little bit of a good break and it's good to get back in the saddle again too. So we have some wonderful verses this morning. We're going to look at over the next two weeks the verses 28, 29, and 30 and let me Just start in verse 26 and we'll start there and read down through verse 30. 26 and 27, Roger covered there for us last week. I really enjoyed that lesson last week. That was great. That was cool. Praise the Lord for that. It was a neat lesson. Chapter 8, verse 26.

And in the same way, The Spirit also helps our weakness, for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

And we know that God calls us all things to work together for good, to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose, For whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. In whom he predestined, these he called. Whom he called, these he also justified. In whom he justified, these he also glorified.

So, if you look in verse 28, we got some really big, cool stuff to look at here in the next few weeks, the fact that God calls us all things to work together for good, for those who love God, called according to His purpose. the idea that he foreknew us, the idea that he predestined us, the idea that we're conformed to the image of his son, firstborn, the idea that they're predestined, called, justified, glorified, these huge, wonderful truths that we get to look at this week and next week.

I'm actually not going to, I don't think, finish verse 29. My goal this morning is to get down through, conform to the image of his son. So if we can get that far this morning, I think that we'll be doing okay. And then we'll pick up there that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. We'll pick that up next week. That's kind of the idea as to where we're headed this morning.

You see the first page of your slides, verse 28 starts off with the idea, and we know, and the idea here is that in reality, right now, We have known in the past and we right now know and we will continue to know in the future. That's the idea coming across of this know. So full knowledge, complete or absolute knowledge.

So we know this is what's coming across and Paul is writing that to his readers in Rome and that's what's coming across to us. here this morning and obviously there was a point in time in our lives where we didn't know this truth, right? But now we know. And there's going to be people that you're going to be coming across in your lives that you're going to have a chance to share this truth with the first time. And obviously at that point they won't know, but you'll share with them for the first time and then they'll know.

Then they'll enter into this kind of knowledge here that's being talked about. The idea here, the perfect tense is what's coming across in the know of a complete, full, or absolute knowledge. And then we have, we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God.

You know, and just building from last week, you know, that We don't know what it is that we should pray for. Roger brought that out beautifully last week. He certainly would not have prayed that his son had the car accident that he did, and he wasn't praying towards that end. He was praying towards safety.

I was working up north a few nights this week, and I actually drove home Thursday night from up north, and it was horrendous. It took me two hours to get home from Thornton all the way back down to the Highlands Ranch. I was thinking, I hope I don't end up like Roger's son here in the ditch. There were lots of cars. But the point is, he was praying towards a different direction, towards a different end. What happened, happened.

But here we come to the very next verse. God causes all things to work together for good. So as we're resting in the sovereignty of God, as we're resting in our position in the Lord, then we can rest in this truth and we can rest in this fact that God calls us all things to work together for good. In regard to the calling of God, does that limit anyone and would we look at that or would we interpret that calling the same way that Calvin did?

That might be different for different people. I don't know where everybody's at with that specific interpretation of the word calling. I don't know. Are you asking the church at large? I don't think that the church takes a position where some are not called and therefore they are not going to be saved. I don't know. You might want to say something to that, Roger. Maybe I don't know exactly what Calvin says about this, but it seems to me that I know that he advocated limited. Sure, that's right. And that would limit, if I'm not called, then I'm not going to receive. Yeah. Sure, that's right.

I think within a room like this, there's 20 people that are going to be different. People are going to have different opinions and there will be different takes on the sovereignty of God, the election of God, the calling of God, you know, you're a five-point Calvinist or you're going to be a four-point Calvinist and what's going to be the take on that or whatnot.

And we're not going to actually get into that in great detail in this class. If we were going to go through some of the verses in early Ephesians, where we were chosen in Him before the foundations of the world, then we would get into that in detail. But with these verses, we're not going to get into it in too great of detail.

And I got confirmation by Roger and Bob that that was an okay thing to do. So I'm not trying to back out from my personal... Well, you know, one thing that's helped me is that if you look at calling or being called as something you have in Christ, you can't dissect that from that. That's, you know, we have, there's like, you know, Schaefer's gone through a list of 32 lessons we have as being in Christ, and one of those is being called. But it's sort of like you can't get the cart before the horse. And this blows their mind a little bit. You can't be called until you know it. And you say, well, doesn't that say that there are some who aren't called?

