Down an Unfamiliar Road

NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

Dr. Robert R. Seyda

EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS

CHAPTER EIGHT (Lesson XLI)

Verse 31: What can we say about all these things? Since God is for us, who can be against us?

The first thing we notice is that Paul asks a question. He is not making a doctrinal statement. Then he offers a possible answer. So it is obvious, to begin with, we must find out what Paul is inquiring about. That takes us back to verse 1 where Paul talks about those who live freely in the Spirit by faith instead of those who are bound under the Law. However, those who live in the Spirit by faith are told they will encounter hard times. That such suffering will cause pain, the type of pain a woman has while giving birth. This may cause us to become weak so that we’re not sure what to ask God for. But don’t worry because the Spirit will speak to God for us. And don’t get discouraged because everything is going to work out for our good in the end.

That’s when Paul has an “Elisha moment!” Elisha found himself encircled by the king of Aram with all his horses, chariots, and a huge army. When Elisha’s servant saw they were surrounded he panicked. That’s when Elisha said: “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”¹ This may have been the inspiration for Paul to say the same thing to the Roman believers in the form of a question. This then leads to a series of questions for which he will give definitive answers.

After laying out all the reasons for our claims for being redeemed, called, chosen, justified, and in line to be glorified along with Christ, Paul senses that perhaps even some Roman believers might have doubts, let alone the unbelievers who would hear it. So in his segue from offense to defense, Paul ties them all together with a very strong motivational statement to the effect that God would stand with us and defend us when we make such claims. Paul would not dare to make an assertion like that if he wasn’t sure that this was already part of God’s way of dealing with unseen things because of His foreknowledge and predestination plan.

For instance, After his battle to free Lot and his family from the kings of the Dead Sea Valley, God spoke to Abraham and told him: “Don’t be fearful, Abram, for I will defend you. And I will give you great blessings.”² Also, when the ten spies gave a dire report on what they found in the Land of Canaan, yet Joshua and Caleb felt there was nothing to fear and they should go forward, they told the doubters: “Do not rebel against the LORD, and do not fear the people of the land. For they are but bread for us to eat! The LORD is with us and He has removed His protection from them! Don’t be afraid of them!”³ And when Moses gave his blessing to the leaders and children of Israel right before his death, he ended with this: “Happy are you, Isra’el! ‘Who is like you, a people saved by Adonai, your defender helping you and your sword of triumph? Your enemies will cringe before you, but you will trample down their idol temples.’”⁴

No doubt, Joshua took this to heart. For when he conquered most of the Promised land, the keeper of the records said: “This was all accomplished in one campaign, for the LORD God of Israel was fighting for His people.”⁵ Later, when King Saul’s son Jonathan was on a reconnaissance mission spying out a Philistine garrison, he decided to get closer. But his aide cautioned him. However, Jonathan said: “Perhaps the LORD will do a miracle for us. For it makes no difference to Him how many enemy troops there are!”⁶ And that’s exactly what happened. After the Philistines spotted them and challenged them to a fight, Jonathan and his aide were able to kill twenty of them before they escaped to safety. And David, who became best friends with Jonathan, remembered that lesson well. For when he faced Goliath the Philistine giant, he told him: “You come to me with a sword and a spear, but I come to you in the name of the LORD of the armies of heaven and of Israel – the very God whom you have defied. Today the Lord will conquer you.”⁷ So Paul had plenty of evidence to make his claim: If God backs us up when we say we are part of the Chosen who are Justified and soon to be Glorified, who can possibly succeed in proving us wrong and keep it from happening?

As mentioned before, Jesus put His own stamp of approval on this when told those who opposed His message of redemption and salvation and questioned His being the Messiah: “The proof is in the miracles I do in the name of my Father… My sheep recognize my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life and they shall never perish. No one shall snatch them away from me, for my Father has given them to me, and He is more powerful than anyone else so no one can kidnap them from me. I and the Father are one.”⁸ Later in one of his letters, the Apostle John had this to say: “Dear young friends, you belong to God and have already won your fight with those who are against Christ because there is someone in your heart who is stronger than any evil teacher in this wicked world.”⁹

On this declaration of having God on our side, early church scholar Origen says that Paul makes it quite clear in the verses leading up to this one, and those that follow, on how we can know that God is for us. It is because the Spirit of God dwells in us and the spirit of Christ is with us.¹⁰ Therefore, since we act in the power of God’s Spirit, and since we have received the seal of adoption, and because we are children of God, heirs and fellow heirs of Christ, only a power greater than this could tear us apart. And we know that no such power exist¹¹.¹² Another commentator agrees that no one would dare attack us when the Judge Himself has foreknown us and pronounced us to be suitable for Him?¹³

Then early church preacher Chrysostom preached on what he hears Paul saying here. The Apostle is telling the believers in Rome that he doesn’t want to hear any more about the dangers and evils swirling all around them. Even if some have trouble believing in the things to come, they have no reason to complain about all the good things which have already taken place. For instance, God’s friendship toward them from the beginning, His justifying work, the assurances He has given, and so on. Yes, the world is against us, but in spite of it being our enemy, God has used it as a source of endless blessings. So in reality nobody is against us!¹⁴ And Pelagius is certain that Paul wants to show that nobody can keep those who love God and who are loved by God from attaining the glory which has been promised. His perfect love for them should dispel any fear of not making it all the way¹⁵.¹⁶

Martin Luther takes Paul’s question for the believer and formulates one for those who oppose them to ask themselves: “If God is against us no one can be for us.” In Luther’s mind, since God is the final judge of all things that cannot exist without His permission, no one can be against that which He has created to benefit those who love Him.¹⁷ Then fellow reformer John Calvin sees these as exclamations that amplify the generosity of God becoming a shield for the faithful. So even when in the midst of calamity their enemies urge them to give up their faith, yet they trust in God to see them through.¹⁸

But Calvin goes on to say this about God being our shield, this is the primary and the only support needed to sustain us in every temptation. If it wasn’t for God’s favor overshadowing us, even if the whole world smiled at us, only His care and protection are enough to meet our needs in times of trouble. That’s why His favor alone is a sufficient consolation in every sorrow, a protection sufficiently strong against all the storms of adversities. We can find plenty of testimonies in the Scripture to show that when saints rely on the power of God alone, they dare to disdain whatever opposes them in the world.¹⁹

Adam Clarke has a similar view. He asks what other conclusions can we draw from what Paul has said up until now? From all that was already said in the previous chapters, but especially in the verses 28-30 here, we are the redeemed, the called, the chosen, and the justified according to His purpose. What other words of comfort do we need to derive from these doctrines? Hasn’t God called us all to holiness? And isn’t to love Him the main principle of holiness? Isn’t it true that when we are persecuted and despised, that we take comfort in the fact that all things will work together for good because we love Him and He loves us? So if we continue to possess that faith which works by love, will it not bring us, both body and soul, into His eternal glory where our bodies will be made like unto His glorious body?²⁰ In other words, they may overwhelm us from time to time in battle, but they will never win the war. What God has promised is not invested in things here on earth that can be affected by their hatred, but in heaven’s treasure chest where they remain untouchable and incorruptible.

Robert Haldane also addresses this oft-quoted verse 31. He says the expression “if God,” should not denote any doubt, but a conclusion, or consequence, or affirmation. It signifies the result of something. It’s as though Paul said: “Since we see by all these things that God is for us, who then can keep us from reaching our goal?” It is quite evident that God is for us since He sent His Spirit to be with us and in us. This gives us the permission to cry out to Him, “Abba, Pater,” in times of need. And since the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness; and since all things will work together for our good; and since we are predestinated to be conformed to the image of His Son, what more blessed assurance could we ask for? For Haldane, while we were still alienated from Him, nevertheless He called us. Yes, and while we were still living in sin He died to justify us. That will make it possible then for us to finally be translated from this earthly scene of trouble and afflictions so He can confer on us a crown of immortal glory. So then, since God thus favors us so much, who can possibly keep it from happening?²¹

NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

Dr. Robert R. Seyda

EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS

CHAPTER EIGHT (Lesson XL)

Listen to what the Apostle Paul says about predestination, “We speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom which God predestinated before the world for our glory.”¹ Sometimes this word is used to define the decree of the salvation for mankind, “Having predestinated us to become the adopted children of God by Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace.”² “In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of Him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of His will.”³ This sounds very much like the passage we are treating now that says: “For those God foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.”

