God's Salvation (2)

[Romans 8:29-30]

Look at Romans 8:29: "For those whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers" [(Contemporary Bible) "God foreknew those who loved him, and he predestined them to be conformed to the image of his Son, so that Christ might be the firstborn among many saints"].

Here, the Korean Bible begins Romans 8:29 with "For those whom God foreknew...", but in the original Greek, before this phrase, there is the preposition "For" (ὅτι). This preposition serves to connect the verse with the previous one, verse 28, and in my opinion, verse 29 provides a more detailed explanation of the message in verse 28. In other words, the apostle Paul is explaining in verse 29 what was clearly understood by him and the saints in the church of Rome—that for those who love God, that is, for those who are called according to His purpose, everything works together for good.

To put it another way, what the apostle Paul is clarifying in verse 29 is that those who love God, that is, those who "were loved first by God" (1 John 4:19) and who are called according to His purpose, to them everything works together for good, and that God will certainly accomplish salvation (the "good"). This is a more concrete explanation of what Paul stated in Romans 8:28.

The apostle Paul is speaking about "those whom God foreknew" (verse 29), and here "those whom God foreknew" refers to those who love God, that is, those who are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28), and those whom God loved beforehand (cf. Amos 3:2). God is love (1 John 4:8, 16), and the God of love loves all people He has created (general love). However, in Romans 8:29, the "foreknowledge" of God refers not to this general love but to a special love: God's salvific love.

This special salvific love of God is the love that led to the giving of His only Son for our salvation (John 3:16), and this love is not only extended to us before our birth but also before the creation of the world ("before the foundation of the world") (Ephesians 1:4). God's "before the foundation of the world" love is a love of choice, and the apostle Paul refers to those who have received this love of choice in Romans 8:30, calling them "those whom He predestined" [those whom God "predestined" (Contemporary Bible)].

The Apostle Paul says that God "predestined those He foreknew to be conformed to the image of His Son" [(Modern Bible) "He predestined them to be conformed to the likeness of His Son"]. (Romans 8:29). Here, the word "image" refers to the form, and in the original Greek, it means "to resemble, to be similar, to appear like." In Matthew 22:15-21, we see that the Pharisees, in an attempt to trap Jesus, sent their disciples along with Herod's followers to ask Him this question (15-16): "... Tell us what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?" (17). At that time, Jesus, knowing that they were testing Him with their cunning thoughts, told them, "Show me the coin used for the tax" (18-19). When they brought Him a denarius, Jesus asked them, "Whose image and inscription is this?" (19-20). Their answer was, "Caesar's." In other words, they were referring to the image (likeness) of the Roman Emperor Caesar (21).

In Romans 8:29, the "image of His Son" is not referring to the image of Jesus during His 33 years of earthly life, when He was weak and human. Rather, it refers to the glorious image of the risen and ascended Lord, who is now seated at the right hand of God. The God of love loved us before the foundation of the world (Romans 8:29) and chose and predestined us (Ephesians 1:4-5) with the purpose that we might be conformed to the image of His Son, who is seated on the heavenly throne (Romans 8:29).

So, when do we conform to the image of the Lord? When Jesus returns, we will fully be conformed to the image of the Lord as we sit on the heavenly throne with Him and receive glory (Romans 8:30). Right now, the Holy Spirit is helping us to progressively and partially be conformed to that image of the Lord (sanctification).

The Apostle Paul says, "For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, in order that He might be the firstborn among many brothers" (Romans 8:29). The God of love loved us before the foundation of the world, chose us, and predestined us with the purpose that we might be conformed to the image of the Lord, who is seated on the heavenly throne (29). The purpose is that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, may be the firstborn among many brothers (29).

Here, we must think about the term "many brothers." While Jesus was on earth, He never referred to His disciples as "brothers." However, after His resurrection from the tomb, He referred to them as "brothers." In John 20:17, we read: "Jesus said to her, 'Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to My brothers and say to them, I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.'" The term "disciple" refers to a follower in relation to a teacher, but "brother" refers to a family relationship. Our relationship with Jesus and His disciples here on earth is a relationship of both disciple and brother. However, when Jesus returns, and we are resurrected and transformed to enter heaven, our relationship will fully be that of brothers. In other words, our relationship with Jesus, the Son of God, will be fully realized as brotherly when we reach heaven (along with the completion of our salvation). Ultimately, the Apostle Paul teaches that we will all be glorified (Romans 8:30), which means we will go to heaven.

Another word that we should think about is "firstborn" (29). This word means "the preeminent one." Jesus is the preeminent one. Philippians 2:9-11 speaks of Jesus Christ as the preeminent one: "Therefore God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

By God's grace, He not only made us alive together with Christ, but He also raised us up and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:6). The Bible says that we are seated with Christ in the heavenly places. Salvation is therefore certain.

The God of love has loved us since before the foundation of the world. Therefore, God has chosen us in advance to bestow upon us the grace of salvation. We are people who have received salvation by God's sovereign grace. Therefore, we must give thanks for God's grace of salvation and offer Him praise and worship. We must also go forward with the assurance of our salvation, looking forward in faith to the glory that we will receive, and overcoming all the present suffering. In particular, we must enjoy God's grace of salvation through the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ, live partially in the heavenly life here on earth, and strive to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ.