Spiritual Insight

The two title elements of this post seem to be in conflict with one another. But they are indeed two sides of the same coin. 

First, God, in His wisdom, righteousness and sovereignty has granted us free will and limited Himself to accepting our choice about whether to follow and yield to Him as our Heavenly Father or not. He wants all of us as His children, but He wants loving children who want to be with Him; not children who resent and reject Him as father. This is an extremely magnanimous act full of wisdom and grace.

Secondly, God who is omniscient, who knows all, has then in His foreknowledge of who would willingly agree to be His son or daughter, predestined those whom He foreknew to join Him in faith as His children.

Romans 8:28-30 “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose. For those God foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those He predestined, He also called; those He called, He also justified; those He justified, He also glorified.”

This is the Apostle Paul’s highpoint message of the good news. Now, let’s look at this passage in more detail to understand more fully what is said here and not read into this passage things that are not said.

First, “God works for the good of those who love Him “. God will by no means turn away from those who want to embrace Him. But He also does not seek to harm those who do not want to acknowledge Him. We all get air to breathe, water to drink, food to eat, places to live, livelihoods to sustain us. Do some lack some of those blessings? Yes, but that is primarily because the rest of us are too stingy to share some of what we have with those who are less fortunate. Among those who do follow God, the second most important calling is “to love our neighbors as ourselves”. Gal. 5:14. God does not call for anyone to be denied the basics of life, but He will help those who want to walk with Him through whatever trials that choice may bring.

Then, “For those God foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of His Son (Jesus) “. If God, in His omniscience, knows that we do now or will want to walk with Him, He clears the way and is very patient and persistent. “And those He predestined, He also called “. The call may be before us for years before we hear it and accept it. God does not give up on us if we do not hear Him and respond immediately. As for those whom He foreknew that they would not respond, the passage does not say that they are blocked from God’s grace. As noted above, we all receive some measure of His grace that allows us life here on earth. But God’s omniscience is total and He does not fail to call someone who might respond, even at the last minute of their life.

Finally, “those He called, He also justified; those He justified, He also glorified.”  This is the assurance for those who want to walk with God, that they will indeed do so during our mortal lives on earth. It may not always be an easy walk, but it will be a successful walk with His help. And then Paul tells us that beyond this life there will be a future glorification for those who chose God. Rev. 21 describes the resurrected, glorified life we will live with God, in His presence, in the “new heaven and the new earth”.

So, what does this Romans 8 passage actually tell us. It tells us that according to our free will to choose however we want, that we will each get what we want with respect to a life with or without God both here and hereafter. No one is excluded who wants to be with God and no one is forced to live with God if they don’t want to. It tells us that if we choose for God, we will have help and we will have some blessings here in our mortal life and then in the “new heaven and the new earth” where we will be living with God. It also tells us that, as with all choices, there are consequences. That consequence is where we will spend eternity; with God or apart from God where we can’t mar God’s perfect solution with our negativity and disruption. 

We all get what we want! What more can you ask for?

Dave L.