Haldane goes on to say that as the term predestined is used here, it does not cover all people, but only those in whom God has placed His love, and on those whom He plans to make His own children through Jesus Christ His Son. Since this is then absolute and complete, that makes it a definite probability. That’s means, the number of those predestinated for such glory can neither be increased nor decreased. As Haldane sees it, it isn’t that God had already seen us as being one with Christ Jesus by faith, and on that account He chose us, but that Jesus Christ being the only Mediator between God and man, we were predestined to salvation only through Him. Now, since our union with Christ forms the foundation on which all the blessings we receive from God, this requires that we must also be chosen in Him. In other words, God gives us to Christ to be members of His spiritual body, of which He is the Head, and thereby partake of the good things God predestinated us for. That way, we understand that Christ Jesus was the first to be predestinated and appointed as the Mediator in order that God could bless us with all spiritual blessings in Christ.⁴ That is the predetermined plan, but the plan comes down to the willingness of those who are called to respond and accept that plan for their lives.

Charles Hodge has a lot to say on these two verses. But the gist of what he says is that all believers must come to the realization that they have been called in accordance with a settled plan and expressed purpose of God. Also, those whom God called He had already put their names on His list to be called. However, this calling predestined them to go through several stages and steps included in His plan so that they could be justified and glorified in the end. In order to facilitate that plan, all things must work together for good to those who love God. Hodge has full confidence that God’s plan of salvation will not fail. That’s why those He calls into this state of reconciliation; those He gave every reason to love Him, He can be counted on to bring forward to the glory He has prepared for His chosen.⁵

Albert Barnes focuses on what Paul was thinking when he talked about being conformed to the image of Christ. In order for us to resemble God’s Son, we must conform to His Son’s image as a human being. By doing this, we learn the following: First, God does not make up His mind that He’s going to save people regardless of their character. His salvation decree is not intended to save them in their sins whether they are sinful or self-righteous. He wants them to be holy, and in order for that to happen, they must be redeemed. Secondly, the only evidence we are given that we are among those reached by His grace is that we have conformed to the character of our Lord Jesus Christ. This was the intention of the salvation decree. As Barnes sees it, this is the only way anyone can be sure that they are right with God and that they are serious about their relationship with God and His plan of salvation.⁶

On the subject of becoming more like Christ, Octavius Winslow was quite open about what he saw in Paul’s words. For him, those who have been born-again are still not sure what their God and Father wants from them at the beginning. So Winslow asks them to consider the following: Has God taken away their health? Has He asked for the surrender of their most cherished possession? Have their riches taken wings? Does the world frown on them? The reason for these questions is that they may now realize how God is about to reveal to them the depth of His love and to cause their will as a son or daughter to become one with His will. He wants them to realize that there can be no higher degree of sanctification than to be following God’s perfect will for their lives. So they need to earnestly pray for it and diligently seek it. To be jealous of the slightest opposition of their mind, watch against the smallest rebellion of their will. They need to wrestle against any sinful tendencies until they reach the place of total surrender. To earnestly desire to be where and what their God and Father would have them to be. By doing this they will be made partakers of His holiness.

But Winslow was not finished. He wants them to also know that sanctification includes a growing resemblance to the likeness of Christ in their character. They should appreciate how beautifully and clearly this has been revealed by the Holy Spirit in God’s Word. Their Lord Jesus exhorts them: “Learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart.”⁷ Throughout the writings of His Apostles, the same truth is exhibited: “Whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son.”⁸ “Speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into Him who is the head, into Christ.”⁹ This is the glorious pattern of a child of God. Sanctification is conformity to the image and the example of Christ. The more a believer resembles Jesus, the more they are growing in holiness. And to the contrary, the less they resemble Christ in His character, principles, mindset, His attitude, word and deed, the less they advance in the great work of sanctification.

Winslow goes on to declare that many who profess His sweet name, and who are expecting to be with Him forever, never ask themselves how much they resemble Him now. It will take more than wishing they looked like Him. It will require constantly dealing with their conscience in the much-neglected duty of self-examination. If they were to measure themselves this way, they’d be able to see how short they’ve come to being what they want to become. They’d see how much their character, virtues, attitude, temperament, daily conduct, their place in this world, their involvement in the church, and in their behavior among their families would be unlike Christ. How much they are copies of things down here instead of things above; how much they resembled the worldly image and how little they resembled a godly image.

Then Winslow concludes, that by looking at the image of our dear Lord – how lowly, how holy He is! Look at His meekness of spirit, His tenderness of heart, His humility of demeanor, His gentleness, His willingness to forgive, His self-denial, His prayerfulness, His zeal for His Father’s approval, His yearnings for the salvation of mankind, they would exclaim, “O to be like Jesus!” They would want to grow up like Him in all things; to be united with Him in every way.¹⁰ By doing this they would more easily find God’s will for their lives through sanctification.¹¹ So let it never be forgotten that a maturing believer is growing in resemblance and conformity to the image and example of Christ.¹²

Frédéric Godet put his stamp on what Paul says in verse 30 by saying that here we have consecutive acts whereby God’s decree is executed throughout time. They stand in between the eternity in which the decree was initiated and the eternity in which it is finished. Godet notes Paul only points out what the decree was meant to accomplish the acts of God: redeemed, called, chosen, justified, and glorified. This is because Paul is dealing with that portion of salvation contained in the decree of predestination. Also, that which will consequently happen depends solely on divine effort.¹³

Charles Ellicott makes several points to show that when we look at all this from the perspective of God’s omniscience and omnipotence, our human free will seems to be eradicated. But on the other hand, when we examine it starting with the human free will, then divine foreknowledge and power to determine action seem to be eliminated. Notwithstanding the obvious conflict between both sides, we must accept both as being the truth without one being damaging to the other. None of us know exactly all that God’s omnipotence and omniscience imply. But we can agree that it involves perfect power and knowledge. Such power and knowledge that we are incapable of conceiving, which can only be handled by a perfect divine Being. Neither do we know everything that our free will offers us. One thing for sure, if it has any part in the process of human thinking and contemplation, without it we would not know right from wrong, sin from obedience, or righteousness from wickedness. Anything beyond that is pure speculation. But one thing we can say for sure, in the end, each person is responsible for what they do with this knowledge and understanding.¹⁴

Karl Barth has a convincing argument concerning the fact that our salvation is not based solely on what we may do, but on what God has already done. He writes that once we receive the call to love God is made sure in Spirit and in Truth, we will also receive the blessed assurance that by the mercy of God we have been given justification and citizenship in the Kingdom of God. In other words, we are assured of the fact that God has taken us sinners to be His. And in those He has foreknown, called, and ordained He sees the secrets of their potential and chooses that which is well and pleasing to Him. He also reveals the new man created for redemption. However, even when called to love God and when that call is accepted and acted upon, the new and righteous prospects must be seen and realized.

This will help us to discover an adequate explanation of why all things work together for good to such new creations in Christ. That will make clearer their encounter this one existential truth: they now have an eternal hope for everlasting salvation within them. Since love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things and endures all things,¹⁵ our human past and present now point to our eternal future. As far as Barth is concerned, love is the experiential recognition of God. That’s how God recognizes His people. The Spirit searches out the deep things of God.¹⁶ For Barth, love remains the more excellent way. That’s because it is received, not gained by experience, nor by argument, nor by the declaration of assurance, but only as a gift from God Himself.¹⁷

John Stott makes an interesting point here by suggesting that the Greek verb proginōskō, (KJV “foreknew”) meaning “to know in advance” expresses much more than mere intellectual cognition. It also denotes a personal relationship of care and affection. Thayer, in his Lexicon, defines it either as God foreknowing that they would love Him or with reference to what follows, God foreknew they would be fit to be conformed to the likeness of His Son. So we can say that when it says that God “knows” people, it means He watches over them.¹⁸ For instance, when God said: “I did know” the children of Israel in the desert,¹⁹ it means He cared about them. After all, Israel was the only people out of all the families of the earth to whom Yahweh said: “You only have I known.”²⁰ That is, the only ones He loved, chose, and formed a covenant with.

