b-30 Called Justified Glorified
Romans 8:29b-30 · Jim Pool · Feb 11, 2007
Romans (2005-07), No. 69
Holly Hills Bible Church
https://hollyhillsbiblechurch.org/teaching/messages/492601715655

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

Back to chapter 8. I'm just going to read verses 26 down through verse 30. It says, 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 causes 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. And whom he predestined, these he also called, and whom he called, these he also justified, and whom he justified, these he also glorified." So last week, if you remember, we got through the first phrase of verse 29 there, for whom he foreknew, He also predestined, and then we stopped right there. So I want to do a little bit of a review this morning to get us going.

We talked about the idea that God is constantly, continually working things together for good. What an encouraging thought that was. We saw that God is sovereignly in control of all things. There's nothing that goes unnoticed or isn't allowed by the Lord, He is sovereignly in control of all things.

As we review this this morning, I want to ask a question. After class last week, Gail came up to me and talked to me about this All Things a little bit. I thought she had an excellent point. Something that was really worth bringing up to the class this morning. Thanks for what you shared. It was really good. That's the benefit of working together as a body. We're sharing. Everybody's sharing things and we're all learning and we're all growing together.

She mentioned some things about All Things. What else could the all things be referring to? We talked about it pretty much in regards to our circumstances, our trials, our sufferings, situations that we go through and how God is in control of those all things. What else could all things be referring to? You have a pretty good point there, Gail, because nobody has any idea what else the All-Faiths could be talking about.

I thought it was great. All things that God has done for us. I put a list there, but the list is very, very small. Salvation, redemption, assurance, positioned us in Him, He loves us, comforts us, sanctified us, justified us, glorified us, forgiven us, etc. I think when we look at the all things working together for good, we really need to bring that in, too, when we think about what are the all things. Not only is it the circumstances that we're going through in life, but maybe even more importantly is what it is that God has done for us as believers. Those all things, God is also working together for good. I appreciate that.

Do you want to elaborate any more? You're the one that brought it up. Okay, did I do a good job? It's always hard articulating something that somebody else said. Roger? Well, actually, I think I have a point where it fits in well, if you look down to verse 31, which we're going to cover next week, it basically says, what then shall we say to these things?

All these wonderful things that God has done for us, and He's against us. So, I mean, you know, the incredible thing that God has done, placed us in Christ and all these things He's done for us, I mean, he's totally for us. That's right. That's right. The opposite makes no sense. Yes. Do we have a tendency, God worketh all things for good, that for good, that's for his good rather than, well, it's for his good as well as our good. But there are some bad things And I think the all things include both the good things and the bad things concerning us. Sure. Yes. Yeah. Yeah. I agree.

Not only it's, you know, it's all inclusive. The positive things that we go through in our lives and also the times of trial and suffering. We might have the tendency to eliminate The bad things for us. But I don't think we have that liberty. I don't either. I don't either. That's right. That's right. We know that wisdom either. Yeah. Yes. According to his purpose. That's right. Yes. Yes. It's not to have a rosy life here. Sure. That's right. Not with the good things. Right. The good things we talked about was referring to our conformity and talk about that.

God is using circumstances that we go through and He is also using all that it is that He has done for us. The purpose of conforming us into His image. In light of God's sovereignty and all things that He's done for us, working together for good, if God is for us, who can be against us?

Bringing that in next week, perfect. What a segment there, it's great. Okay, so we talked about last week what is the result of knowing and believing in this truth. We talked about peace and rest in the Lord and not being anxious in our daily lives. We can truly rest in the Lord. I'll try to summarize a couple of these big thoughts here.

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. We talked about that in detail last week. Also, God's destiny for believers' lives is to be conformed to the image of Christ, and this is based on God knowing all things beforehand.

Kind of tying in there, we've been called and we've been predestined in His foreknowledge. Okay, so we'll start off in our new section here with the idea of being conformed to the image of His Son. Many of your Bibles might have the words there, to become. The NAS has to become. Does the KJV have anything written in it? I didn't make a note of that. To be. It is to be conformed. To be conformed. That's right, yes.

So we don't see that in the original language. So the word goes straight to the idea of conformed. to the image of his son. What we see here is sumorphous, and so the outward expression of the inward nature or essence. You see there the word morpho, which is morphous, metamorphous, the idea of picking on the the image of someone else are being changed into the image of someone else.

