Romanos 8:29,30

‘For whom he foreknew, he also foreordained to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers, and whom he foreordained, those he also called, and whom he called, those he also justified, and whom he justified, those he also glorified.'

In Romanos 8:17 Paul had spoken of Christians as those who would be ‘glorified with Him', and in Romanos 8:18 he had spoken of ‘the glory which will be revealed towards us', this being the consequence of our being ‘sons of God'. Then in Romanos 8:19 he has described the process from creation and from the fall of man to the time when we would be finally ‘adopted', when our bodies would be redeemed (Romanos 8:23). Then Christians are to experience ‘the liberty of the glory of the children of God' (Romanos 8:21). Thus he makes clear that our ‘justification' as described in Romanos 3:24 to Romanos 4:25 is to result in our ‘glorification'. Now he sums up the eternal process by which this glorification will be brought about.

This summing up follows on the last defining clause in Romanos 8:28 (‘to those who are called according to His purpose') which now thus leads on to an explanation of what it means to be ‘called according to His purpose'. This explanation refers to those who are caught up in His purpose of salvation for those whom he has chosen, and explains how they will finally be ‘glorified with Him' (Romanos 8:17). In it Paul describes in a series of quick phrases God's activity in redeeming men from the very beginning, commencing with His ‘foreknowing them' even before creation, and ending with His glorifying them on that day when He ‘sums up all things in Christ' (Efesios 1:10). It covers the whole panorama of history. The aorist tenses indicate the certainty of what is to happen to those who are called according to His purpose. They guarantee the successful conclusion of the process as being from God's point of view already completed.

The process commences with ‘foreknowledge' (proginowsko). This means more than ‘knowledge about beforehand' which could have been pro-oida. Ginowsko indicates knowledge gained through personal experience. Thus when Adam had a child by his wife it was after he had ‘known her', and God could say of Israel ‘you only have I known' (Amós 3:2). Compare how Jesus spoke of those to whom He would say, ‘I never knew you' (Mateo 7:23). In each case there is a thought of ‘entering into relationship with' someone. So to ‘foreknow' is to ‘enter into relationship with beforehand' (compare Rom 11:2; 1 Pedro 1:20; Hechos 2:23; 1 Pedro 1:2). In some way it indicates that God entered into relationship with those whom He chooses before time began, ‘in eternity'. In the words of Efesios 1:4, they had been ‘chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world, that they may be holy and blameless before Him', and chosen as a result of being marked down as His. They were His from the beginning even before they were born, and even before the world was created. And He had a personal relationship with them from the beginning.

And those whom He so foreknew ‘He foreordained (proorizow - to decide upon beforehand) to be conformed to the image of His Son.' The very use of the term ‘His Son' takes us back into eternity. Historically speaking He was ‘Jesus Christ'. But in eternity He was His Son (a term only used in Romans in Romanos 1:4; Romanos 5:10; Romanos 8:29). A definition of the word ‘fore-ordained' is found in Hechos 4:28. It indicates His doing ‘whatever His hand and counsel determine beforehand to be done'. Compare also Efesios 1:11, ‘having been fore-ordained according to the purpose of Him Who works all things after the counsel of His own will'. So having entered into relationship with them beforehand He determined beforehand, in accordance with His own purpose and will, to make them like His Son in all respects (compare 1 Juan 3:2). It was His purpose that they should be conformed to the ‘image (inward and thorough likeness) of His Son', the Son described in Romanos 1:3. And this was so that He might be ‘the firstborn (as a result of His resurrection - Colosenses 1:18) among many brothers'. Through His resurrection others would be raised as well who would be made like Him (1 Juan 3:2), who would be glorified with Him (Romanos 8:17), and who would enjoy eternal life with Him (Romanos 5:21).

We might ask when this ‘conforming to the image of His Son' is to take place. Whilst it undoubtedly commences in this life as the Spirit does His work in our hearts (Romanos 5:2; 2 Corintios 3:18; Efesios 5:26) the main emphasis would appear to be on our being conformed to His image at His coming, when we will be transformed ‘in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye (1 Corintios 15:52). See especially 1Co 15:42-44; 1 Corintios 15:49; Filipenses 3:21. It will be ‘when we see Him as He is' that we will be like Him (1 Juan 3:2).

‘And whom He foreordained those he also called.' Having entered into a relationship with them beforehand, and having foreordained them to be conformed to the image of His Son, in due time He ‘called them'. He spoke to them in such a way that they would respond. That this is an effectual call comes out both because it is of a specific group, and because in Paul's letters to be ‘called' always refers to an effectual call. It is a call which brooks no refusal.

‘And whom He called, those He also justified.' Having called those whom He foreknew in such a way that they had to respond, He ‘accounted them as righteous' (Romanos 3:24 to Romanos 4:25) through the gift of the righteousness of Christ (Romanos 5:17). We should note here that God's moral perfection is revealed in that when He saves He does so in righteousness. Those whom He saves must be seen as acceptable in His sight. Their righteousness must be apparent to all. And this is accomplished by their being ‘reckoned as righteous' in accordance with the principles of Romanos 3:24 to Romanos 4:25; Romanos 5:6. From the moment that they are ‘justified by faith', and onwards, they are in a right relationship with Him, and acceptable in His sight, and that in accordance with the principles of righteousness and true holiness. And it is because they have been accounted as righteous (justified) in His sight that He can commence His work of continuing salvation which will finally result in their glorification.

‘And whom he justified, those he also glorified.' The fact that they have been ‘justified', reckoned by God the Judge of all men as righteous, is a guarantee that they will be ‘glorified', that is, that they will experience and partake in His Heavenly glory. Here is the evidence that no one who has truly had accounted to him the gift of righteousness (Romanos 5:17) can ever be lost. Once ‘justified' their glorification is guaranteed. That this glorification includes sanctification can be assumed. In one sense glorification is a process (2 Corintios 3:18). But Paul is here looking at the completion of the process, that point in time when there will be the final transformation. At that final transformation they will be ‘glorified with Him' (Romanos 8:17). Their mundane bodies will be ‘fashioned like His glorious body' (Filipenses 3:21). Those who ‘have been called unto His eternal glory in Christ' (1 Pedro 5:10) will experience that glory. They will be ‘partakers of the glory which will be revealed' (1 Pedro 5:1). They will experience ‘the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory' (2 Timoteo 2:10). They will thus partake in the Heavenly glory (Apocalipsis 21:23; Apocalipsis 22:3). Just as Jesus as the Son returned to ‘the glory which I had with You before the world was' (Juan 17:5), so will His people enter into and experience that glory. ‘The glory which You have given me, I have given them' (Juan 17:22).