Stott goes on to explain that meaning of the term “foreknowledge” in the New Testament is similar. What the Apostles Paul and Peter said: “God did not reject His people [Israel], whom He foreknew, that is, whom He loved and chose.”²¹ Stott goes on to make a good case for the proper understanding of predestination. He disputes claims that it fosters “arrogance” by pointing to God’s mercy in saving us as undeserving. Nor does it foster “uncertainty” by noting God’s blessed assurance that can only be found in the heart of a true believer. The same is true of “apathy” because of the Scripture’s emphasis on God’s sovereignty does not diminish our responsibility, And when it comes to “complacency” by pointing out that with the Spirit alive in us we are spiritually motivated to be all that God wants us to be. And as to being “narrow-minded,” we recall that God told Abraham his calling was so that through him all the nations of the earth would be blessed. These are attitudes that those who believe in God’s foreknowledge of their salvation have been accused of having.²²

Jewish writer David Stern also offers some insights from his perspective by saying that in verse 27 we are reminded of the Spirit’s pleadings, “for God’s people conform to God’s will.” That means we move on from the ministry of the Ruach HaKodesh (Spirit the Holy or Holy Spirit) to the assurance offered by God the Father Himself in having a specific purpose for His people in verse 28. God established this purpose or plan He knew in advance, way back in the unfathomable past in verse 29.²³ Then on the issue of predestination versus free will we should look at what Paul says in 9:19–21. This is all played out in the sequence in verse 30 – predestined, called, chosen, justified, and glorified. Since this is expressed in the past tense, it shows that even from our very limited human viewpoint, glorification is still part of the future. But as far as God is concerned, it is already accomplished. That is a certainty we can count on. Stern sees that throughout all of this, the believer’s responsibility is to love God never ends.²⁴ We can also be sure that through faith in Yeshua, we are included among the called.²⁵

Another Jewish writer offers his view by saying that the concepts of, “foreknew, predestined, called and justified,” all have to do with “being chosen.” Therefore, Paul is concerned with getting the message first and foremost to Israel. However, these things also apply to Gentile believers in Yeshua because they are called the first true Israel because their faith is in God, not themselves. The Prophet Isaiah said that God formed Israel in the womb,²⁶ He called them by name,²⁷ He proclaimed to them the year of His good will,²⁸ and He created them for His glory and glorified them.²⁹ “To be conformed to the image of His Son,” relates to man’s creation in the image of God.³⁰ The writer then informs us that Yeshua Himself is the image of the invisible God,³¹ and that this is a highly mystical concept in Judaism (virtually unknown to Christianity).³²

NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

Dr. Robert R. Seyda

EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS

CHAPTER EIGHT (Lesson XXXIX)

Early church theologian Augustine weighs in by asking if all who are called, justified? After all, our Lord said that many are called but few are chosen. So to answer his question, we must begin with the fact that those who become part of God’s chosen did not do so without first being called. Therefore, it is obvious that they would not have then been justified without first being called. Now we learn from Paul that the chosen are only those who get called according to His purpose.¹ And then in another document Augustine proposes that God chooses believers in order that they might believe, not because they already believed.² Here again, we must parse Augustine’s words for a better understanding. Although someone may be called, they may not end up being justified because they refused to embrace their calling and respond to becoming a follower of Jesus. In that case, they are not justified and made ready for eternal life. Everyone who is called is only justified once they accept God’s reason and purpose for calling them.

Let me use an illustration here that may help shed light for those who still don’t have a clear picture on this whole subject of predestination, calling, chosen, and justified doctrine. When I turned 18 years of age, I had to go register for the draft. It was the law and those who refused or neglected to register were punished for avoiding the draft. So you could easily say that every young man in America was predestined to be called into the military to serve their country. But even though I was registered, I had to wait to be called. This always came in the form of a letter. But not everyone who registered and was called ended up being chosen. Some failed their physical exam, others failed the entrance exam. And once they were chosen they were sent off for training to learn discipline and responsibility. But even some of those who were sent for training were not accepted into the military because of various reasons. However, all who completed their training were then promoted from recruit to the rank of Private. They were not justified to wear the uniform of their branch of the military. So if someone were to stop them and ask them, why are you wearing that uniform? They could tell them that they were predestined, called, chosen, and passed all the requirements. That’s why there were justified in wearing the uniform.

In light of this, let’s listen when Pelagius says that those God called He foreknew would believe and accept His call. Therefore, the calling gathers together those who are willing to come, not those who will refuse to come. He sees Paul saying this because of those who might think that God’s grace is arbitrary and His calling was at random. Those who are called through the preaching of the Gospel, are then justified and receive baptism once they believe. They are then glorified by receiving their spiritual transformation both now and also in the resurrection to come.³

Then some 200 years after Origen, we see a doctrine develop in the early church. It says that God foreknew those who would either receive or reject God’s call, so He predestined them from the beginning to hear His call. So then, all those who were so predestined He called, and those who were called and accepted He justified and they were baptized. Those who were justified, He then glorified, calling them His children: “To all who received Him, who believed in His name, He gave the power to become children of God.”⁴ So don’t let anyone say that God’s foreknowledge was a one-sided cause for these things to happen. For it is not foreknowledge which justifies people, God already knew those whom He would call because He is an omniscient God.⁵ It is important we know that the call is never canceled There are some who resist the call for years, but it is always in effect, waiting for them to respond. The reason the invitation remains open is because of God’s grace and mercy.

Such a doctrine surely creates pressure between man’s free will and God’s sovereign will. Does one influence the other? In other words, did God foreknow that Adam and Eve would sin before He created them? If so, then their sinning was already known to God. So why then did He give them their free will to chose if they were already predestined to sin? Since God is omniscient, He certainly must have known what Adam and Eve would do. While all of this is true, we must expect that even though God was aware of what was foreknown and destined to happen, He was ready to alter their course should they chose to resist sin and remain faithful to His word. It would be up to them. God did not want robots serving Him. It isn’t that God would change, but that God would change man’s direction based on his belief. This is what happens to us born as sinners and predestined to die in sin and go to everlasting punishment. We hear the call, we accept the promise of salvation and are then justified to be freed from the sentence to hell’s eternal fire. We didn’t change God’s mind, He changed our mind.

For Reformer Martin Luther, what Paul says up to this point serves as the foundation for everything else he is going to say to the end of the chapter. He is speaking of the elect who are loved of God and love God, and how the Holy Spirit makes all things work for their good even when they make mistakes and are encumbered with forces against them that are working hard for their failure. Luther senses that Paul is dealing here with the doctrines of predestination and election. Luther then goes on to say that this doctrine is not as incomprehensible as many think. Rather, it comes loaded with sweet comfort for those who are chosen and for all who have the Holy Spirit. This helps us understand why the many tribulations and evils that come our way cannot separate us from the love of God. That’s because we have been called to serve His purpose for the kingdom of God. For Luther, that’s why God makes all things work together for good to them, and to them only. If God had no such pre-planned divine purpose, our salvation would then depend upon our will and our work. That way, it would be based on chance, not God’s sovereign plan.⁶

Fellow Reformer John Calvin concurs and adds that Paul shows, that by the very order of God’s election the afflictions of the faithful serve only to help conform them to the image of Christ. Paul had already made clear that this was a necessary part of the process. There is, therefore, no reason now for any of us to feel grieved, or to think it’s unfair when hard and heartbreaking afflictions come our way. To do so would disapprove of the Lord’s calling and election. It is by that calling we have been foreordained to life everlasting. Only if we become unwilling to bear the image of the Son of God, by which we are to be prepared for celestial glory, will we miss our own destiny.⁷

Let’s look at it this way: Imagine looking down from a satellite and seeing a toll road that winds its way across a continent. Every person who drives on that highway is already predestined to reach the exit at the end if they simply follow the road’s path. Although it is a toll road, the tolls have been prepaid, but they must navigate that highway with its hills, valleys, and curves. But, if they decided to take a road that leads away from that toll road, they will not arrive at the predetermined spot. God’s plan of salvation has a distinct destiny. That’s where He wants all believers to arrive at the end of their journey. And even if they get off track, His Holy Spirit can help them find their way back. Nevertheless, it will be up to them to accept God’s directions to their destiny. He will not force them to go His way, only if they want to.