So, it's interesting that this word here is only used in one other place. So we're looking at a term here of conformed that's used twice in the scriptures. I was like, wow, that's not very often, that's not very much. So let's look over at Philippians chapter 3 and look at the only other place where this word is used.

Philippians 3, let's start in verse 20. Wonderful verse for us talking about our citizenship in verse 20. Philippians 3. For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself."

There's the other place that we see this word conformity or conform used. in the scripture. Now, what this word means is that it means to have the same form as another, the form or image of Christ, bearing the image of another. We look at the definition of What does it mean? When you boil it all down to as simple and as clear as possible, it means to bear the image of another. So obviously we're talking about in this verse, to bear the image of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Other verses to consider, I think it's important that we look at this as well. Let's look at 2 Corinthians 3. in verse 18. Same, similar family of words, yet different, these upcoming three verses. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord the Spirit." So there we see the word transformed used. So we're looking at conformed.

Here in 2 Corinthians 3.18 we're seeing the word transformed.

Let's look at Colossians 3 verse 10. Colossians 3, 10. We'll start in verse 9. Do not lie to one another. since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices and have put on the new self which is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the one who created him." So there in verse 10 we see the idea of renewed. So we've got conformed, we've got transformed, and we've got renewed.

We're not doing a study in Colossians, but that's an interesting thought there. The new self being renewed. I'll let you guys ponder that, and we'll move on to something else. That's a pretty, how's that working out there? We'll think about that later. Okay, so, one more.

2 Peter, chapter 3, and verse 18. 2 Peter 3, and 18. It says, but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen. So, in this verse we're seeing the idea there of growing.

Okay, so we've got conformed, transformed, renewed, and growing. Kind of the words that are similar The word transformed is used more than where we looked at it. Growing is used a lot. A lot of scriptures talk about growing. As newborn babes desire the sincere milk of the word so they may grow in regards to their salvation. I think 1 Peter talks about that.

The reason I bring all this up is transformed brings across the idea of the change into another form, where conformed means to bear the image of another, transformed means to actually change from one image to another. So, conformed seems to point, yet not exclusively, to the final action of being in the image of the Lord, while transformed, renewed, and grow point to the process. And I thought that was really interesting as I was looking at that because we kind of use the phrase in this verse to be conformed to the image of the Lord. What is God's purpose in our lives is to be conformed to the image of Christ and we're being conformed to the image of Christ. Well, it might be better if we said transformed. Because the term transformed actually speaks of the process of being changed from the image of our old self to our new position in Christ.

I just wanted to bring that up. I don't want to get too hung up in it or too bogged down in it, but I thought that was interesting to point out that the conformed is looking to the final action, yet not exclusively. Alright, let me look at the idea here of image. It's simply likeness or form. So we're being conformed to the image, meaning the likeness or the form.

And obviously we know that the likeness or form is one of Christ. So God's purpose for our lives, which is based on his foreknowledge, is for us to have the same image or to bear the image of Christ. That's what it is that He wants for us. I want to take some time and read through this passage here in John 17, talking about the oneness that we have with Christ, the oneness which Christ had with the Father He intends for us to have with Himself. And this oneness here is critical for us to understand, being that God is in the process of working that oneness into our very lives right now. So let's read this section here in John 17 verse 14.

I have given them thy words, and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I do not ask thee to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth. Thy word is truth. As thou didst send me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth."

You see the unity that's being talked about here? The oneness that's being talked about here? With God the Father and Christ and then us with Christ as well. Just really, really great stuff. Verse 20. I do not ask in behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word, that they may all be one, even as Thou, Father, art in Me and I in Thee, that they also may be in Us.

That the word may be believed that Thou didst send Me, and the glory which Thou hast given Me, I have given to them, that they may be one, just as we are one." Now the glory there, we're going to end up in the end of verse 30 this morning talking about what? Glorified. Okay, see?

