Prior Book | Prior Chapter | Prior Verse | Next Verse | Next Chapter | Next Book | Viewing NASB and Amplified 2015 | |
NASB | Romans 8:29 For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Romans 8:29 For those whom He foreknew [and loved and chose beforehand], He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son [and ultimately share in His complete sanctification], so that He would be the firstborn [the most beloved and honored] among many believers. |
Subject: Free will and predestination co-exist? |
Bible Note: Hi, jrankrum... I'll throw my hat in the ring here. Following is the orthodox Christian perspective as laid out by the Scriptures: In a nutshell, there is both predestination (election) of God's own people (i.e., the sovereignty of God) and this so called human free will. Before the fall, God created man with the liberty and freedom to choose to do good (God's will) or evil (contrary to God's will). (See Genesis 3:6; Ecclesiastes 7:29.) After the fall, man's nature was corrupt. The net effect of which, made him unable to choose to do those things that please God, in particular those things related to salvation. (See John 6:44; Romans 5:6; 8:7; Ephesians 2:1,5; Titus 3:3-5.) This inability is not based in a lack of freedom, but rather it is based in a lack of desire! Although their will is free, they lack any desire to submit to God. A free will never chooses what it does not want. Praise God that He divinely intervenes in this hopeless situation! When the Holy Spirit regenerates a man, God changes the heart, freeing him from the slavery of sin. As a result, the new believer desires to please God and seeks to obey Him and bring Him glory. Nevertheless, the heart of the believer can still entertain evil during this life. (See John 8:36; Romans 7:15, 18, 19, 21, 23; Philippians 2:13; Colossians 1:13.) In glory the believer will be perfectly and immutably free to only choose good all of the time (Ephesians 4:13). God created and controls everything. He does only as He pleases. Nothing can thwart Him and nothing can coerce Him. His will is completely independent; i.e., no one gives Him advice. Everything fulfills the purposes for which He created them, because He insures that they will. God knows His own infinite worth and, consequently, does everything for His own glory. (See Job 38:11; Psalm 135:6; Isaiah 46:10,11; Matthew 10:29-31; Ephesians 1:11; Hebrews 1:3.) Nothing happens independently of God's providence (Genesis 8:22; Proverbs 16:33; Acts 2:23). What God decrees is entirely independent of His foreknowledge (Acts 15:18; Romans 9:11, 13, 16, 18). The men that God predestines are clearly designated and numbered by Him (John 13:18; 2 Timothy 2:19). This election was before He made the world, and arises out of His free grace and love, through no merit in those thus chosen; in other words, there is nothing in them nor is there anything that they have done or will do that caused God to choose them (Romans 8:30; 9:13, 16; Ephesians 1:4, 9, 11; 2:5, 12; 1 Thessalonians 5:9; 2 Timothy 1:9). The wonderful thing is that He not only chooses some men to be saved, but He insures that they WILL be saved, even foreordaining the means of their salvation, unalterably insuring it! (See John 6:64; 10:26; 17:9; Romans 8:30; 1 Thessalonians 5:9,10; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; 1Peter 1:2,5.) I want to make it clear: Predestination is still mysterious to us. None of what is written above should imply that we have a complete handle on these doctrines. I doubt that anyone can. They rooted deeply in God Himself. We only have any inkling of them because He has clearly revealed them in the Word. But I can assure you of this: We get close to understanding them, though, ONLY when they produce praise of God, reverence and awe of Him, deep humility, and diligent commitment to God's glory. (See Luke 10:20; Romans 11:5, 6, 20, 33; Ephesians 1:6; 1 Thessalonians 1:4,5; 2 Peter 1:10.) With those things, the assurance of our salvation that these Scriptural doctrines bring, is a wonderful gift of comfort from our Father. In Him, Doc "The will is not destroyed but rather repaired by grace." --John Calvin "God’s predetermination of second causes is that effectual working of His, according to His eternal purpose, whereby though some agents, as the wills of men, are causes most free and indefinite, or unlimited lords of their own actions, in respect of their internal principle of operation (that is, their own nature), they are yet all, in respect of His decree, and by His powerful working, determined to this or that effect in particular; not that they are compelled to do this, or hindered from doing that, but are inclined and disposed to do this or that, according to their proper manner of working, that is, most freely" --John Owen "Man is nothing: he hath a free will to go to hell, but none to go to heaven, till God worketh in him to will and to do his good pleasure" --George Whitefield "The will is in the chains of an evil human nature. You who extol the free will as a great force are clinging to a root of pride. Man, as fallen in sin, is utterly helpless and hopeless. The will of man offers no hope. It was the will choosing the forbidden fruit that brought us into misery. The powerful grace of God alone offers deliverance. Cast yourself upon God’s mercy for salvation. Ask for the Spirit of Grace that He may create a new spirit within you." --Walter Chantry |