Calvin then goes on to define his understanding of predestination by saying that his readers may better understand the Apostle’s meaning if he repeats something he said earlier. That is, that the word “predetermined” does not refer to their being chosen.⁸ Rather, it points to the purpose or decree by God that He has ordained that each person must bear their own cross. By declaring that they are now the “called,” according to His purpose. Paul implies that God did not keep it a secret what He predetermined respecting their calling. He made it known so they might more easily submit to the standards required of them. That’s why their calling is to be distinguished from their being chosen since it occurred earlier. That should keep anyone from making the objection that no one really knows what God has planned for them. Paul says that God by His calling reveals any prior hidden purpose He may have.⁹ In other words, Jesus made it clear what the Father expected and required of all those who were the called, redeemed, chosen, justified, sanctified, and empowered to do what God called them to do for His glory. It is no secret. Jesus spent the majority of His ministry trying to make this clear.

Adam Clarke puts it succinctly by saying that in this and the following verse the Apostle shows how our calling is a good enough reason why all things are bound to work together to advance our eternal happiness. He points out several steps which God by His wisdom and goodness endorsed in order to secure our salvation. But first Paul gives us, in this verse, the foundation, and finishing, or the beginning and end, of the plan of our redemption: “For whom God did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son.”¹⁰ By “image of His Son” Clarke is referring to the character and characteristics of Christ in coping with being a spiritually alive person in a world of sin and sinners. It was all designed beforehand in order to bestow favor and privilege on becoming one of God’s children. In that sense, He foreknew all of us. Both Jews and Gentiles were to be among those who were called. But only those who loved Him and became obedient to His Word and Will would be chosen. The thing that makes all of this part of predestination is that it was established before the world was formed.¹¹

Robert Haldane has quite a lot to say about predestination. Some of what he said was that God’s foreknowledge and predestination are distinguished from one another. Foreknowledge involves the choice of those He calls, and predestination involves their destination to receive the blessings for which they are designed. Haldane believes that for God to predestinate us, it signifies His appointment of us ahead of time to some particular destiny. We see this in the Scriptures as being taken as a decree by God. For instance, where the Apostles state that the Jews were assembled to do whatsoever the hand and the counsel of God had determined (predestinated) before to be done.¹²

Understanding this should help everyone who is living their life for God and serving Him in ways that He has given them should not keep worrying or wondering if one mistake or one act of disobedience will get them thrown out into darkness once again. God would not have brought you through all this if He did not plan to keep you. He’s more interested in saving you than losing you. Don’t let Satan bring doubt to your mind. Let him know, and let your conscience know that you have been chosen by God and, therefore, with His help, you will make it through to your chosen destiny.

The disciples of Jesus once asked Him why He used so many parables to teach the people about God and how He deals with us. Our Lord told them that it made getting His point across a lot easier. When I read this article years ago, it too sounded like a parable. Maybe it will help you deal with a real dilemma that many Christian’s face in life. I could not find the name of the author, but I give whoever wrote it credit. Read it with an open-mind, and I’m sure it will speak to you.

A young Christian dealing with all kinds of troubles had reached the end of their rope, so to speak. Finding no relief and seeing no way out, they dropped to their knees in prayer. “O Lord, I can’t go on,” they said, “My cross is too heavy for me to carry any farther.” The Lord replied, “My child, if you can’t bear its weight, just bring it to my Cross Supply Warehouse right over there where others have left their crosses. Lean it up against the wall after you get there, and then walk around and pick out any cross you want.”
The believer was filled with relief and said, “Thank you, Lord.” They got off their knees and did what the Master told them to do. After placing their cross against the wall, they saw all kinds of crosses lining the walls and stacked up in the aisles. Some looked heavy, and some looked thin; some were short, and some so large the tops almost reached the roof. After walking around for quite a long time, trying to decide which one fit them best, they finally spotted a tiny cross leaning against a far wall. Relieved, they shouted out, “I’d like that one, Lord.”

It took a second, but finally, the Lord replied hesitantly, “Are you sure you want that one?” The Christian said, “O Yes. I think I can carry that one.” Then in a low but compassionate voice, the Lord whispered to them, “My child, that’s the cross you brought in!” So you see, when problems in life seem overwhelming at times, it helps to look around and see what other people are dealing with and the size of the cross they have been given to carry. When you do, you may consider yourself far more blessed than you imagined. – Dr. Robert R Seyda

RESIST BEING RESENTFUL

The pain of Absalom’s deceit, and anger against those who joined him to drive him from the throne still burned in King David’s mind. But he decided to take it to God in prayer and seek His guidance on how to avoid becoming resentful. He knew that such resentment could develop into hatred, and hatred could result in doing something so evil that he would regret it later. So he penned this prayer in the morning to pour out his heart before the LORD to get divine guidance and strength. The wisdom of David’s prayer involves his looking for ways to deal with himself to find his areas of needed change. He believed that such modifications might produce a more significant impact on his adversaries than just criticizing them for being vain and destructive.

“O LORD Eternal, would You take time to listen to what I’m trying to say so that You can better understand what I am thinking. Since You are my King and my One True God, I want to convince You that I am serious when I cry out to You. I ask You to listen to my prayer this morning as I lay my request before You at daybreak to await Your answer. I know that You are not the type of Sovereign King who wants to see wickedness, for evil ideas, do not meet with Your approval. That’s why conceited people don’t last long in Your presence because You detest those who operate with wicked intent. You also condemn those who mislead others with lies, and You, O LORD Eternal, especially despise those who try to ruin other people’s lives with deceit. But because of Your abundant grace, I plan to go to Your house and reverently bow down at Your altar. I will ask You, O LORD Eternal, to treat me fairly and guide me because those who oppose me watch my every move, that’s why I want to do things Your way. A person cannot believe anything these people say because their hearts are so filled with spite that they will eat you alive; they really know how to mislead people. Deal with them, O One True God; and because they are so openly defiant in their rebellion against You, let them fall into their own trap and lose their influence. But let those who really believe in You live positive lives; yes, let them continue with joy in their hearts because they know You are ever with them; for loving You for who You are is enough to make anyone dance for joy. For You will see to it that the faithful get what is rightfully theirs, O LORD Eternal, by wrapping them up in Your favor like a blanket.” Psalm 5:1-12

Reflection: After less than four months in office, on Saturday, July 2, 1881, President James A. Garfield was shot in the back with a revolver by assassin Charles J. Guiteau. At a hospital in New York City, a doctor unsuccessfully probed the wound with his little finger trying to locate the bullet. When that didn’t work, Garfield was then transported back to Washington D.C., where teams of doctors tried but failed to retrieve the bullet. Even Alexander Graham Bell was called in to try and locate the slug with a metal detector. But forty-eight days later on Monday, September 19, 1881, President Garfield died – not from the bullet, but from the infection caused by repeated probing of the wound. What the physicians tried to do to save him ended up killing him. So it is with people who continually probe their wounds caused by others instead of releasing it to God. There is no need to educate God on the character of such miserable people, He already knows who and what they are. But we should admit to Him how it affects us because He wants us to confess our hurt and embarrassment. This will show our trust in Him to help us survive such pressure and conflict. In the words of the song by Dr. Charles Hayes: “Are you carrying heavy burdens, and you don’t know what to do? Are you sad and despondent, wondering how you’ll make it through? Is your heart laden with many, many cares? Why not do like many others, oh, take it to the Lord in prayer.” – Dr. Robert R Seyda

NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

Dr. Robert R. Seyda

EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS

CHAPTER EIGHT (Lesson XXXVIII)

The writer of Hebrews, whom many believe to be the Apostle Paul, echoes this same thought: “Christ came with this new agreement so that all who are invited may come and have forever all the wonders God has promised them.”¹ But this was not just Paul’s theology. The Apostle Peter also taught along the same lines: “You have been chosen by God Himself – you are priests of the King, you are holy and pure, you are God’s very own – all this so that you may show to others how God called you out of the darkness into His wonderful light. Once you were less than nothing; now you are God’s own. Once you knew very little of God’s kindness; now your very lives have been changed by it.”² When he wrote them again, Peter said: “Dear brothers, work hard to prove that you really are among those God has called and chosen, and then you will never stumble or fall away. And God will open wide the gates of heaven for you to enter into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”³ This surely sounds like divine planning, not a system of “do as you please.”

