Introduction

Last week regarding the sovereignty unit of Romans 8:29-30, we concentrated our efforts on the single word-foreknew. We should not underestimate the importance of correct understanding of this word because radically different world views depend on how it is interpreted here in Romans 8. It is truly a hinge concept in this context and a hinge concept in one's theology.

So what did we do last week and what did we find? We surveyed examples of know and foreknow and found: 1) both have a generic use concerned with gathering and perceiving information, 2) both also have a rich use in Scripture referring to electing love or loving election. "You only have I known" in Amos 3 cannot be informational since information about other nations was just given (and of course God is omniscient). It means to love with distinction; it refers to electing love. Knowing Jeremiah before he was born (Jer. 1:5) set him apart. With regard to Jeremiah, it is not that God foresaw a difference in him (such as foreseen faith). Rather, God's foreseeing set apart, ordained, and brought that difference into being. What does it mean for Jesus to be foreknown before the creation (1 Pet. 1:20)? It means that He was loved in a unique and distinguishing way by the Father (as Jn. 17:24). 3) We also found that the usage of foreknow in Romans 8:29 as foreseen faith is untenable. This unbiblical view of foreknowing is nowhere laid out in this passage or Scripture as a whole and it goes against the flow of this text that puts accent on the acts of God. Consequently, to make salvation a matter of foreseen faith adds a weak human link to the golden infallible chain of God's own actions. 4) We concluded that electing love is the fount of every blessing because it serves as a hinge between Romans 8:28 and 29. It loops back or swings the door back to v. 28 telling us that providence is the outworking of God's electing love. By the looping back a relationship is established between foreknown and providence. This must be a relationship of a loving heart to loving deeds. It is the relation of a well-spring to its refreshing overflow. Providence (Rom. 8:28) flows from the fountain of loving election (from being foreknown/foreloved).

Today we will see how "foreknew" swings the door forward in v. 29 showing us that electing love is the fount of the blessing of predestination. My title should indicate that this is a friendly subject: "Predestination: An Overflow of Love." [1A. Electing love is the fount of every blessing (last week), 2A. Electing love is the fount of the blessing of predestination (today)]. I will develop this message in two parts: the definition of predestination, and its application in our text.

1B. Let’s begin with the definition of predestination.

I will give a basic definition which will be like turning on the screen of a computer monitor. Then three windows will open up on that screen giving us three distinctions that build on the basic meaning (we may have to click between windows)

The basics of predestination

This much debated word has the basic meaning of fore-ordain. It means to ordain an end beforehand and thus to pre-set a destiny or predetermine a destiny that is reached with certainty by God's power and will. A verse that directs us to this definition is Acts 4:27-28. This is a remarkable verse that combines human responsibility with divine sovereignty in a bold terms: "Herod…Pilate…the Gentiles…Israel…conspired against…Jesus" and "They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen." The actions of the people who plotted against the Lord Jesus and put Him to an open shame were predestined (NIV: "decided beforehand"). This is expressed by a convergence of the terms power, will, and predestined. In other words, the evil actions by these responsible agents (cf. Acts 2:23, 36-38) were part of God's predetermination of history and came to pass in history by God's own power and will.

A tie is made between God's pre-set plan of what will occur and His power that is active in history controlling events and realizing His will. This convergence informs us that included in God's plan of these events is His plan, His predetermination, to use His power to bring them to pass. He planned the use of His power to actualize His plan. Then in history, He acts according to His plan and brings it to realization step by step (cf. the question: "when God does something in history does He do it by accident or on purpose?" Each step by step act of God in history is in accord with His predetermined plan; He is determined both before history and in history to see to the accomplishment of His purpose.).

We have to say that even the particular sins of people are determined by God. This is a difficult point. It may help to explain this by keeping a number of things in mind. 1) Man sins because he wants to. 2) No one is forced to commit any particular sin. 3) Man is therefore inexcusable and worthy of judgement. 4) But we must also affirm that man could not even sin if God did not sustain his very breath. 5) We must further affirm that man sets out to commit various sins but is foiled in some and performs others, and it is God who decides which sins man will commit and which one's he will be prevented form committing. 6) Thus, God is in absolute control; He acts according to a complete plan for His own ends (He frustrates the plans of men; His counsel stands forever, Prov. 16:4, 9,33; Ps. 33:10-11).

There is much to weigh in this context to be sure. We must accept all that God has revealed and go that far in our thinking but no further (cf. Deut 29:29 and the notion of theological paradox in "Paradox and Answer Giving," 8-30-98).