Okay, so, verse 23. and Thou and me, that they may be perfected in unity, that the world may know that Thou didst send me and dislove them, even as Thou disloved me. Father, I desire that they also, whom Thou hast given Me, be with Me where I am, in order that they may behold My glory, which Thou hast given Me, for Thou didst love Me before the foundation of the world. O righteous Father, although the world has not known Thee, yet I have known Thee, and these have known that Thou didst send Me. And I have made Thy name known to them, and will make it known that the love wherewith Thou didst love Me may be in them, and I in them. the unity of our oneness that we have in Christ is great, coming out in those passages. Okay, so, conformed, transformed into the image of Christ is God's purpose for our lives. Based on his foreknowledge, it's going to come It's going to come out of the unity that we already have with Christ, because we're positioned in Christ.

So, a couple of questions. Is this something that will happen when we get to heaven? Is this something that God desires to happen now in our lives, or is it both? Or something else? I didn't think to put up there as an option. What's that? Yes, it's going to happen in heaven, sure.

That's right, that's right, yeah. I think that it's going to happen both, but I think it won't be totally complete and total in the presence of the Lord. That's right, that's right. Yes, yeah, good, I agree. And I think when we look at the idea there of conformed, That's what conformed is driving at, the completeness that will happen when we're with the Lord. But certainly, this is taking place right now. And that's what is being communicated by the terms transformed, renewed, and growing. So it's both. God's doing it now, but He's going to have His ultimate fulfillment, complete completion, when we're with the Lord in glory.

Yes? Would you say that both of them are true now? Scripture does say that somebody can see Christ in us, so the image is there, so the conforming is there, but also the transforming is taking place. Yes, yes. Because here and now we are to bear the image of the Lord. In our position we already have it. Christ in us, the hope of glory, so the glory of the Lord is already there positionally. And what a wonderful truth.

But it's not complete now, right? It's complete in our position, but it's not complete in our condition yet. It'll be complete as was brought out in our ultimate fulfillment when we're with the Lord. At that point, or throughout eternity, does it continue?

That's a good question. Ephesians speaks to that, that there is a growing in the fullness of the understanding of the greatness of God throughout the ages to come. Boy, you know. I think the image of Christ will be, the sin nature will be removed. And so, you know, anything that would hinder the glory of the Lord being manifested in our lives is going to be gone. I don't know, I haven't given it much thought. Obviously we'll be growing in our understanding of the grace of God until in eternity. There's no end to that, but I don't know. Any thoughts to that?

Well, anything that would have to do with our flesh wouldn't be accepted in heaven. That's right. in that area is gone. It's only gone. So we have to be in glorified bodies or we couldn't be there. That's right. As far as the image is concerned, it seems like... That's a completed thing. But there's still the other... The understanding, maybe, that they talk about in Ephesians. But otherwise, we couldn't be there. Yes. Any other thoughts? Okay, let's ask this question.

Talking about conformity, transformed, okay? So what does it mean? What does it mean to be transformed or conformed into the image of Christ? Is the old man being conformed? Is the new man being conformed? Are they both being conformed? Neither one being conformed? What in the world is going on here?

We have to know, okay? That's right. I'm going to be the big buffer machine now. So, okay. Everybody agree that the old man is not being conformed? Yeah. It was so beyond hope that Christ crucified all of our sin nature, the old man. Carol? Well, it must apply then to the new man in Christ, but here I am. Okay. Not yet.

The new man in that condition. New man here on earth and our condition is what's being conformed. New man doesn't need conformity. So then the new man is not being conformed, because the new man is complete. The old man is not being conformed. He is hopelessly doomed. The new man is the life of Christ. That obviously doesn't need to be conformed. That's perfect in our position. So I say that neither is being conformed. Neither the old man nor the new man. And so let me make my next statement. Neither one of those are being conformed.

The way I see it is that to be conformed or transformed to the image of Christ means to have our condition come in line with our position. You're drawing in the conditional aspect of our new man being conformed and I think that's correct. And it seems to me it must be true because why does the Lord leave us there? Why the moment of salvation?

Right. That's right. Which is to be conformed, transformed into the image of Christ, so that he can be glorified, so that he can use us to share his glory with other people. Exactly right. Yes. So, do you guys agree with this? You know, it's hard to narrow it down to one statement, but it's helpful to try to do that with certain things about being conformed or transformed. Yeah, you're on the spot when you're up here, you know. If you're not willing to go on the spot, you shouldn't stand up here.

Can you, like, refresh the definition of old man, new man? Is it the physical old man, the same nature part? the physical body, or is it talking about something else? Okay, I'll do the best I can on the spot, okay? And everybody can give me input. Okay, the old man is the sin nature. Now, if you really look under a microscope with those terms, there are some differences with those terms, but we're going to talk in more generalized terms, then the old man is the equivalent to the sin nature.