But there is another factor involved here, so Paul makes the point that none of this has been done based on man’s merits, but on the merits of Christ. In other words, God is justified in doing all of this for those who were once sinners because of what someone else did, not what they did, in order to be among those chosen. Paul explains this to the Corinthians: “Don’t fool yourselves. Those who live immoral lives, who are idol worshipers, adulterers or homosexuals – will have no share in His Kingdom. Neither will thieves or greedy people, drunkards, slanderers, or robbers. There was a time when some of you were just like that but now your sins are washed away, and you are set apart for God, and He has accepted you because of what the Lord Jesus Christ and the Spirit of our God have done for you.”⁴

Paul passes on this same message to Titus: “When the time came for the kindness and love of God our Savior to appear, then He saved us – not because we were good enough to be saved but because of His kindness and pity – by washing away our sins and giving us the new joy of the indwelling Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us with wonderful fullness – and all because of what Jesus Christ our Savior did so that He could declare us good in His eyes – all because of His great kindness.”⁵ This is why it is important that we teach new Christians that it was not they who chose God, but it was God who chose them. They have no justification for saying they acquired salvation based on their own decision. Paul says God had His own justification for offering them salvation.

Jesus made His feelings known to the Father: “This is the will of God, that I should not lose even one of all those He has given me, but that I should raise them to eternal life at the Last Day. For it is my Father’s will that everyone who sees His Son and believes on Him should have eternal life – that I should raise him at the Last Day.”⁶ In other words, Jesus is more or less saying: I was the one who suffered and died on the cross; who carried the sins of the world on my shoulders; I was the one who died so I could be raised to life again. So, Father, do it for my sake. This is the justification God needed to offer salvation to whoever believes on Christ as their Lord and Savior. Mankind could offer no other reason to justify God doing what He did to save them.

In another prayer, Jesus touches on how He feels about those who have been called: “I have given them the glory you gave me – the glorious unity of being one, as we are – I in them and you in me, all being perfected into one – so that the world will know you sent me and will understand that you love them as much as you love me. Father, I want them with me – these you’ve given me – so that they can see my glory. You gave me the glory because you loved me before the world began!”⁷ So, Jesus not only wanted to share His work of salvation with the chosen but also His glory.

This gave Paul the courage to tell the Corinthians: “We do not look at what we can see right now, the troubles all around us, but we look forward to the joys in heaven which we have not yet seen. The troubles will soon be over, but the joys to come will last forever.”⁸ And to the Ephesians Paul wrote: “Even though we were spiritually dead and doomed by our sins, He gave us back our lives again when He raised Christ from the dead – only by His undeserved favor have we ever been saved – and to lift us up from the grave into glory along with Christ, where we will sit with Him in the heavenly realms – all because of what Christ Jesus did.”⁹ Then to the Colossians Paul writes: “When Christ who is our real life comes back again, you will shine with Him and share in all His glories.”¹⁰

Paul also had this message for the Thessalonians: “We talked to you as a father to his own children – don’t you remember? – pleading with you, encouraging you and even demanding that your daily lives should not embarrass God but bring joy to Him who invited you into His Kingdom to share His glory.”¹¹ And to Timothy, Paul had these encouraging words: “I am comforted by this truth, that when we suffer and die for Christ it only means that we will begin living with Him in heaven. And if we think that our present service for Him is hard, just remember that someday we are going to sit with Him and rule with Him.”¹² The writer of Hebrews echoes this hope: “Christ came with this new agreement so that all who are invited may come and have forever all the wonders God has promised them.”¹³

Here is an illustration from everyday life that may make this idea of glorification clearer. Think of a young man looking for a bride, and willingly goes through all the tests and meets all the standards the bride’s father required. After getting approval to marry the bride, the groom gives her a ring and tells her she can spread the good news everywhere and show them the ring as proof of her claim. But, he informs her that she will not be invited to the wedding and will not live in the groom’s brand new house. Such would be the same if Christ had only desired to share His death and resurrection with us, but had no interest in returning so that we could go to live with Him on His Father’s heavenly estate and enjoy all of God’s goodness for eternity.

The early church Bishop of the Apostle Paul’s hometown of Tarsus had much to say about our being conformed to the image of God’s Son. He says that Paul did not write this to take away our free will. He used the word “foreknew” before he used “predestined.” So it is clear that “foreknowledge” does not suggest our having to meet any expectations in order to be among the called. That’s why Paul said that Jesus died for us while we were yet sinners.¹⁴ Then Bishop Diodore suggests that what Paul says here would be clearer if we started from the end and worked backward by first asking. Who will God glorify? Those He justified. Who did He predestine? Those He foreknew, who were called according to His purpose, namely, those He found worthy to be called for His purpose so they could be made conformable to Christ.¹⁵

Chrysostom puts the emphasis on our relationship as God’s children by pointing to the fact that Jesus is God’s only begotten Son. In one of his sermons he told his listeners what a superb honor it was, for what the only begotten Son was by nature, we have become by grace. Christ in His human nature has become the firstborn of many, even though in His divine nature He remains the only begotten¹⁶.¹⁷ It is important that every Bible scholar know how the English term “only begotten” is to be interpreted by understanding the meaning of the Greek word monogenēs. It is fairly easy to grasp, for it means “only one of its kind.” Furthermore, in Thayer’s Lexicon, we find that this term, used 9 times in the NT, was employed by Greeks when referring to having only one son or daughter. We can see this reflected in the story of the widow of Nain whose only son died,¹⁸ and in the case of the synagogue ruler’s only twelve-year-old daughter,¹⁹ as well as the man whose only son was possessed by an evil spirit.²⁰ Thayer goes on to say that when used of Christ, it implies that He is the only Son of God, God has no other children. And that’s what was so amazing to Paul. Because of Christ’s willing sacrifice, God has adopted many sons and daughters who can rightly call Jesus their big brother.

Then Bishop Theodoret addresses one factor in our being conformed to the image of God’s Son. He wrote that God did not simply predestine everyone; He only predestined those He selected before they were born. That’s why Paul says everything so precisely and writes “conformed to the image of His Son,” and not just “conformed to His Son.” That’s why no one believes that when we are born-again our human body is conformed to Christ’s divine body. Rather, it will one day be to His glorified body. He was God’s only Son before He was ever born as a man. As God’s only begotten, Christ does not have any divine brothers. He’s the only one. It was only when He became a man that He is able to call us His brothers and sisters²¹.²²

Then Paul adds predestined to the list of called, justified, and glorified. Origen hints that not all the scholars of his day understood the difference between being predestined and being called. The way he takes what Paul says here means that someone who is justified is only justified because they have been called. Furthermore, when someone is called, it is because they were already picked out and, therefore, have been predestined. Origen chides those who think that God’s foreknowledge is limited to knowing what will happen in the future. How can there be any divine foreknowledge if it is not tied to predestination and the same thing in reverse? These two things go together. Origen also wants to know how can it be that all who are called should be justified when we know that many are called but few are chosen?²³ For indeed many are called, but are all called according to God’s purpose? In Origen’s view, only those who are called according to His purpose are justified.²⁴ It is better to understand Origen’s reasoning here if we delineate between those who accept the call and those who do not. When God calls, it’s up to the person being called to respond or refuse. Those who respond are chosen, those who refuse, are not.

NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

Dr. Robert R. Seyda

EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS

CHAPTER EIGHT (Lesson XXXVII)

On a personal note: In my early years, I had no interest in following my father into the ministry. I decided on a military career. But while I was serving in Germany I became involved in the chapel ministry. It was in this climate that God spoke so forcefully to my heart that I should surrender to His will and become a minister. But I was ill-prepared, and I reminded God of His giving Solomon an opportunity to ask for whatever he might need to be king of Israel, and granted it to him. So I asked if He would do the same for me? I told Him, I wanted to have such a hunger for His Word, that no matter how often I read and studied it I would never get tired of learning from it. He did exactly that. Later, when I applied for a ministerial license and passed the first exam, I wrote my mother to tell her the good news. It was then she revealed something to me she had purposely never mentioned to me before.

A few days after I was born, my mom carried me to church for dedication. One of the elders, who was a saintly man, came to my mother, laid his hand on my little forehead and said to her, “Miss Hilda, this boy is going to be a great preacher some day.” When I asked my mother why she never told me, she said she trusted in God to make this prophecy come true in His time. I’ve never lost my desire to study God’s Word to this day, and I’ve never doubted again that this was the path God chose for me. In my eyes, I didn’t become the great preacher Brother Morris said I would be, but I can say, I gave it my best. Yet, had it not been for God’s grace, mercy, patience, forgiveness, and guidance, I would have never made it through all these 80 years. He gets all the honor, praise, and glory.

Remember, Paul told young Timothy: “God’s truth stands firm like a great rock, and nothing can shake it. It is a foundation stone with these words written on it: “The Lord knows those who are really His.”¹ And let us recall that the Apostle Peter wrote to his Jewish readers: “Dear friends, God the Father chose you long ago and knew you would become his children. And the Holy Spirit has been at work in your hearts, cleansing you with the blood of Jesus Christ and making you to please Him.”² What Paul wanted the Roman believers to know is that God was not dealing with strangers who just happened to meet Him. He knew them before they were born.

And because God keeps His eye on all of those He chooses, He makes plans for them so they can serve Him the way He desires. After all, Paul told the Ephesians: “His unchanging plan has always been to adopt us into His own family by sending Jesus Christ to die for us. And He did this because He wanted to!”³ And the Apostle Peter wrote the scattered Jewish believers: “God paid a ransom to save you from the impossible road to heaven which your fathers tried to take, and the ransom He paid was not mere gold or silver as you very well know. But He paid for you with the precious lifeblood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God.”⁴ Even though God knew us and decided to select us for His glory, He still paid a price to make it happen. Can we then who have been chosen not be ready to pay any price to affirm His choice?

That’s why Paul now goes on to say that God’s plan involved allowing Jesus to become the role model and pattern for those who are called out from the crowd to follow Him. We see this in Jesus’ prayer to the Father on behalf of His chosen disciples: “I have given them Your commands. And the world hates them because they don’t fit in with it, just as I don’t. I’m not asking You to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from Satan’s power. They are not part of this world any more than I am. Make them pure and holy through teaching them Your words of truth. As You sent me into the world, I am sending them into the world, and I consecrate myself to meet their need for growth in truth and holiness.”⁵ Jesus goes on to say that this prayer was not just for the original twelve, but for all those in the future who would come to Him by faith through the Word they heard preached.

Paul was so convinced that this calling was everlasting, that he told the Corinthians: “Just as each of us now has a body like Adam’s, so we shall some day have a glorified body like Christ’s.”⁶ That’s why he encouraged them later: “And as the Spirit of the Lord works within us, we become more and more like Him.”⁷ And to the Ephesians Paul wrote: “In the Messiah He chose us in love before the creation of the universe to be holy and without defect in His presence. He determined in advance that through Yeshua the Messiah we would be his sons — in keeping with His pleasure and purpose — so that we would bring Him praise commensurate with the glory of the grace He gave us through the Beloved One.”⁸ Paul was not talking about wearing the same sandals, cloak, robe, and having the same hairstyle that Jesus had. He was speaking of the spiritual virtues, morals, and ethics that Jesus displayed and displayed to those around Him. He points this out later: “Now your attitudes and thoughts must all be constantly changing for the better. Yes, you must be a new and different person, holy and good. Clothe yourself with this new nature.”⁹

Paul then concludes by saying that God’s purpose in having Jesus be this great example is that by so doing He would be the first for all to emulate. Jesus spoke as an older brother when He said to His disciples: “Whoever does what my Father in heaven wants, that person is my brother and sister and mother.”¹⁰ And after His resurrection, He told Mary Magdalene, near His empty tomb: “Go find my brothers and tell them that I will be ascending to my Father and your Father, my God and your God.”¹¹ So we can see why Paul told the Colossians: “He is the Head of the body made up of His people—that is, His Church—which He began; and He is the Leader of all those who arise from the dead, so that He is first in everything; for God wanted all of Himself to be in His Son.”¹² So we can see why then God wanted us to be like His Son. In so doing, both He and the world could recognize us as His children.

For the writer of Hebrews, there was no doubt about Christ’s superiority. He wrote: “Thus He became far greater than the angels, as proved by the fact that His name ‘Son of God,’ which was passed on to Him from His Father, is far greater than the names and titles of the angels. For God never said to any angel, ‘You are my Son, and today I have given you the honor that goes with that name.’¹³ But God said it about Jesus. Another time He said, ‘I am His Father and He is My Son.’¹⁴”¹⁵ He goes on to say: “We who have been made holy by Jesus, now have the same Father He has. That is why Jesus is not ashamed to call us His brothers.”¹⁶

To Jews, this structure of those who excel so as to live by the highest standard was not new. In their “Kabbalah Unveiled,” we find that the second branch (Sephira) on the tree is called “Wisdom.” It is part of those things that form the world of thought. They also say that this second Sephira is represented by the Divine Names such as Yahweh.¹⁷ We know that “Wisdom” in the OT is often a metaphor for the Son of God. In the language of the Kabalah, it is designated as “the Father.” Since the Father and Son are One, it can apply to either one. Since Paul was writing to Jewish converts, they certainly would understand from what they had been taught that all of this coming of Christ to be the Messiah had been long anticipated. So it only made sense to follow Him who is our Wisdom and is one with the Father.

Then Paul continues with God’s authorship of Salvation, and His requirement that all those who are to be part of the Kingdom of God must be called, and this calling is based on their loving Him, God did not leave them on their own to figure out what to do next. He clearly gave instructions and directions on where to go and how to get there. The outline for this was already seen in what God said to Israel: “O Israel, you are Mine, My chosen ones; for you are Abraham’s family, and he was My friend. I have called you back from the ends of the earth and said that you must serve but Me alone, for I have chosen you and will not throw you away. Fear not, for I am with you. Do not be dismayed. I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will help you; I will uphold you with my victorious right hand.”¹⁸ As Paul sees it, this is still God’s message for the Chosen.

This allowed Paul to address his letter to the Corinthians this way: “To: The Christians in Corinth, invited by God to be His people and made acceptable to Him by Christ Jesus. And to: All Christians everywhere – whoever calls upon the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and theirs.” Paul goes on to assure them: “Now you have every grace and blessing; every spiritual gift and power for doing His will are yours during this time of waiting for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Therefore, says Paul: “He guarantees right up to the end that you will be counted free from all sin and guilt on that day when He returns. God will surely do this for you, for He always does just what He says, and He is the one who invited you into this wonderful friendship with His Son, even Christ our Lord.”¹⁹

This is part of God’s predestination, or predetermination, for every believer. Paul told the Ephesians: “We are all parts of one body, we have the same Spirit, and we have all been called to the same glorious future.”²⁰ This means that all those who are the Called according to His purpose, will not be left to find their own way to heaven, and to develop their own form of sanctification, no more than the blossoms on different branches of the same tree can become any type of fruit they want. Paul explains how all those who are called by the same God to the same Savior by the same Spirit, can be used for different purposes. Just like the apples from the same tree can be used to make a pie, a tart, a cake, sauce, a cobbler, muffins, or eaten raw, etc. He says: “Christ has given each of us special abilities – whatever He wants us to have out of His rich storehouse of gifts.”²¹

NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

Dr. Robert R. Seyda

EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS

CHAPTER EIGHT (Lesson XXXVI)

For Bible scholar Charles Hodge, those for whom afflictions work together for good are described first. Then those who love God are listed second. And finally, those who are the called according to His purpose are third. In these, we see the character of the persons intended for such blessings. This means they are serious about their faith. Then we notice the cause for which the person was chosen. It is one of the most important truths that guide the Apostle toward the great goal in this chapter. That is, they are the called according to God’s purpose. This word “called” in Greek is prothesis. It is never applied in the Epistles of the Final Covenant to anyone who simply receives an invitation through the Gospel to salvation. It always means those who have been effectively called, that is, those who responded to the call and openly accepted the blessings they were invited to receive. To the Corinthians, Paul put it this way: “To those called by God to salvation.¹”²

To put this in perspective, no one should identify themselves as a student of a particular university just because they made an application, nor in light of the fact that they were accepted. Only those who responded to the acceptance letter, went to the school, registered, enrolled in classes, and sat in on the lectures, and completed the exams can be identified as students. The same is true of those who for whom all things work together for good. They are the ones who were called by the Holy Spirit, chosen by God, accepted by Jesus Christ to be their Savior, offered themselves as living sacrifices for sanctification, and guided by the Holy Spirit began the work they were chosen to do for God’s purpose.