But then you see verses like, he's not willing that any should perish. So it's almost like something, and this is not a new controversy that's been around for decades. We're probably not going to make any great headway here this morning on that. But if you think of it in terms of, this is what I have in Christ. I'm a called person. And you say, Lord, I don't know how it all fits together. And I leave it at that and say, Lord, I'm called. I don't know how that fits with the whole scheme of things. Will you tell me I'm called?

Amen. That's right. That's right. It seems to me that whosoever will includes and solves that problem. That's right. It's clear that God wants it all to come. But then he says, you're called. And you say, no, wait a minute. It doesn't seem to fit. How do you fit those two together?

In the Zodiac, it's the article in front of Chaldea, where it's referred to as the Chaldeans. In these verses, it really is dealing with salvation. It's dealing with those that are already in Christ, being called. That's right. I sort of wanted to go back to the old thing. We will talk about that, yeah. And a good point that Donna brings up, the called, and specifically in these few verses that we're looking at this morning, the called according to his purpose. So the calling, we're going to get into it in more detail here in a minute.

The calling is going to be specifically for his purpose, which verse 29 tells us is to be conformed unto the image of Christ. So it's really not a calling in this text anyways which is going to be dealing with salvation. It's going to be called according to conform to the image of Christ. So that's why we didn't decide to go way into the debate of how does it all work out.

Vern taught the series on Ephesians and I thought he did a really good job. So if you want to review that, those lessons are available. The hard copies are in the file. You can listen to them online. These slides might be available online, too. You could go to Hal's notes. Major Bible themes? Yes, thanks. A couple of directions you can go there if you really want to research that out.

I want to talk a minute before we get to the all things here, Wayne. One thing I want to talk a bit about is the difference here between the wording of the NAS and the KJV. I thought this was interesting as I was looking at it. I teach out of the NAS and usually read the NAS 95% of the time.

God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God. I know lots of you read the KJV, which is perfectly good as well. that all things work together for good to them that love God. Now that comes across quite differently. All things are working together for good for those who love God. And the NAS is like God is causing all things to work together for good.

So I took a little bit of a look at that and boy, that's quite different. So which one is really closer to the Greek text? And on the back of your I gave you a handout, a supplemental handout. I don't want to get too technical with this, but I do want to talk about it a little bit. I know some of you all really appreciate the details. So, if you see the handout in the back, go to page, you'll see there it's out of Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics by Daniel Wallace.

And if you go to page 180, which is the second page of your supplemental there, you see a comment there on Romans 8 verse 28 and 29. Everybody see where I'm at? Okay. I'm just going to read this, okay? God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God.

Sometimes it is difficult to tell whether a particular sentence even has a direct object. In this instance, such doubt is due to textual uncertainty in the syntactical range of the verb. Synergo is one, now that word there is the Greek word for work together, which is one of the English words in our verse here, is one of the verbs that can be either transitive or intransitive. If hatheos, which is the God, is original, the verb is transitive here, and Panta, which is the Greek word for all things, is the accusative direct object. But since Hatheas is textually suspect, it's better to read the text without it. This leaves two probable options. Either he works all things together for good, or all things work together for good.

In the first instance, the subject is embedded in the verb and God is clearly implied. In the second instance, Panta becomes the subject of an intransitive verb. In either case, what is expressed is a truly biblical confidence in the sovereignty of God.

I thought that was really important to point out. Either way, either the NAS translation or the KJV translation, that's coming across in both of the translations. It's difficult to pass over a verse such as this without noting two additional items. The good that is accomplished is specifically for believers, number one,

2. That good is in connection with conformity to Christ through suffering. Thus to say, as is frequently done nowadays, even in non-Christian circles, everything will work together for good. As if things work out by themselves and the good is human comfort is hardly Pauline and hardly biblical.

Such a worldview, C.H. Dodd rightly derided as evolutionary optimism. Just to give you a little bit of an explanation why we have these two different translations from the KJV into the NAS. I'm not going to talk more about it than that. I hope that was sufficient.

But in either case, the sovereignty of God is what is fought for. Go back to the first page there. So we asked the question, who is the only one that can cause all things to work together for good? Obviously we know that God is the only one that can cause all things to work together for good. I can't. I can't cause that, Rachel can't cause that, no one has the capabilities or the power or ability to cause all things to work together for good. God is absolutely the only sovereign God who can cause things to work together for good like that.

