Lectionary Bible Studies and Sermons


Romans

The future glory. 8:28-30

[Seed logo] Introduction
      The purpose of this short passage in chapter 8, is to underline the hope expressed in verses 17-27. We have a sure hope, but it is blurred by the inward struggles of life, of doubts, fears, indwelling sin, ... We groan within as we await the dawning of the new age. Paul therefore, wants to reassure his readers with the knowledge that God is a purposeful God. His purpose is that we be transformed into the image of his Son. He has elected us to his good purpose, he has determined our future, he has called us to himself, he has begun making us righteous by grace through faith and he has glorified us and will glorify us in Christ. Thus, although we "groan inwardly", we can be sure that all of life's circumstances will be used by God to achieve his ultimate purpose in our lives.

The passage
      v28a. Nothing can harm, in a spiritual sense, those who really love God. Rather, our spiritual struggle, in the midst of life's vagaries, helps us to move toward the greater good of our salvation. The reason for this is that God is in control. His power and control is such that even our failures can serve his will. "All things work together for good for those who love God", NRSV.
      v28b. Paul further defines "those who love God", to reinforce the truth that God is in charge and is achieving our salvation, even through our doubts, fears and failures. Those who have accepted God's invitation in the gospel are woven into God's eternal purpose to perfect a people to be with him in eternity.
      v29. The next two verses support the contention of v28. They outline five steps in God's purpose to conform a people, a community, into the image of Jesus. The first two, found in verse 29, predate the creation. They are the foreknowledge of this people (ie. God's design and intention to form this people unto himself) and his gracious decision to act on behalf of this people. The word "predestined" describes God's decision to achieve a predetermined goal, the goal being the creation of a people to share eternity with him.
      v30. The next two steps in God's purpose for his people are in the present time: first, the invitation to gather with this new community, and second, the declaration of a status of righteousness for all members. The word "called" is seen by some as a sovereign act of God to choose individuals for membership, but a general invitation is more likely. The fifth and final step is the glorification of the members of God's new community. This reality is still in the future, although there is a sense where it impinges on the present moment.

The lesson of life
      For most of us, each day passes quickly and seemingly with little importance. The day is filled with a mass of events, circumstances, encounters, troubles and joys. There seems little purpose in the surge of mindless events that make up each twenty-four hours, each week, each month and each year. We just ride along as best we can, not getting too down-in-the-mouth when we face times of trouble, but certainly lapping up the good times when they come our way. For all intents and purpose, the circumstances of life seem little more than the product of mindless chance - action and reaction. The stone goes into the pond and the ripples move outward and touch each one of us. The ripple may leave us feeling defeated, oppressed, groaning within, but at other times, elated, more than conquerors.
      Yet, God is not bound by this endless chain of events. He is master of every circumstance, and he can take these seemingly mindless events and use them to his purpose. Nor is he limited by our weakness. God knows what is in our hearts and Christ happily speaks for us.
      God's purpose, as far as this world is concerned, is the gathering to himself of a people and their transformation into sons of God. This purpose he has completed in Christ and so now we may freely become a member of God's redeemed people, this remnant, this chosen people, this called-out, predestined people. Membership guarantees the gift of Christ's righteousness and the eternal glorification of our beings. All this is ours when we reach out to Jesus in faith. "Ask and you will receive."
      For us then, every event, no matter how small, has the potential to work toward our transformation. Every little moment, every circumstance, joy, weakness, failure, sacrifice and trouble, can be used by our Lord in the transforming of our natures into the image of Jesus.
      Obviously, we have to learn to view each day as potentially purifying. No matter what the situation is, God can use it for our good. So, next time when sin, failure, trouble..... enters our lives, instead of getting down in the mouth, we need to look to the one who can use any circumstance for our ultimate good. There are lessons to be learnt in the most mundane of daily events, for life is but the schoolroom of eternity.

Discussion
      1. Those who are in a relationship with Christ and thus "love" God, "have been called according to his purpose", v28. This "call", in Reformed circles, is known as the "effectual call", ie. God's call of an individual is effective for their salvation. Thus by implication, those he doesn't call are not saved. Discuss this view.
      2. God's sovereignty is strongly demonstrated in this passage. What has God "predestined" for those in Christ? (Note also v30).
      3. What are the "all things" and "the good" of v28?