Okay? And then the new man, the way I see it, is the life of Christ. I'm not sure if there's any other definitions that you guys would have to the new man, or the new nature. It's the life of Christ. So we've got sin nature, and we've got the life of Christ. Roger?

I go back to Hal's picture, and he tries to really capture that well. There are slight differences, but I can imagine the old man, the old nature, sin nature, are pretty some in this time. But there are, scripture does delineate that, and it does have some nuances there. Hence, I think Hal will try to catch up in his paper. So what was your question again? I'm sorry. I'm not trying to make sure I understood what was being said.

The most interesting part, I think, is not that there is a sin nature and that we also have a new nature, but that they coexist in one body, which I think is so important to understand that teaching. Instead of, we have this new nature, well, what happened to the old nature? Is it just gone, you know? Was it killed or was it eradicated?

Of course, Hal says, No, it's offline. That's right. But we can, anytime, and I do every minute. I'm in nature. It's like I'm schizophrenic. But what's critical to know, and we've gone through it back in the summer, June, July, That the old man has been rendered powerless, offline.

Different terms communicate better to different people about what God did to the sin nature, to the old man. And so we no longer have to be under the authority of the sin nature, the old man. It might try to draw us back under that authority, but by faith we can believe in God's revealed truth and say, no, no, I'm not going to go there. and the new nature is the very life of Christ. One is the nature of the life of Christ.

Okay, let's talk about it in terms of this a little bit, and I think Margaret, what you're saying kind of segments perfectly. between our position and our condition, because it's critical that we understand our position and our condition. So we're seated in the heavenlies with Christ.

We read that back in Colossians 3.20, that our citizenship is in heaven. Positionally, that's where we are. We're seated in the heavenlies with Christ.

So our position, were called based on His purpose in foreknowledge, predestined, justified, and glorified. So when you talk about your position, there's so much that can be said about our position in Christ. But for our class this morning, on this line, I put our position based on the context of where we're at in the passage. So, our condition, again, based on the context of this passage, is we're conformed, transformed into the image of Christ. So, in light of your position up here, by faith, walk in your condition down here.

This is what I think is trying to be articulated by conformed or transformed. This line right here. See, this is what's happening in our lives. We're being molded, transformed, growing, conformed into the image of Christ. I think that for me, this is a little diagram that somebody presented way back in Bible college. That just communicated pretty well. We're growing towards our position in Christ. Thoughts? Questions?

This matter of being crucified with Christ, our position and condition are our old man and new man. The new man has been crucified in Christ. The old man hasn't been crucified with Christ, or there wouldn't be sin. Do you see my, maybe not my dilemma, but my question? You said that the new man has been crucified with Christ. Did you mean to say that the old man has been crucified with Christ, or help me understand? That the crucifixion happened to the old man, not the new one.

Correct, that's right. Yes, that's correct. And then the new man is risen. Yes, but I'm getting to the sin factor, see? If the old man were crucified, then his sin would be too, but it's not. That's right. I was just going to say, I think that's what Hal tried to convey over the years in his head, is that he had two pictures, one before he was saved and one after he was saved, Before you're saved, you're connected to your sin nature, there's no other option. When you're crucified, the old man is crucified, that's the wonderful thing that happens, you're separated. Now you can act in accordance with God, or act in accordance with yourself, or new man, old man. So that's the wonderful thing that happens, and that's why you need to be crucified. Right, right.

So you've got old, and before we were saved, this is all we had. So we were a slave, we had no option but to follow the leading of this wretched guy. We had no other option. So we trust the Lord as our personal Savior, what happens? This guy is crucified, and we get this guy, the new. Now we've got the option. Where are we going to place our faith? That's the option. That's a choice. It's a choice of faith.

So we're going to put it over here in what has been crucified, what has been rendered powerless, what has been brought in operative, offline. Where are we going to put our faith? Over here, which is the new man, the very life of Christ. do a dumb thing and keep putting our faith over here, then we're going to keep sinning. But if we're going to take God at his word and keep putting our faith over here, then the life of Christ will be manifested, and through us the fruit of the Spirit will be evident.