The idea here is that he is constantly working things for good. So God causes all things The idea there is He's constantly doing it. Just let that idea sink in for a little while. It's not like part of the day He's causing all things to work together for good. Every other week it's Monday, Wednesday, Friday, then it's Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday. Well, Sunday He always does it, because Sunday is the day where people go to church. It's not the way it works. God all days, always, is constantly causing all things to work together for good.

So the truth of that is just really, really profound. And it's not something that's every now and then or maybe. Jim, that kind of forces us down the path of looking at so-called tragedies. I just love what Hal's done. What he did about, there are no tragedies in a Christian's life. Seeming tragedy, sure.

That's right. That's right. It can't be. If all those things are working together for good, for God's glory, even though they're very difficult and beyond our capability to handle sometimes. That's right. And that's a wonderful thing to keep in mind when we go through those difficult times. Yeah, this verse is a monumental verse.

I tried to come out and said, Rachel, these are the verses I've got. This was a while back. And we were like, boy, you know, these verses that we've known, it's some that we're so familiar with. And so she said, boy, how do you How do you come at it just fresh? Not coming at it with your preconceived presuppositions. Just come at it fresh and get a fresh view from the Lord of these verses.

That's right. That's right. And along with that comes the rest in the walk. Yeah. Exactly. Exactly. That's the end. If you look at the good things, you know, I had a good day today. Are we thinking that, well, thank you Lord for causing me to have a good day? Or are we saying, All these things work together for good. And that's what he's causing. He's in control also. He wants to have a good day. Thank you, Lord, for being in control. I'm just thanking you for having a good day. Sure. We don't ever say that phrase in Things Go Well. Yeah, I know. That's right, that's right. You say, wow, I had a good day outside. Yes. It's true.

Well, I was thinking that, going along with what Donna said, that I used to, when you, I love this version, I've always loved it so much, because if you just trust what it says, it takes away so much anxiety. When I was selling houses and I would have Christian couples who, oh, should it be this house or this house? Oh, which one does the Lord want us to buy it? He's with you in either one.

Yes, yes. You can't make a bad choice. I mean, you may make a difference or something, but... Or a bad choice in whose opinion. In whose opinion, that's right. The bad choice even, I mean, if it turns out that there are some things that happen, even that of those, But the Lord has such a learning and growing experience for you waiting. You know that. You'll grow and know more of Him in the rest of it probably. Still most of us would never choose those. No. Want to avoid the furnace problem. Yeah. Sure.

Donna? What you had back here, I thought was really cool. When you think of a good day... You're back on the last page of the handout. Yes, that's right. The idea there of he's in control of all things, Wayne, you were really bringing that out there.

Nothing is going by unnoticed, no matter how small it may seem, or no matter how large. it may be overwhelming to us at that moment, but all things, God is constantly causing all things, no matter what may appear to be a huge catastrophe, or the smallest minute little detail, that he's causing all of those things to work together for good. So the question then, is what trial, period of suffering, tribulation, difficult situation have you gone? through, or are you going through? Therein lies the question. If we can rest in this truth, which by faith we can, in a sovereign God who is causing all things to work together for good, constantly, no matter how big or small, we can rest in Him, no matter what it is that we're going through.

Let's read some of these verses. I want to just take the time to do this. Let's go to Genesis in chapter 50. This is the story of Joseph. Genesis 50 and verse 20. Remember he was betrayed by his brothers and, you know, sold by the slave into the Egyptians and then he ended up in the into the house and given lots of responsibilities and ended up becoming second in command. And so his brothers come to him and essentially beg for his forgiveness because they're helplessly without food. And their dad sends them to talk to him. And notice verse 19, Joseph said to them, do not be afraid.

For am I in God's place? And as for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive." So what they had meant for evil, God had meant for good, and God had used for good. So what might appear to be a huge tragedy, God is using it for good, and God is intending it for good, and God is meaning it for good. Look at Psalm 46, 1-7. There are so many verses we could look at when talking about the sovereignty of God and His control over all situations. God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

Therefore, we will not fear, though the earth should change and though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea. Though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains quake in its swelling pride, there is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, of the holy dwelling place of the Most High. God is in the midst of her. She will not be moved. God will help her when morning dawns. The nations made an uproar, the kingdoms tottered, and He raised His voice. The earth melted.

The Lord of Hosts is with us. And the God of Jacob is our stronghold. There's a picture there of God in the Old Testament, using the language and the writing of Psalms to portray a troubling situation, a troubling circumstance. You had an Almighty and an all-powerful God, which is what we're coming across in the New Testament passage here in Romans.

