Last time we looked at Romans 8:28-29 and we saw that the Lord is working all things together for our good. The good that He identifies in Romans 8:29 is to be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ. God is working all these things in our lives in order that we might mature in our spiritual development so that we might become more like His Son. He has mentioned in Romans 8:29 the word “predestined” which scares a lot of people. It really shouldn’t. If we believe in a Sovereign God, we realize He is in charge of all things. It says that He has predestined us to be conformed to the image of His Son. Then in Romans 8:30 we pick that back up and it goes on to talk more about our security in Christ.
Romans 8:30 says, “and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.” So, the predestined whom He has called to himself are also justified. Notice that there is no break here. Everyone who has been predestined has been justified. Now theologically, that means we have been made righteous, our sins have been forgiven and we have been given the righteousness of God and now we are in favor with God. It is a legal term speaking of our standing with God. All those whom He has called have been justified. There is no break. Those whom He justified He also glorified, no break. So, if we have been justified by Christ, then we will also be glorified with Him. This is even speaking as if it is a done deal, so even though this glorification, our ultimate glorification, will be in eternity when we go to be with the Lord, He speaks of it as if it is already a done deal. He has predestined these people, He called them, He justified them, and He glorified them. These people are His people, and nothing breaks that chain. Some have called this the Golden Chain of Redemption because here we have this chain of redemption. So, we know that if we have been set aside by Him and called and justified, then we will be glorified! There is nothing that can take that away. He is going to develop that argument more fully, but we have been taken this far right now . . .