Yeah, a couple of questions. Well, I think sometimes a mistake is made to think that the old man is dead. Right. He's really just rendered... Powerless, inoperative. Sure. So yeah, we do go back and see. That's right. I think some people think it's dead, and so the believer will never sin truly, but maybe there's some little ones. Yes. Yeah, Gail?

Yeah, I like the old picture we used to have of the little head or the little person with the two natures inside. I'm not sure that I was always comfortable with the little thing pointing this way or that way. But in a sense, it's in fact what we are. We're soulish beings. with spiritual life, whether we're living or dead, whether we're in Christ or not, we're going to live forever somewhere. That's right. And we're soulish and we respond to one or the other. separate, in a sense, from both of those archives.

And I can pay attention to one or the other, or allow one or the other to have power in my life. And I tend to think of my old sin nature as a child sitting over here in the corner, sitting and screaming and saying, pay attention to me. And I can choose to do that or not. I think you have to be careful there, as far as being free. You know, somehow you're separated from your sin nature, and you're separated from your I mean, you either are one or the other.

There's not a fine line that you walk down the middle and then choose. Right. But we do have a natural party that can function one or the other. Because you can't be in the new nature and choose to be in the good nature because the new nature can't choose that. And the old nature can't choose to be in the good nature. This is how I would say it as a personhood. that's neutral. We've talked about the neutral aspects of believers, not under the influence of the Sin Nature, not under the influence of the New Nature. And so, this is... You're never nothing. That's the thing. Yeah. It doesn't function apart from the older nature. Right.

But that's what does make us be in the one or the other. The personhood is always going to be... we're way off track, aren't we? personhood is always going to be under the influence of one or the other. It's always going to be under the influence of the new nature, the life of Christ, or the sin nature, flesh. But I think this isn't the sin nature and this isn't the new nature. But I think that personhood either needs to be in the new man or in the old man. Because there's such a propensity to think of being separate from one or the other, that we're free, blind, and choosy. You know, all I'm going to choose is the old man. You know, usually if you're thinking that, you're already in the old man.

Right? But also, isn't it, to some extent, and I know Micah said this, it's like a glove. What's animating the glove? An unbelief. As soon as you are in unbelief, you're in the old man. As soon as you have that doubt, that unbelief. But if you're in belief, then you're in the new man. I mean, I think it's actually totally about belief. I completely agree. That's right. And as soon as you are doubting, and angry, or anxious, or any of those things, we're in the old man. Wait a minute, that makes me very nervous. positionally in the Lord. You're never out of the new man.

Conditionally though. We're talking about condition right now. This is about condition, not about position. Yeah, but I don't like to think about it. It's true. As soon as you worry, as soon as you are anxious, as soon as you're, you know, any of those emotions, you're an old man. Like Rachel said, the new man can't choose the old man. That's right. Exactly. And that's a critical point, that an old man can't choose the new man.

And so therefore, there has to be, I've told Vern, you need to have an anthropological class, a class on anthropology, on the believer, and how does all this stuff work together, and I don't know if he's going to do it, but hopefully he does, because it's critical to kind of get all this sorted out. It's been, I remember years ago, saying, boy, if I'm in the Spirit, then how do I How do I get in the flesh? If I'm in the flesh, then how do I get back into the spirit? And so I think this comes into play there. Because obviously, as has already been said, it's been said. The whole body talks about the temptation process and how we're drawn away. I think that has to be factored in too.

And I agree that Christ is not choosing to sin. God cannot sin. But there is, scripture does talk about, in terms of the believer, that he can be drawn away. So that needs to be factored in. There's temptations that come in, and we can be drawn away from resting in Christ. Drawn away to self.

So that has to be, I think, the whole counsel of God. So that's part of the process. So the we can be drawn away. What is the we? That's the thing that we're trying to see. soul, personhood, you know, we need to really figure this thing out. I think it's critical. I think that's part of that conforming process. Also, I must decrease and you must increase. I think as we mature and are more conformed, that we are more drawn into that staying in our mind. Yeah, absolutely. That's absolutely yes. That's right. That's right. Yeah. That's right. That's right. Yeah, I completely agree.

OK, so, you know, we have a class of people that can hit Vern up now. Say, Vern, come on. We really need you to help us figure this thing out or what. OK. Alright, so let's move on here. Five minutes left, we're on slide three. Is this a one-time event or is this a process? It's a process, we've covered that. It's a process, this isn't a one-time deal.