Notes

Textual notes   Abbreviations,   Bibliography
 
      Paul, having stated his thesis in 1:16-17, that the covenant faithfulness of God is appropriated through faith, proceeds in 1:18-2:11 to establish the universality of sin, reminding self-righteous Jewish believers ("the weak", 15:1) that they too are infected by the stain of sin, 2:1-5, the consequence of which is divine condemnation, 2:6-11. Then, in 2:12-29, Paul examines the place of the law in the righteous judgment of God, making the point that those Jewish believers who have retained their standing under the law, even though circumcised, actually break the law and thus face the curse of the law and the "wrath and fury" of God's condemnation. In 3:1-8 Paul answers two objections to his rather negative view of the standing of Jewish believers under the law, namely, that he devalues the covenant/law and that he promotes libertarianism. Then, in 3:9-20, Paul drives home his conclusion, namely that the human condition of universal sin and its consequence is not avoided by submission to the law, for the law only serves to make sin more sinful. In 3:21-30 Paul draws a conclusion from his argument so far. When it comes to the covenant faithfulness of God, whether in judgment or vindication, there is no "distinction" between a person under the law, or a person outside the law. All have sinned and stand condemned, and all who believe are justified, and this because they rest, not on their own faithfulness, but the faithfulness of Christ - his "sacrifice of atonement." So, for believing Jews, like Paul, there is no ground for "boasting" about their faithfulness under the law, for a person is judged in the right with God ("justified") by faith and not by obedience. From 3:31 to 4:25, Paul explains, with reference to the life of Abraham, how his gospel of right-standing in the sight of God by faith does not "nullify" the law, rather, it "fulfills" the law; faith "fulfills / completes" the justification to which the law of Moses pointed. Then in 5:1-11 Paul draws together the consequence of his argument so far, namely, a believer's "reconciliation with God."
      Having dealt with the business of justification, of right-standing before God, Paul, in 5:12-8:39 examines the business of living right before God, of possessing the fullness of life which belongs to those who are in Christ. In 5:12-21 Paul explains how Christ's saving death has brought eternal life to all humanity by overcoming the curse of Adam's sin and then in 6:1-23 he explains how "newness of life", right-living before God, apart from the law, is expressed in the life of a believer as a natural consequence of their right-standing before God. In 7:1-25, Paul examines the place of the law in the Christian life. First, in v1-6, he explains that a Christian is no longer "under the law", is "discharged from the law", has "died to the law." Then in v7-12 he "deals with a possible misunderstanding by repudiating the suggestion that the law is sin, asserting that, far from being sin, it is that which makes him recognize sin", Cranfield. In v13-25 he goes on to answer the question, "did that which is good (the law) become death to me?" That is, is the law responsible for our death? The answer is, sin is responsible for our death; the law serves only to highlight our sinful state. Paul then illustrates this condition in v14ff.
      In chapter 8 Paul now explains that the justified believer, apart from the law, is being shaped into the perfection of Christ through the indwelling compelling of the Spirit. Paul begins, in v1-4, by restating the truth that in Christ Jesus, through his death on our behalf, we are free from the condemnation of sin and free from the oppression of the law and thus are free to live for God. Therefore, v5-11, the believer is faced with two alternatives in the Christian life, a natural alternative and a spiritual alternative. We may strive to fulfill the law and find ourselves controlled by sin, or we may rest in faith on the renewal of the Spirit and find ourselves beginning to live out the righteousness we posses in Christ. In v12-17 Paul explains what it means to be led by the Spirit in the Christian life. Paul then moves in v18-30 to compare the present existence of believers with the future glory that awaits us. There is difficulty in the present, but this cannot be compared with the coming glory, v18. The whole of God's creation groans as it awaits that glorious day when the sons of God begin their rule with Christ, v19-22. Along with creation, believers groan, yearning for that day of glory, v23-25. Even the Spirit groans as he empathizes with us in our struggle, v26-27. Yet, through all the troubles of life, God's purposes are none-the-less being worked out for those who have put their trust in him. "No matter what the circumstances, that purpose will not be overthrown, and it culminates in final glory", Morris, v28-30.
      Some argue that in v28-30 Paul teaches "the effectual call" (the second point of Calvinism, resolved at the Synod of Dort in 1619 - God's choice of certain individuals for salvation before the foundation of the world), yet when considered within the wider context, especially chapters 9-11, we see that Paul is not arguing for the choice of individuals for salvation, but rather the sovereign choice of a righteous line who obtain a righteousness that comes from God through faith and who thus, stand approved before God, sharing in the blessings of his glory. This righteous line, this "remnant chosen by grace" is an inclusive people united to the messiah. Christ himself is the faithful child of God, the righteous one; he is Israel, the people of God; he is God's faithful remnant. In Christ, this remnant, this righteous line, is broadened to include those who stand with Abraham and respond to God in faith. Through faith Israel stands as God's "elect" "remnant" and through faith we Gentiles, the "wild olive shoot", are grafted into the remnant of Israel. This is a product of "God's mercy", of his grace.
      It does seem that entry into the called-out chosen people of God, the remnant, the new Israel, is not a matter of God's sovereign selection of individuals for salvation, but rather a response of faith in the saving work of Christ, a response to an invitation. "It is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved", Rom.10:10.
      Given the contentious nature of this issue, students will need to resolve this matter for themselves.