It really goes along with the first part of the chapter too, where the earth is growing. Pick up the paper. That's right. That's right. We're going to experience a little warming this week, which I'm happy. Outdoor recess. Yeah. I don't envy that at all, kids. I have two. And they're feeling cooped up.

So let's look at some verses we've already looked at in Romans chapter 5. Back to chapter 5 here, verses 3, 4, and 5. And not only this, but we exalt in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance, and perseverance proving character, and proving character hope, and hope does not disappoint because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit. who was given to us. So the idea there of tribulations and trials and difficulties that we're going through in our lives, that God has a purpose for it. And God is causing, constantly causing every detail to work together for good. And it's working proven character into our lives.

We're going to get to this, not next week, but the following week, verse 31 of chapter 8. What shall we say to these things, if God's for us, who can be against us? I mean, to package that with Romans 8.28, that God's cause and all things work together for good, and God's for us, who can be against us?

I mean, it's like, just stop there and say no more. That's kind of the booking of it, but let's keep saying more. So, verse 35, who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword, nobody is going to be able to separate us from the love of Christ. Why? Because God is causing all things to work together for good. 2 Corinthians, chapter 4, I remember Bob Eccles saying that this was one of his favorite verses. I only put it in there for him and now he's not even here this morning. No, I'm just kidding. So, chapter 4, verse 16.

Therefore, we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. For momentary light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison. For while we look not at things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen, for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal. So the idea there of the momentary light affliction that we might find ourselves going through. Again, all things are working together for good.

A couple more here. 1 Peter 1, verse 6 and 7. In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, that the trial of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and honor and glory. Glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. So there again, being distressed by various trials or tribulations or circumstances, but the trial of our faith is very precious.

And God is in control. God is causing all things to work together for good. And one more, which might be one of my favorites here in this subject anyways. Chapter 5. Verse 10 and 11, And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. To Him be dominion forever and ever. Amen.

I mean, to me, that's just an incredible verse. After you have suffered for a little while. He's talking about the suffering. that we're going to go through, and why or how, you know, it's endless, why or how, what that suffering is going to look like. But notice that the God of all grace, after we've suffered for a little while, He's going to perfect, He's going to confirm, He's going to strengthen, and He's going to establish us in Himself. And to me, that's just an God is causing all things to work together for good, so it will be conformed into the image of his Son, which fits perfectly with this to be perfected, confirmed, strengthened and established in Christ. This past week, maybe some of you heard that I was playing with Calvin, and he poked me in the eye. This eye right here. This was Monday night. He scratched my eye. It was a scratched eye. It's extremely painful. It's extremely irritating.

There's nothing you can do about it. sit in darkness and wait. And my work has been slow. I think most of you all know that. And so I actually has been slow. And this week God provided a four days straight of work. Calvin scratches me in the eye. I can't work. I had work on Tuesday and I couldn't work on Tuesday. On days where it's been slow, at least if I wasn't working, at least I could study and read and do the other things I really enjoy to do. So Tuesdays off, I couldn't do anything.

I couldn't read, I couldn't study, I couldn't even watch TV. I had to lay in darkness. Monday night was so bad that We were in bed, lying in bed, with all the lights off, and I had my sunglasses on. Just thinking psychologically, maybe it'll be a little bit darker, and it'll make it feel a little bit better.

So anyways, I had work Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday. Fortunately, I was able to do that work Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, so I didn't miss out on any work, which was really good. I had one option this week, which was to rely on these verses. Here I've been preparing for this morning's lesson.

There was the temptation to be upset about it, to be anxious about it, to ask why in the world, what's going on? Lord, you knew how bad we needed to work, now it can't even work. The flesh was worn against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh type thing was going on there.

But when it came down to it, This was the bottom line. Knowing that God causes all things to work together for good. So then, what's the result of knowing and believing in this truth? And as Donna, as you brought out a little while ago, it's absolute rest and absolute peace. That's it. That's the bottom line. When we can know and when we can rest in and believe in this first little phrase here, Romans chapter 8 and verse 28.

It's one thing to know it in our minds, but it's another thing to really, moment by moment, depend on it on a daily basis. Any other thoughts? One thing that always comes to mind when I read this verse is a quote by Hudson Taylor, who says that, I never can get it all right, but he says that God is the one great circumstance. And that always makes sense to me, especially in light of this verse, In a sense we just see our lives as Him and all the individual circumstances that are taking place are wrapped up in the one big circumstance of God who is controlling all of it. It's just a different way to look at it.