I want to make sure we're all clear about that. Is this conforming or transforming process something which God does or we do? God does, okay. God does this. It's not up to me to make sure that this line here is always growing and moving up towards my position. That's God's job. So how does this conforming or transforming take place? How does this transforming or conforming take place? What's that?

So, Donna says 2 Corinthians 3.18, we all with unveiled face, beholding as in the mirror the glory of the Lord are being transformed. So, as we're beholding the Lord, beholding the glory of the Lord, we're being transformed.

He's doing this work by His Spirit, exactly. Good. And you know, Vern's going to do this series, isn't he? like a five or six week series on beholding the glory of the Lord coming up in March. We just agreed that God is the one doing the conforming. What is the new man's place in that confirmation? Okay, good question. Our part, as believers, is to believe.

Philippians 2.13, let me back up one verse.

In addition to what Donna has brought out with 2 Corinthians 3.18, Philippians 2.13 says, For it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work, of His good pleasure. So God is working in our lives to bring about this process of growth. Here is to your, what is the new man's part in the process?

As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him. So by believing and resting in our position, we are transformed and conformed into the image of the Lord. So the new man's part is to believe, take God at His word for what it is that He has said that He has done, believe and rest and abide in the biblical facts. Is it correct to assume then that we are to be obedient, or we are obedient to what God's Word says? Yes. Absolutely. Sure. Because, if I'm believing, what's going to be happening in my life? I'm going to be obedient. Okay? So, does obedience come in there? Yeah.

It absolutely does. You're doing what it is that God wants us to do. Yes, it does. And so, as I am by faith, walking by faith, dependent upon the Lord, He will be living His life in and through me and I will be obedient. So yeah, obedience definitely comes in there. Trust and obey is a good issue. Sure, yeah, it is. And that's got it in the right order. Trust and obey.

So does that mean we're not being transformed if we're not doing that? That's a great question. That's right. All things are working together for good to those that love God. Now when we're walking in the flesh, what's happening? We're flat lined. We know the scriptures say that we're grieving. The Holy Spirit. So the scriptures does speak that there's a grievance that's going on. The question is, can one hinder God's conformity in your life due to walking in the flesh? I'm going to go out on a limb and say, yeah, I think that we can. But some people might not agree. We can hinder the timing of it.

Ultimately, he's going to get done what he wants to get done. If we're believers, we're ultimately going to be born whether we want to or not. Well, we have to look at the end. Like you were saying, the word here in Romans 8, which is the conformed word, is actually kind of, in a sense, referring to the end process, or the end product, which happens in heaven. So that's never going to be hindered. That's right. But our condition now, here and now, and how much of that we bear of Christ, that can be hindered. That's right. Yeah, that's a good point. That make sense, everybody?

And the peace that we have on the earth. I mean, I think, you know, I don't see how an unbeliever has any peace. And they don't. They have no peace. And I think as believers, as we're transformed and conformed, Ultimately, in our life, we reach some level of peace.

Sure, yes. And just that rest. I don't think that's what you hinder, is getting to that point. Right, right. That fellowship. Good. Okay. What does knowing of God's purpose for your life bring to your life? You know, Margaret, you're kind of speaking to that. It brings peace. I remember years ago, I was a struggling young adult. I didn't know what my life was supposed to be. I didn't know anything. I was confused. I was bewildered. I was flopping around in the world. It was a big mess.

Actually, through reading the Green Letters by Miles, God communicated to me what his purpose for my life was. To be conformed or transformed into the image of Christ. To me, that brought great relief. I said, wow, now I know. I was trying to figure all this crazy stuff out as a bewildered young adult in today's world and culture. What a mess. I was a big fat...

I don't know about you, but it brought some stability. It brought something solid to hang on to. I knew this was what God's ultimate goal and purpose for my life was. Now, is God concerned? Since then and now, I've done landscaping, I've repaired musical instruments, I've worked at a church, now I'm putting on doorknobs. What's God's purpose? God cares about that too. There's no doubt about it. God cares about what His purpose for our lives is, long term as well, as far as our involvement with other people. But ultimately, to know that this is God's purpose for our lives, boy, what an assuring thing, I think, for us to be able to hang on to, go to the mat with.