In one of his sermons, preacher Octavius Winslow includes some thoughts on what Paul says here. As he sees it, the Holy Spirit always operates with a purpose. That’s why Paul’s words present an important and glorious aspect of the Spirit’s work, something we cannot simply reflect on without seeking a clearer, more elevated, and sanctifying view of the Spirit’s operations in the ongoing work of regeneration. Winslow wanted to remind his listeners that the great change which takes place in the soul at regeneration is always attributed to the invitation of the Holy Spirit, and in various parts of His Word, “a calling.” In fact, it will take only a few passages will prove it. Paul wrote the Galatians and told them about his being “called by grace.”³ Then here in Romans Paul speaks of his being “called by grace,”⁴ and then says that they were “called out of darkness.”⁵ Then Peter refers to the saints of God as “the called according to His purpose.”⁶ Jude also refers to those whom God loved and are kept by Jesus are the “called.”⁷ And in writing to Timothy Paul said that those who are preserved in Jesus Christ are the “called.”⁸ The writer of Hebrews says that we are all part of a “holy calling.”⁹ And Peter also tells us to make our “calling” and election sure.¹⁰ How can it be made any clearer that the person who is made spiritually alive, brought out of darkness into God’s marvelous light, and born-again are “the called.” The blessed Agent by whom they are called is the eternal Spirit of God. It is the Spirit that quickens,¹¹ and calls. This should clearly make the point that what we have to deal now is the effectual nature of our “calling” if we want all things to work together for our good.¹²

Henry Alford gives some insightful comments here. He states that in Paul’s further description of a believer the Apostle designates them as those who are not merely loving God but being loved by God. The divine factor in their security is brought out as something God planned all along. They are sure that all things work together for their good. This is not only because they love Him who works all things out for their good, but also because He who works all these things out does so because He loved them and chose them as His own. Not only that, but He guides them through the successive steps in their spiritual walk with Him. As Alford see it, the calling here is the working in mankind of the everlasting purpose of God for their lives. This was not a late decision, it was decided before the foundation of the world was laid. Then came the time for Him to announce His secret to us, to deliver us from the curse and damnation that was laid on all creation because of Adam’s sin. That’s why He sent His Son so we could be chosen through Christ so that we may receive everlasting salvation.¹³

Alford continues by pointing out that the Scriptures bear a constant witness to the fact that all believers are chosen and called by God. This means their whole spiritual journey in its origin, progress, and completion, are planned by Him. Even though the same Scriptures testify that it is God’s will that all be saved because He does not want any of His creation to perish, yet, He will only allow those to be destroyed who have willingly rejected the Gospel. So we can see that it all begins as an act of GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY, and it only continues on by an act of MAN’S FREE WILL. This should be plain to everyone that believers are to receive, believe, and act on both of these. It is our duty and involves our wisdom. Any attempt to build a bridge over the gulf between the two is futile because of the imperfect condition of mankind. In other words, it’s God’s way or it’s no way.¹⁴

Charles Spurgeon expresses it differently. He alerts his listeners to note how the Apostle Paul speaks here; he does not say that all things may work together for good; no, but that they do work together for our present good. This does not simply mean that someday everything will eventually turn out right; it is alright now. No sooner does Paul mention the word “purpose” when he feels the need to start a long explanation of it. He was not afraid or ashamed to speak of the purposes of God. There are some preachers who say nothing about God’s purpose for His children. They seem to be too afraid to mention it. Instead, they mumble something about Calvin’s doctrine of predestination. How can it be Calvin’s doctrine when it was here in the Scriptures long before Calvin was born. They have no right calling it that.¹⁵

With the aspect of predestination being raised by many Bible scholars during the 16th-19th centuries, Frédéric Godet gives his explanation of how to accept what Paul says here regarding predestination. For him, predestination is built on the foreknowledge of God. Once a person becomes aware of this fact they then exercise their free will as to whether or not they accept or reject it. Godet goes on to say, that Paul’s view implies that a person exercises their free decision process to make up their minds. For Godet, Paul makes the distinction between the two divine acts of foreknowledge and predestination very clear. Both as to their nature, with the one being an act of the understanding God’s calling, and with the other being an act of the person’s will. The first aim is faith, the second aim is glory.¹⁶

John Stott lays out five principles he sees in this verse. First, that we may not always know what God is thinking or doing, let alone understand and welcome all of it. And Paul does not declare that God is at work to make us comfortable. However, we do know that whatever He’s doing is for our benefit. One reason we know this is because we can find many examples of it in Scripture. Secondly, this work is for our good because they are expressions of His goodness. Thirdly, God’s effort to make sure things work out for His good and our good, He looks at everything, not just some things. That includes both negative and positive, good and bad. Fourthly, God does all of this for those who love Him. Just wanting to be God’s friend in order to get special treatment will not work. We must be willing to do everything He asks and do it with all our heart. And fifthly, that we have accepted His call according to His purpose, not our purpose. So it is not surprising that Paul starts this verse by saying “we know.” In other words, all of these things are clear to us before we even say “Yes” to anything He asks of us.

For instance, Joseph was convinced that his brothers purposely sold him into Egypt to be a slave. He told them: “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good … the saving of many lives.”¹⁷ In a similar case, Jeremiah wrote a letter to the Jews in Babylonian exile containing a message from God after the catastrophic destruction of Jerusalem, “’I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’”¹⁸ This same concurrence of human evil and divine plan is most conspicuously displayed on the cross of Jesus. Then Peter attributes both of these to the wickedness of men and to “God’s set purpose and foreknowledge”¹⁹.²⁰

Verses 29-30: God knew them before He made the world. And He decided that they would be like His Son. Then Jesus would be the firstborn of many brothers and sisters. God planned for them to be like His Son. He chose them and made them right with Him. And after He made them right, He gave them His glory.

Now the real secret comes out. The revelation of Jesus as the Messiah and His death on the cross and rising from death were not happenstance or coincidence, as the skeptics might imply. It was all planned before the world began. You might say that it’s the same principle that applies to the controversy between evolution and creationism. Evolutionist say it all started as an explosion and things came together by pure chance. Creationist say it was all started by the Creator who then evolved everything He created into the forms He desired. It also represents the same issues that divide predestinationists from free-will evangelicals. They first say that man has little to do with it because God has it already mapped out and planned, while evangelicals say it’s all man’s choice to accept the whole purpose of being born-again to give believers the needed guidance to persevere to the end. Let’s look to see if we can’t join these two together as part of God’s plan for humanity.