I think that goes on to say that in which all other circumstances exist. God is the one great circumstance in which all other ones exist. But they're all under the umbrella of God's sovereign hand. And to read a biography of Hudson Taylor, he's a guy that would know about God being the one great circumstance in which all other ones are going to exist. He's got a tremendous story there if you haven't ever read him, about him. The next question here goes back to a little bit of what you were saying, Wayne.

So what is meant by good? God causes all things to work together for good. Does this mean that our circumstances will change and are going to work out for good? Is that what's being driven at here when we see that God causes all things to work together for good? No, that's not what's being talked about. So what's being talked about by good? God causes all things to work together for good.

We're not talking about circumstantial change. We're not talking about our Christian life just becoming really easy and smooth and problem free and on and on and on. So what's meant by good? Well, we have to look at his purpose for our lives. Okay. That's right. Yeah. Well, his plan. That's right. Yeah. Which we don't know. I mean, we know we can count on being transformed. I mean, these things he's bringing about, but we don't know how that's getting there. Yes, yes. We just have to trust it and count on it. That's right. So I think the good that's being talked about is conforming into the image of Christ.

And God's work in our life. What's His plan? What's His purpose for our lives? And so God's causing all things to work together for good. The good is to be conformed into the image of Christ. So He's constantly working all the smallest and the biggest details for the purpose that we'll be conformed into the image of Christ.

I think that's what's being driven out here. One thing I wonder about the believer's disobedience to the Word of God. Sure. I guess that even in lieu of that, that this is included in all things. Even though I'm disobedient, He'll use that in some way in a circumstance that that disobedience will bring about for good. What do you think about that? I agree. I agree with that. Let me just go right on into this. A little bit of a warning here.

Does this verse give believers the liberty to walk in the flesh? Does this verse give believers the liberty to be disobedient? No, I'm seeing everybody's head saying no, absolutely not. A believer cannot say it's okay to walk in the flesh because God's working all things together for good. It's not right for a believer to feel free to be disobedient or to walk in the flesh because, hey, God's working all things together for good. Man, what I'm doing is absolutely fine. We can't go there. But some people do. That's why I bring it up.

I think it's an important point to be made that some people And more specifically, will God use the times when believers walk in the flesh or are disobedient, will God use those times of disobedience to show us our need for Him? Absolutely. No doubt about it. And so therefore, is God using the periods in our lives where we're disobedient and where we're walking in the flesh for His ultimate purpose to conform us into the image of Christ? Yeah, absolutely. Absolutely so.

Any comments to that? Yeah, God's going to do that, but this doesn't mean that believers should think it profitable to walk in the flesh. The scriptures never say anything positive comes from spending time in the flesh. We've talked about that in the past. I've heard people say that, and that's why I bring it up.

Hey, you know what? Boy, God's sovereign and God's working all things together for good. This is where God has me in my growth process and don't tell me to change. And I'm like, oh, okay. So, any thoughts? You'll still suffer the consequences of your choices. So, I mean, yes, you will eventually work it out for good, but it's like, you know, it's your choice. And you'll suffer those consequences.

Right, right. Anything else? Okay. Alright, let's move on to... Let me get back to Romans. I was still in 1 Peter. I don't know where you're at, but let's get back to Romans. Okay, so let's continue on in the verse here. So, first part we looked at, God's calls in all things to work together for good to those who love God and then to those who are called according to His purpose. So we kind of see two descriptions here of people. So let's ask the first question. Who is referred to by those who love God? He's causing all things to work together for good to those who love God. Who is those who love God referring to? Believers?

Yeah, exactly right. That's right. And several verses there. I won't take the time to look at all those. 1 John 4 and then Romans 5. This is love, not that we love God, but that He loved us. We've come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. The love of God has been poured into our hearts, so the result of God's love for us is our love for God. We love Him. Why? That's right, because He first loved us.

So who is being referred to by those who are called according to his purpose? That's the second description here of a group of people. Who's being referred to by that statement? Same group? Also believers, sure. God's called believers and he's working all things together for good. We're seeing believers being referred to there.

So let's look at this idea here of being called according to his purpose. A calling is specific for God's purpose. God's calling here is referring to his purpose. Believers are called according to his purpose. We went that direction a little bit earlier. So the calling here is specific towards God's purpose for our lives.