v28
      oidamen (oida) perf. "we know" - Paul includes his readers in this knowledge. It is general knowledge.
      toiV agapwsin (agapaw) part. "those who love" - to the ones loving. Participle as a substantive. Here lit. "the loving ones", those who love God. Calvin says that such love includes the whole of true religion, but it probably means trust in God, relying on him, accepting his promises.
      panta (paV pasa pan) "all things" - everything. NIV "all things work together" has the word as a subject. There are other possibilities. "God works all things", "God works with regard toward all things." The "all things" most likely refer to the "present sufferings" of v18, which are more likely the "groan inwardly" sort of sufferings, rather than outward persecution. So, taken as an accusative of respect, "in everything God works for good", RSV.
      sunergei (sunergew) "works" - work together with, assist one another. Yet assist, help or profit, may be closer to the mark. Paul's point then is that "all things", in the sense of the struggles of our Christian walk, are profitable for those who love God. The variant reading for "God" causes some problems. Are the "all things/everything" working together for those who love God, or is it God who is working in the "all things/everything" for those who love him? We are certainly strongly influenced by "all things work together for good", AV, but it is better read as "in everything God works for good with those who love him", RSV (although not NRSV).
      agaqon adj. "good" - good. Here in the sense of advantageous, beneficial. The inward struggle over indwelling sin, doubts, fears, .... is beneficial when it serves to prepare us, strengthen us..... for eternity. So the good is not worldly welfare, but rather ultimate salvation and all that this entails.
      proqesin (iV ewV) "purpose" - plan, intention, purpose, setting forth. Here, the intention/purpose may be God's, but it can also be ours. That human intention prompts inclusion in God's saving invitation, is an interpretation with a long history, but was opposed by Augustine and later by those of a reformed persuasion. Interestingly, Augustine later argued that God's sovereign choice of the elect was controlled by a foreknowledge of a person's spiritual intentions. This is a two-way-bet and not a sound argument. Better to view the elect, the called out ones, the children of God, Israel, God's son, the servant of God ...... as a people incorporated with the one obedient son of God, namely, Christ. They are incorporated by way of their intentions - a hearing and accepting of the gospel. The forming of a called out people is by way of God's sovereign will. Inclusion in this called out people is by way of a person's intentions, namely, repentance and faith.
      klhtoiV adj. "called" - called, invited, summoned. Reformed believers argue for an "effectual call" of individuals. Yet, it is likely that God's effectual call (a setting apart, an election) is of a people to be with him for eternity, rather than of individuals. This called-out people, this "chosen nation", this new "Israel", this "elect", is made up of those who freely respond in faith to the offer of God's grace in the gospel. By identification with Christ, the elect son of God, they become God's elect.

v29
      ouJV "those" - whom. It is not "what" he foreordained, but rather persons.
      proegnw "foreknew" - Gen.18:19, Jer.1:5, Amos.3:2. God's special knowledge of his people that proceeds even the creation of the world. cf. Eph.1:4, 2Tim.1:9.
      prowrisen (proorizw) aor. ind. act. "predestined" - he predestined, foreordained. To mark, limit or define something beforehand. Here, as an aorist, it is a completed act. It amounts to God's gracious decision, on behalf of the elect, to achieve a predetermined goal.
      summorfouV adj. "conformed" - share the likeness, a substantial conformity to something, not superficial. To be conformed to the likeness of his Son" - Jesus is the likeness/image of God and it was the original purpose of God that we should be conformed into that likeness - take on divinity/sonship: i) For the present, suffering and obedience, through the power of the indwelling Spirit, furthers sanctification (conformity toward Christ-likeness); ii) The final glorification achieves fully that conformity.
      prwtotokon adj. "firstborn" - the privileged one who is greatly loved. "That he might be the firstborn of many brothers" - It was God's purpose, in foreordaining his elect to be conformed into the image of his Son, that Christ might not be alone in the privileges of Sonship, but that such privileges might be shared by a great multitude of brothers and sisters.

v30
      ekalesen (kalew) aor. "called" - summon, invite. The forming, or gathering together, of the righteous remnant in Christ by means of an open invitation. See above for a reformed perspective.
      edikaiwsen (dikaiow) aor. "justified" - declared right in the sight of God. Even made right, in the sense that what God declares so is so, although made right cannot mean without sin. Justification involves a divine act of grace whereby the elect are judged right with God, which declaration prompts an actual shaping into the image of Christ, a "being what we are" (always imperfectly).
      edoxasen (doxazw) aor. ind. act. "glorified" - he glorified. Aorist indicating a completed event. Obviously in this case it is completed in the mind of God. We are glorified, because God intends to glorify us. Our glorification is a foreordained gift which has yet to come, but also there is a sense where it is a present reality in Christ who has already been glorified.


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