FOREKNOWLEDGE, PREDESTINATION, AND THE ETERNAL SECURITY OF THE BELIEVER
Romans 8:28-39
As taught by Dave Lindstrom
I. A believer’s present life of sanctification (growing in holiness, being set apart to God) is a cooperative effort between our new nature and the Holy Spirit (vs 28).
A. We learned in verse 22 through 26 that we presently live in “weakness” because of the struggle with our remnant flesh and our physical limitations.
B. We learned in verse 27 that the Holy Spirit prays for us in precise, unspoken ways according to God’s will which strengthens us.
C. The “all things” are the sufferings of this present world which all believers now go through (vs 28; Rom. 8:17,18,23; 5:3-5).
D. The “ones loving”(agaposin- present, active, participle) God are obedient believers who are serving God in the Holy Spirit rather than following their flesh (vs 28; Rom. 6:6-13,16,17,20-23; 7:4-6,25; 8:1-5,13,14; John 15:8-17).
1. These “God-loving ones” have been called (invited) according to the purpose (plan, design, will) of God (vs 28; Rom. 1:6,7).
2. These “God-loving ones’” present weaknesses and sufferings work together under the Holy Spirit’s leading (Rom. 8:13,14) for good (something upright and intrinsically valuable such as fruit unto holiness and God (Rom. 6:22, 7:4; John 15:8; Eph. 2:10), and fulfilling God’s plan of conforming His created ones into Christ’s image)(vs 29; Eph. 4:23,24).
Thought: How have you seen the Holy Spirit weave your sufferings for good?
II. A believer’s present sanctification is being provided on a moment by moment basis by God, and a believer’s ultimate conformity with Christ (glorification) is eternally secure (vs 29-39).
A. In God’s plan and purpose, we have already been foreknown, predestined, called, justified, and glorified (vs 29,30).
1. Foreknow (proegno) simply means “to know beforehand” (vs 29; I Pet. 1:2).
2. Predestined (proorisen) means to mark out a boundary beforehand or to foreordain (vs 29,30) in this case to adoption and ultimate conformity to Christ(also Eph. 1:4,5).
3. Called (invited), justified (declared righteous, past-salvation) and glorified (future-salvation associated with our new bodies and ultimate conformity to Christ) add to the certainty of our salvation.
B. There are three main ways to try to make the Biblical doctrines of foreknowledge and predestination fit together with human responsibility and free will in regards to salvation.
1. Calvanism: God has a free will but humans do not. God’s foreknowledge and predestinations are based only on his unconditional choice which is governed by his attributes of love, mercy and goodness. (John 6:44; Eph. 1:4,5; I Pet. 1:2; Rom. 9:10-25 are support verses.)
2. Arminianism: God has a free will and humans have free enough wills. In this view, God knew in advance those that would eventually believe and then predestined and chose them for salvation. Therefore, God’s choice was conditionally based on the result of who would believe, (Rom. 10:13; I Tim. 2:3,4; 4:10; 2 Pet. 3:9; Eph. 1:4,5; I Pet. 1:2 are support verses.)
3. Some aspects of both views bound up in the mystery of God. (Deut. 29:29; Psalm 19; Acts 14:15-17; 17:26-28; Rom. 1:19,20 are support verses.)
C. A believer’s salvation is eternally secure. Nothing can separate a believer from the love of God (vs 31-39).
1. God has given us Christ and everything we will need for our continued growth in sanctification (vs 31,32).
2. God has set up the perimeters of our salvation, declared us righteous and through Christ’s Spirit cares for us (vs 33,34).
3. A believer can never be separated from the love of Christ or the love of God in Christ (vs 35-39).
a. Presently a believer has everything needed to conquer or win a most glorious victory in spite of the severe suffering in this world (vs 35-37).
b. Presently and in the future a believer cannot be separated by any unknown bodily existence or spiritual force (vs 38-39).
Thought: Do you have doubts of your salvation? Why?