So a basic definition of predestination is the predetermining of a destination and a predetermination of the means of reaching that destination by the power and will of God. The end or goal is rendered certain in the plan of God from the beginning.

The term has three ways that it is used (let's open some computer windows)

This is already a difficult topic that calls for humility and carefulness in drawing conclusions. But it is also complex as seen in these uses. We definitely need some disciplined and clear thinking. We have many definitions before us today but they are very important!

First, it is used of God's plan of all things (cf. WSC, Q 7, "he hath foreordained whatsoever comes to pass"). But our text (Rom. 8:29) is much narrower: it focuses on conformity to Christ. Second, it may be an equivalent to election (Eph. 1:5, predestined to adoption as children of God). But that is not the use in Rom. 8:29. Why not? Because predestination is distinguished from the foreknowing/electing love. It is the overflow of election (those he foreknew, he also predestined). So it is not equivalent to election. Here is what we have in Romans 8:29: those that God foreloved with a distinguishing and electing love are also appointed to a destiny, to a goal that will be reached by His power and will, to the goal of conformity to Christ.

The basic meaning of predestination holds in each distinct window of meaning: the foreordination of all things is worked out in time by His power and will, the election of particular sinners is realized by His power and will, and conformity to Christ will be completed by His power and will.

God wants us to know these things. They are plainly set forth. They may boggle the mind but what we have here is the nourishing word of God, the Almighty Alpha and Omega.

Before moving on, let's put this in perspective by defining foreknow, elect, purpose, predestination and providence in relation to our text. Foreknow refers to God's choosing with an accent on His love (hence, forelove; cf. Jn. 17:6, "they were yours"; Jn. 17:9, "not the world…the given ones…are yours"), elect (cf. Rom. 8:33) accents the element of selection but with a connotation of treasuring and holding as precious (cf. Deut. 7:6), purpose is God's plan of all things before the creation of the world, providence is God's control of all things in time (within earth history) and predestination (here in Rom. 8) is that specific act within God's plan whereby He pre-set the destiny of His chosen people planning what He will do by His power and will to see them through to their destination.

2B. Application (a closer look at our destiny)

What is our destiny as God's people? To what goal are God's people lovingly pre-appointed by the power and will of God? The goal to which we are pre-appointed is described in two interrelated ways: conformity to Christ and sonship with Christ (we shall be conformed to Him who is preeminent and we shall share in His eminence).

1) First, our destiny is conformity to Christ.

Literally, Paul says: "those God foreknew he also predestined conformity to the likeness of his Son." The outflow of electing love is our appointment to be brought into conformity to his Son.

Note the final phrase: "to his Son"? It suggests a number of things to us as we read in Romans. From 8:3 and 8:32 we are directed to the special and unique relationship that Christ has as the only-begotten Son of God, the Beloved Son in whom the Father is well-pleased (Matt.3:17; Jn. 3:35). Furthermore, the One who is uniquely God's Son is also the One "who according to his human nature was a descendent of David and who through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead" (Rom. 1:3-4). Therefore, conformity to His Son means conformity to God the Son, the descendent of David, our risen Lord and King. Thus, what happened to Him in His exaltation as the incarnate Word shall happen likewise to us. He was raised from the dead; so, conformity to Him includes the quickening of this mortal body that is subject to dying and death (Rom. 8:10-11).

Therefore our destination is great, it is certain, and it flows from a great source. As Murray states, conformity to Christ shows both the dignity of predestination and the greatness of the love from which it flows (Romans, 318). The electing love of God has predestined the transformation of the body of this humiliation into the likeness of the body of Christ's glory (Murray, 319). We shall be like Him for we shall see Him as He is (1 Jn. 3:2). A process begun now will certainly be completed according to God's predetermining plan, power, and will. At present, we are being transformed into his likeness (2 Cor. 3:18). That process will eventually be finalized when we reach our destination. A marvelous thought: history is going somewhere, we are going somewhere, we have an appointed date with destiny. True we suffer now but it is with Christ and we have a destination: we shall be like Him (cf. 1 Cor. 15:49; Phil. 3:21; Rom. 8:11, 17, 18, 21, 23).