The word called And here it comes across with an effectual call, a call which is to have an effect. It's not just a, well I'm going to call you. But if you're not home, that's okay. I might leave a message. I'll try it back tomorrow. That's not the kind of call that we're talking about here. We're talking about a call that is to have an effect, that is going to cause a change, that is going to have an effect in our lives. That's the idea here that's come across with call. It's an adjective. also used the same way in those following verses there. You can take the time to look those up on your own if you so desire.

Okay, so recalled according to his purpose, the idea here of purpose is the setting forth of the purpose of God. So, it's called according to God's purpose. It's not according to anybody else's, my purpose, or somebody else's purpose, but we're called according to God's purpose that He has laid out. So, I tried to package this. It's a noun there, used in those verses. You can look them up on your own.

I tried to come up with a statement that would try to summarize All of this, and according to God's eternal purpose for believers, there has been an effectual calling on their lives. God's purpose for the believer is set and fixed. Now these are really big, really grand truths that we're talking about here, so I really wrestled with trying to come up with a concise statement to articulate what it is that that verse is really trying to communicate. So, for us, according to God's eternal purpose for believers, for us, There's been an effectual calling on our lives, because He has a purpose, because He has a plan for our lives. That's what's coming across. Okay, we'll look at verse 29 here a little bit. Okay, so let me just read verse 29.

For whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son. The idea here of whom he foreknew, the idea here is before knowledge or to know before, and it's a verb. It's used of prior temporal knowledge. If you look at the way this word is used in different places in the scriptures, use of a prior temporal knowledge. Now this is just referring to one person's knowledge of another person. I knew this about this person, I knew this about this circumstance or situation, from one person to another. It's also use of God's In relation to Israel, it's the use of Christ's sacrifice, and it's the use of God's people today, and this is specifically for us. This is the way it's being used in the context that we're talking about here this morning, in the sense that God before knew, he had before knowledge. He knew beforehand. He had prior knowledge of believers.

So, let's kind of define in these terms here that are coming across. So, who he foreknew, he also predestined. Again, we have, it's a verb, past tense, foreknowledge obviously is in the past. And it means to pre-plan a destiny or to mark off beforehand. We're talking about predestination. In the past, he predetermined something was going to happen. He laid out a destiny or a path.

Now, if you look at a couple of thoughts here by Ryrie, the death of Christ and its meaning were predestined by God, recorded for us in those passages there. God's elect are predestined to adoption, Ephesians 1 verse 5, to an inheritance, verse 11, and to ultimate conformity to Christ, and that's the verses where we are today, Romans 8, 28, and 29.

So the terms are fairly interchangeable when you talk about election and calling and chosen and foreknowledge and predestination. They're pretty close. They're all really intertwined. But we're going to stay simply with foreknowledge, he foreknew, and predestination, he predestined.

So he predetermined a plan for our lives. And in the context of where we are this morning, what is predestined, what did he predestine us to in the context? Yeah, exactly right. So the context is, he foreknew, he had before knowledge, and he predetermined the paths for believer's life that we would be conformed to the image of Christ.

So look at the terms, that's the context that we see them in. And again, I tried to come up with a a concise statement, God's destiny for believers' lives is to be conformed into the image of Christ, and this is based on God knowing all things beforehand. I try to summarize and get all the things in there together.

Any thoughts? Okay. Let's stop. We'll stop there. The bell is going to ring in a couple of minutes. The conformity into the image of Christ is such a great thing. It's such a wonderful truth, and I won't talk about it. If I start it, then we'll just cut it off, and that's not fair to the scriptures or to us and our interaction. It's interesting when people get into these tough discussions about this predestined here because they're thinking again about salvation instead of knowing that it's talking to believers and they're being predestined to be conformed. That's right, that's right.

In the context here it's very clear. that God foreknew that we would be predestined to conformity and to the image of Christ. We'll talk about it more next week that God had a plan for us and what peace and assurance that brings to our lives if we know that God had a plan for our lives predetermined way back when before I even existed for my life to be conformed to His image.

Wow. We'll pick that up next week. Lord, thanks for our time this morning. Thanks for Your Word, how encouraging it is and how reassuring it is that we really can trust You. This isn't just theoretical or possibly or maybe we can, but we really can. And so thank You for that. In Your name we pray. Amen.