God's Purpose...Romans 8

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. 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.(Romans 8:29-30)

We have looked at the tremendously comforting promise of God, that He will make “all things to work together for good to those who love Him and are the called according to His purpose”. All too often this amazing promise is half quoted in an almost glib way, such as “Remember,all things work together…”, as if it applies in a general way to every situation.

But the phrase is controlled by the expression, “According to His purpose”. To those who “Love God and are the called according to His purpose”, God causes all things to work together, in order to line up with His purpose.

What specifically is the purpose of God? It is described here in our text, and has two components.

a) That we who are the called, may be “conformed to the Image of God’s Son”. Everything God allows to come into your life ; every trial, blessing, temptation, gift, person, situation, is designed to work into you the Image of the Son of God. God wants us to become like Jesus.

This is the Purpose… that we love as Jesus loves,resist evil like Jesus has, serve, and give as Jesus, think like Jesus, be elevated to the status of Jesus, humble ourselves as Jesus, love and worship God as Jesus does.

b)This leads into the ultimate purpose of God; that Jesus Christ might be glorified as “the firstborn among many bretheren.”

Remember that in the first Creation, Adam’s image was passed onto the whole race, thus his fall has corrupted the very nature of man. Even so it is in the purpose of God that there be a new creation, bearing the image of the last Adam, Jesus. This is the way God wants Jesus to be glorified.

It is to this end that God will make all things work together. Though Salvation is individual, we have been called into something greater , there is a big,big picture called the purpose of God, that everything is made to serve.

God will have a people, who love Jesus, and whose aim is to be like Him in every respect. Yes they maintain their individuality, but their life, thinking, heart,values and outlook have the mark of the Son of God on them. Clearly these are “Jesus people”. Of such are the new creation.

,b>* For whom He did foreknow… This word ‘Foreknowledge ” is tha same word as used in Acts 2:23, in Peter’s sermon on pentecost,

…Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know:Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:(Acts 2:22b-23)

In other words it can’t mean simply that God knew before what was going to happen, God sent Jesus into the world knowing and planning for Jesus to be slain upon the cross for our sins. It is a deliberate word. We are chosen according to the “foreknowledge of God”, according to Peter.

Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.( I Peter 1:1-2)

Foreknowledge has to do with the Father “Setting his love upon us”, as He did Israel.

The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people:But because the LORD loved you…(Deuteronomy 7:7-8a)

Why does God love us? Because he has decided to love us, he has “set his love upon us” and taken an interest in us. When did He decide to love us? before the foundation of the world, which in God’s economy, is when the Lamb was slain.

Those who love God and are the called according to his purpose,have been placed within a perimeter set by God himself, that we might seek him. The “horizons” I live within, such as the times I was born into, the culture, the family, the abilities I have, in short my world, has been pre set by God, that I might seek him.Paul testified of this on mars hill,

And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;That they should seek the Lord…(Acts 17:26-27)

*Them He also called… God’s call is the gospel call, and “the called according to His purpose” are those who hear the call and respond in faith. I have often asked, why is it that conviction came upon me, and not my peers? Why was I awakened to the danger to my soul, and yet others around me were oblivious?

I heard God’s call…the word came with power to me.He made me restless for something higher, purer, for another better country. This is the call of God, it makes us into pedestrians, pilgrims and strangers.

* Those he called he also justified…Our relationship with God is legal first, our primal need is to be “put in the right with God”, we need the justification of our lives before God and His holy law.This is what jesus purchased for us by His death and resurrection.

As we have already seen in this study of Romans, the major theme that Jesus’ own righteousness will be imputed to us,

“…if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead;Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.”(Romans 4:25a-26)

* Those he justified them he also glorified… Finally, glorification, which is the finished product, the end of our salvation, the final eradication of all sin, death, corruption,and any other effects of the fall.

Notice that to God , this is already done. He has already purposed it, there is nothing in creation that could ever thwart that purpose, he that has begun the good work shall complete it until the day of Christ! What an assurance! What a Saviour! Hallelujah!!!

" We have looked at the tremendously comforting promise of God, that He will make “all things to work together for good to those who love Him and are the called according to His purpose”. All too often this amazing promise is half quoted in an almost glib way, such as “Remember,all things work together…”, as if it applies in a general way to every situation. "

It only works together for good for those who love him, his saints, his beloved, his chosen ones, not the world, not those who do not know GOD.
Jesus says to us, that we love him because he first loved us, even when we were dead in our sins and trespasses, he came to quicken us to him, he made us alive, he reconciled us to him.

" In other words it can’t mean simply that God knew before what was going to happen, God sent Jesus into the world knowing and planning for Jesus to be slain upon the cross for our sins. It is a deliberate word. We are chosen according to the “foreknowledge of God”, according to Peter. "

It was GOD's " determinate counsel " ( God's CHOICE , GOD's deliberate will, not by some kind of chance ) of his knowledge of his own will.

Those he foreknew ? those who were chosen, those through God's determined will were chosen IN christ.

* Whom He foreknew, He also did predestinate…The word predestinate, pro-orizo , literally means to establish boundaries beforehand. We get our word Horizon from this greek word, which usually means ‘boundaries”.

Those who love God and are the called according to his purpose,have been placed within a perimeter set by God himself, that we might seek him. The “horizons” I live within, such as the times I was born into, the culture, the family, the abilities I have, in short my world, has been pre set by God, that I might seek him.Paul testified of this on mars hill,

And you can't find out what is in the mist of something , or the center of something ( like the Garden of Eden ) until there are boundaries set, a perimeter set.
God set the tree of life ( Jesus Christ ) in the mist, the Gospel.

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