Notice further that Paul does not just speak of conformity to his Son but of conformity to the image of His Son. What can we glean from this? To answer this question we must widen our lens to include God's goal for man from the very beginning of creation. From the beginning of the creation God had the goal of bringing His created image (male and female) to Sabbath rest with Himself as Sabbath king. The weekly cycle of a six and one pattern of work and rest anticipates and promises that eternal Sabbath rest with God in His rest. In electing love, God determined that we shall reach His goal for His image-bearer, man, despite the fall. Conformity to Christ means full and complete restoration from the fall and attainment of the goal of history. This is the highest conceivable good for man made in the image and likeness of God. It is to attain that for which we were created.

2) Second, our destiny is tied to the pre-eminence of Christ

This highest good of restoration from the fall shall be brought about for an even higher end. That higher end is the preeminence of Christ (firstborn means preeminent as is indicated in Ps. 89:27 in two ways: as a reference to David, he is not the firstborn of Jesse in a chronological sense; as a reference to Christ, He is the King of kings).

Thus the ultimate focal point of predestination is the preeminence of Christ. But that does not leave us out of the picture. Because we have a share. We have a share in His preeminence. We are called out from darkness into His marvelous light to form His called out people, the church (literally, "the called ones"), and His family. We are the redeemed human family, the redeemed world, the new humanity in the second Adam who is our Elder brother. As the King of kings He is not ashamed to call us His brothers and sisters (cf. Heb.2:11, he makes us "of one and the same family"). He is not ashamed of us. Indeed, He rejoices to call us His brothers and sisters and thus because of us He sings hymns to the Father's name (Rom. 15:9). He does so in the presence of the congregation (Heb. 2:12). This shows that the realization of electing love by means of a certain and determined predestination is covenantal. It is fulfilling the covenant between Christ and the Father in which those who were owned by the Father, the elect, were given to Christ as His own and owning them Christ, the Word, became flesh to reclaim them from the effects of the fall. The eternal covenant is worked out in history in a covenantal way.

Conclusions

1) Predestination is a comforting truth.

It is this in at least two ways. a) It includes the power and will of God that renders our destiny certain, safe, and sure. b) It arises from electing love and thus reassures us that we are loved and bound for a safe arrival home to heaven.

Predestination confirms providence in the face of suffering.Predestination defines and particularizes the working of all for our good. It reassures us that the power and will of God are at work in all things for our good.

The fact is that electing love ordains with certainty that God's people reach eternal Sabbath rest. That particular aspect in the plan of God assures us that all things are being worked for our ultimate and eternal good. If that end of all of history is sure then all that transpires, including suffering, must be now working for our good. It is impossible that it be otherwise.

Suffering may come to us at the hands of evil people as it did to our Lord but that evil is in God's full control, and is worked for our good. We suffer with Christ at our side that we may share in His glory.

2) Predestination is a family matter.

Much emphasis is given to the idea of being God's covenant people and this should have a large place in our thinking and conduct. It should cause us to value the family of believers of whatever stripe. We are predestined to conformity to Christ as His brothers and sisters. Predestination is an outworking of the Father's love in giving a family to Christ forever. Since our destiny is to make up the new humanity in glory and since that predestined end is in process now, then this ought to affect our conduct now: it ought to curb our selfishness and open our hearts to do good to all but especially to the household of faith.

This doctrine tells us what we shall be by God's determined love for us; it therefore summons us to be like the Lord Jesus now-to work at this with determined love. Thus as we think about the coming week and our busy-ness, this doctrine ought to give us pause to evaluate our priorities so that loving obedience will pour forth out of our lives.

3) Predestination is a matter of worship

Electing love and covenantal purpose cause Jesus to sing (Heb. 2:12). It caused Him to praise and thank the Father (Matt. 11:25-26). His example says something very positive about such doctrine for us. Similarly, predestination caused the church in Acts (4:27-28) to give theological, yes, predestinarian praise to God! These examples should cause us to revel in meditation on forelove and predestination. It should impact our closest communion with God in prayer.

Good is defined as conformity to Christ. How is it the highest good possible? Conformity to Christ brings about the end for which man was created-to image and thus to glorify God. How can it be that for us to reach our greatest end serves the greatest end of creation? Our greatest end and the greatest end converge. The end of all ends is the glory of God and when we reach our end as image we reflect God's glory.

All glory belongs to the bleeding Lamb! And in Him we have full restoration from all the effects of the fall to fulfill our destiny as His image bearers and thus to be all that we can be and receive ultimate pleasure, happiness, sense of purpose, meaning, value, dignity! What else can we do but praise and thank Him for predestination as an outflow of His love.