Is that the first bell? Okay, we've got three more slides to go. Five minutes, three slides, we'll divide it up. He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Last phrase of verse 20. I'm still in 2 Corinthians. Goodbye for now. So, he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Now, the NAS translates he as God. KJV translates he as believers. It uses the small h, not referring to the deity of God. I found that interesting as well. The more I studied, I was like, man, can't there be just some simple verses? I'm here on week two, and we're not even done with two verses.

So, when you look at the scriptures, the word firstborn is used in the references that I've brought out. only in Hebrews 11 28 right here this firstborn not referred to Christ and what's happening it's what you're referring to is to the angel of death passing over the house and not killing the firstborn to earn the Egyptian plate. So that's what is meant by firstborn there.

So I think that it seems to be best as he, Christ, is the firstborn among many brethren. I hope you guys are comfortable with that. If not, write up something and talk about it next week and tell me why. I'd be interested to know why. So what does firstborn mean? If Christ is the firstborn among many brethren, what does firstborn mean? Well, we had the first Adam. He was the firstborn of humans, mankind. So now we have a new kind of firstborn, the second Adam. In reference to Christ? Yeah, okay. So, specifically, what's that? We have a new kind, second Adam.

I'm going to say it like this, Christ is the first born, never to die again, gained victory over sin and death both physically and spiritually. He was the first born, never to die again, physically or spiritually. Christ is the first born among many brethren, believers. How does this relate to believers? He's the firstborn among many brethren. He's the firstborn among believers. We also are going to partake of what is going on here. How does this relate to believers? We too gain victory over sin and death in Christ. Exactly. That's right. When we're born again, we'll never die again spiritually. We can never be forced into that death. That's firstborn. never to die again spiritually.

So I try to make a sentence to package all this together. Christ is the firstborn among believers which are being progressively transformed into the image of Christ and who will receive the final action of conformity into the image of Christ which is the firstborn among many brethren. I try to capture all that together. Okay, and whom he predestined.

You know, now we're into verse 30, and there's not a lot of new material, so I think we'll be fine on time. This word, predestined, was exactly the same word that we saw already. No change. So we've covered it last week. We don't need to spend a lot of time on it. Pre-plan and destiny mark off beforehand.

But in this verse, it does take it a bit further. God's destiny for believers' lives is not only to be conformed into the image of Christ, but to be called, justified, glorified. And this is based on God knowing all things beforehand. So, in verse 29, it was simply talking about predestined to be conformed. But now we're talking about predestined with call, justify and glorify. So it's broadening the scope of this predestined. It's a predestined, called, justified and glorified are all things that God really did in the past.

They're all of them. Verbs, indicative, airs, active, when you look at all these terms. They're all set up that way God did in the past. It's a reality, not something that he's thinking about doing. It's something that he really did. These he called. Called in the past, God called those who he predestined.

Now this word is different from what we saw the word called in verse 29. Where predestined was the same, called is different. Called here is a more general call to invite or to summon people together. Where in verse 29 it was a specific call to have an effect. You remember that from last week. So a little different word call here. Calling is based on God's predestination, what He has marked off beforehand.

We talked a lot about justified in the Romans class so far, and so what I did, because I was short on time last night, one thing to be honest with you, I went back and I pulled up some of the slides that we did with justification back in chapter 3. I'll just lay it out. So this is a review. The idea here is that believers have already been justified.

It's something that he did in the past. He really did it. He has justified the position of truth that we can really hang onto. Whom he justified, these he also glorified. Believers have already been glorified. God really did this in the past, coming across there. Believers will ultimately be glorified.

As you were bringing out Bob earlier, be glorified when together with the Lord, but God also desires us to be used by Him now and coming from hell to declare His glory, share His glory, reveal His glory and that God will be glorified. Ultimately all things work together for good so that God will be glorified.

We could have taken sections of today's lesson and had a whole lesson on it, but we plowed through, so thank you. Let's pray. Lord, thanks for this morning, for our time. And Lord, as we see how interesting it is and how great it is just to dig into your scriptures and look at what it is that you've said to us, what a joy it is. And so thank you for it and continue through your Spirit to teach us and guide us into all truth. Thanks that we know that we can trust you to do that. Be with Bernard for the remainder of the sermon as he teaches. In your name we pray. Amen.