Oct 27, 2019
Originally Presented: October 14, 2007
Scripture Reading: Romans 8:28-32
In Romans 8:29,30 Paul takes us, by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, into the infinite mind of God. To say the least, it is a realm in which we are way out of our element. Our limited minds cannot begin to fully grasp the wonders of divine intention. It is wonderful to plumb, as far as we are able, the depths of God's design in these verses and especially to notice the connection between the grand promise of Romans 8:28 and the glorious plan revealed in verses 29 and 30.
The wonder of God's working all things together for good (Rom 8:28) is rooted in the design of God's intending to save some people and conform them to the image of Christ (Rom 8:29,30). God will weave everything together for the good of His children because He has designed, even before creation, to cause them to be like His Son.
There are five marvelous verbs in verses 29 and 30 . . . foreknown, predestined, called, justified, and glorified. The connection between them has been called 'the golden chain' because the progression describes what God has done concerning the salvation of His people and runs from before creation, in the past, into eternity, in the future.
One conclusion to be drawn from this passage is that our salvation, from beginning to end, rests completely on God. At once the truth of these verses supremely exalts the Almighty, on the one hand, and utterly crushes our pride, on the other. To meditate on the wonders of these verses produces in our souls indescribable joy, unshakable faith, deep-rooted gratitude, and genuine humility.