In King David’s instructions to his son Solomon, David made this clear by saying: “The LORD watches over all the plans and paths of godly men.”²¹ And God made it clear to Jeremiah: “I knew you before you were formed within your mother’s womb; before you were born I sanctified you and appointed you as my spokesman to the nations.”²² We know that Jesus chose the twelve disciples who followed Him for three years and became the pioneers of the church that eventually spread around the world. But even the Lord Himself said that many would claim kinship with Him as their Lord. He told His disciples one day: “They may refer to me as ‘Lord,’ but still won’t get to heaven… At the Judgment many will tell me, ‘Lord, Lord, we told others about you and used your name to cast out demons and to do many other great miracles.’ But I will reply, ‘You have never been one of mine.’”²³

NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

Dr. Robert R. Seyda

EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS

CHAPTER EIGHT (Lesson XXXV)

Now Paul adds his second qualifier: They must not only love God, but must also be those whom God has called for His purpose. Jesus made this perfectly clear when He said that while many are called, only a few are chosen.¹ Paul shared his own calling with the Galatians.² He also told the Ephesians that this was all planned by God through His Son in order to populate the select spiritual family that He would gather to Himself for eternity.³ And to Timothy, Paul uses Numbers 16:5 and Nahum 1:17 to give his protegé this advice: “God’s truth stands firm like a great rock, and nothing can shake it. It is a foundation stone with these words written on it: ‘The Lord knows those who are really His.‘”⁴

Early church scholar Ambrosiaster says it is never the case that God knowingly or intentionally gives believers the opposite of what they ask for just because they are ignorant of what they really need or even want. Paul is teaching the Roman believers what they should really be asking for in prayer if they truly love God. This is what the Lord says in the Gospel: “For your Father knows what you need, even before you ask Him.”⁵ That’s because those He called according to the promise are those whom God knew would become believes.⁶

The well-known early church preacher Chrysostom explains that when Paul speaks of “all things” working together for good, he includes even those things that might be painful. For if tribulation, or poverty, or imprisonment, or famine, or death or anything else should overcome us, God can transform them into blessings. This is a clear instance that shows His unmatched power. He can actually make painful experiences appeal to us by turning them into something that really helps us. Paul also talks about being called for a purpose. This is to show that the calling in itself is not sufficient. The calling is not forced on anyone, nor is it compulsory. There is no such thing as being drafted into God’s army. Everyone was called, but unfortunately, not everyone is willing to answer the call.⁷

And in his explanation of what it means to be called according to God’s purpose, Patriarch Cyril says that to be called according to God’s purpose is to be called according to His will for our lives. But we must ask, is this the will of the one calling or the will of the one being called? It is only natural that every impulse which leads to righteousness will come from God the Father. Christ Himself once said: “No one can come to me unless the Father draws him.”⁸ Says Bishop Cyril, it is not a mistake when we say that there are some who say they were called by God according to His purpose, but in reality, it was according to serve their own purpose.⁹ I agree with the Bishop up to the point that all those whom God calls fit into His purpose, but that purpose must then become their purpose as well no matter what their original intentions were.

Martin Luther points out that the Greek verb synergeō translated as “work together” is in the singular. The point is, that God takes every request and deals with them one at a time so that what we are asking for, and what the Holy Spirit intercedes for, and what God wants for us will work together to fulfill His purpose for our lives.¹⁰ Let’s put it this way: You have a church growth plan you want to get your congregation involved in. Things seem to be coming together and it looks very promising. Some of the members are for it but have trouble with what it will take to finance it. Others are for it and think everything should be done to facilitate and finance it. While still others do not see it as compatible with the mission of the church. You pray, moan, and groan over it because you feel it is part of the vision God has given you. The Holy Spirit inspires you on what to say to your elders and congregation, many of whom are heartily for it. But you want more proof that this is God’s purpose and not yours. So that’s what you pray for.

What they don’t know is that just a few days before the vote was taken, you were offered an opportunity to go overseas to help direct and coordinate a new missions outreach that included a new training center and Bible School. You told the Lord you wanted to stay where you were, but you will take His answer as being what fits His plan for your life, not yours. When the vote was taken, the council votes against it. That frees you to accept the overseas appointment where you are given the opportunity to reach thousands, instead of the hundreds had you stayed. No, this is not a fictional story, it really happened – to me.

John Calvin says that although God does not immediately assist His people by relieving them from whatever may be standing in their way, He does not forsake them. In fact, often what was intended to be evil, He turned into good. Calvin puts it into perspective when he says that although the sinner and the saint are indiscriminately exposed to the same calamities, there is still a great difference. God uses such afflictions to train and educate the faithful, thereby promoting them to greater things in His kingdom.¹¹ The reason why the elect are in a better position to cope with adversity is that God is always looking for ways to tailor anything they encounter into a promotion rather than a demotion. The biggest factor is, they are trying to seek God’s purpose for their lives.

Adam Clarke points out that Paul does not only say, “all things work together for good,” but that they only work on behalf of “them that love God.” He also notes the verbs are in the present tense. It’s because God‘s providence is being carried out one experience at a time. His Spirit also working together with God and the one in whom He resides as comforter and guide. Therefore, whatever troubles, or afflictions, or persecutions may arise, God does to them what He did to the water at the wedding, He changes the ordinary into something special.¹² In fact, He presses theses problems into His service. He makes them part of His plan so that they end up contributing to the believer’s good. Not just any person, but the one who loves Him; the one who is serving by love and faith under the influence of the Holy Spirit.¹³ Clarke also feels that to best understand what Paul means by “things,” it is best to look at what is also mentioned in verses 29-30.

Robert Haldane comments that verse 28 is one of the most quoted verses from Romans. He concludes that nothing is more important for believers than to be fully persuaded of the joy and privileges that come with being a child of God. That way they can serve the Lord with cheerfulness and freedom of spirit as they pass through the troubles and trials in this world. Paul offers further consolation by telling believers that when they go through such sorrows, sufferings, and persecution, that in itself may not be a source of joy. In fact, it can be very grievous and painful. But the joy comes when they realize that although the afflictions in themselves may be meant for harm, yet their effects, when overruled and directed by God, become very useful. Yes, everything, of any variety, that believers face in this world are not outside God’s sovereign domain.

Haldane says that when overruled by God, these bad things are transformed into doing good for the believer. Paul had previously spoken of the various sources of consolation in the two preceding verses. How the Holy Spirit helps us with our weaknesses, and how by dictating those prayers which are heard of God, the Apostle now eliminates another objection. There are those who question that if God hears a believer’s sighs and groanings, then why are they not immediately delivered? In Paul’s answer we find that afflictions can be both beneficial and profitable. This is because although they are not quickly removed, God changes their intended purpose and makes them work together for our good. But just to make sure that no one is misled into a false sense of security, the Apostle adds that this promise is only for those who love God by putting Him first in their lives, and are “the called according to His purpose.” It is Haldane’s prayer that not only is what Paul says here is true in itself, but he asserts that every believer must be convinced of its truth.¹⁴

Albert Barnes has an interesting take on how all things work together for good to satisfy God’s purpose for allowing them to occur. He points out that the Greek word prothesis rendered “purpose” meaning – a proper proposition, or a laying down of anything in full view of others. This is applied to how the bread was laid on the Table of Show-bread in the Holy Place of the Tabernacle.¹⁵ We can take this then to mean that when this is applied to the mind, it is a clear plan with an obvious purpose. In that sense, it implies that all along God had a plan, purpose, or intention, for those who became Christians. They were not saved by chance or good luck. God does not redeem and call people out of sin’s bondage without having a pre-planned design and purpose for them. His designs are not last-minute decisions, they were formed in eternity past. What God ends up doing, He meant to do all along. Whatever He does that turns out right was always meant to be right. Everything God does is an integral part of His predetermined purpose or plan. We can see and affirm that He has had such a purpose in regard to the salvation of His people since the beginning.¹⁶ It is clear that with God’s purpose for His creation being a proposition, it, therefore, should not be considered predestination without choice. Mankind’s free will is to choose what God offers, not to have it enforced against man’s will.¹⁷

Puritan preacher Charles Simeon proclaims that true believers know they’ve received a lot of great encouragement to draw closer to God. They’ve also been assured of having the supernatural assistance of the Holy Spirit when pouring their hearts out before Him with the assurance by God Himself that their prayers will heard and answered. Yet sometimes, like the Israelites in Egypt, the more they renew their requests, the more they find their burdens and struggles are increased.¹⁸ That causes them, like the Israelites, to start murmuring and becoming despondent and want to give up.¹⁹ But it’s the same Spirit that comes to their side and by grace encourages and enables them to wait patiently for the Lord’s right timing. When they do, they will see how the dark clouds of doom they dreaded, will burst with glorious blessings on their heads.²⁰