A Note of Romans 8: 28-31 and Predestination

by Lane Rogers

28And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose

I. The first thing we are told in the text is that some people are called - but they are only called according to God's purpose.
     A.  What does it mean to be "called."  Look at the Grammar

κλητός (klētos, 2822), -ή, -όν, (καλέω), [fr. Hom, down], called, invited, (to a banquet, [1 K. i. 41, 49]; 3 Macc. v. 14; Aeschin. 50, 1); in the N. T.
a. invited (by God in the proclamation of the gospel) to obtain eternal salvation in the kingdom of God through Christ (see καλέω, 1 b. β. [cf. W. 35 (34)]): Ro. viii. 28; 1 Co. i. 24; Jude 1; κλητοί κ. ἐκλεκτοὶ κ. πιστοί, Rev. xvii. 14; κλητοί and ἐκλεκτοί are distinguished (see ἐκλεκτός, 1 a.) in Mt. xx. 16 [T WHom. Tr br. the cl.]; xxii. 14, a distinction which does not agree with Paul's view (see καλέω, u. s.; [ Weiss, Bibl. Theol. § 88; Bp. Lghtft. Com. on Col. iii. 12]); κλητοὶ Ἰησοῦ Χρiστοῦ, gen. of possessor [W. 195 (183); B. § 132, 23], devoted to Christ and united to him, Ro. i. 6; κλητοὶ ἅγιοι, holy (or “saints”) by the calling of God, Ro. i. 7; 1 Co. i. 2.
b. called to (the discharge of) some office: κλητὸς ἀπόστολος, i. e. divinely selected and appointed (see καλέω, u. s.), Ro. i. 1; 1 Co. i. 1 [L br. κλ.]; cf. Gal. i. 15.*

   
   
B.  As noted by the definition of the word "called" we are called or invited by the Gospel of Jesus Christ (2nd Thess. 2:14).   
   C.  The next question we must ask ourselves is; what does it mean "according to His purpose
." Now let's look at the grammar.

πρό-θεσις (pro-thesis, 4286), -εως, ἡ, (προτίθημι);
1. the setting forth of a thing, placing of it in view, (Plat., Dem., Plut.); οἱ ἄρτοι τῆς προθέσεως (Vulg. panes propositionis), the show-bread, Sept. for
הַפָּנִים לֶחֶם (Ex. xxxv. 13; xxxix. 18 (xxxviii. 36); 1 K. vii. 48 (34)), and הַמַּעֲרֶכֶת לֶחֶם (1 Chr. ix. 32; xxiii. 29); twelve loaves of wheaten bread, corresponding to the number of the tribes of Israel, which loaves were offered to God every Sabbath, and, separated into two rows, lay for seven days upon a table placed in the sanctuary or anterior portion of the tabernacle, and afterwards of the temple (cf. Winer, RWB. s. v. Schaubrode; Roskoff in Schenkel v. p. 213 sq.; [Edersheim, The Temple, ch. ix. p. 152 sqq.; BB. DD.]): Mt. xii. 4; Mk. ii. 26; Lk. vi. 4, (οἱ ἄρτοι τοῦ προσώπου, sc. θεοῦ, Neh. x. 33; ἄρτοι ἐνώπιοι, Ex. xxv. 29); ἡ πρόθεσιs τῶν ἄρτων, (the rite of) the setting forth of the loaves, Heb. ix. 2.
2. a purpose (2 Macc. iii. 8; [Aristot.], Polyb., Diod., Plut.): Acts xxvii. 13; Ro. viii. 28; ix. 11; Eph. i. 11; iii. 11; 2 Tim. i. 9; iii. 10; τῇ προθέσει τῆς καρδίας, with purpose of heart, Act

    D.  God's purpose then becomes something He has set in front of us to observe! Notice the word for purpose. It is Pro-thesis. God has a thesis He is operating under.

  29For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son,


     
A.  According to the text God foreknew something. That begs the question, what was it that God foreknew? We are told what God foreknew in the text. God foreknew that some people would be conformed to the image of His Son. This behavior change was "Predestined."

προγινώσκω (proginōskō 4267)
1. foreknow -knew
to know, perceive, learn or understand beforehand, to take note of before. Reference(s)

2. know -est,-eth,-ing; knew, -est
(γινώσκω (ginōskō 1097) with πρό (pro 4253) before, prefixed) to perceive or apprehend beforehand, to know previously, to foreknow.Reference(s)

3. foreordain

   B. Not a single word in this text speaks of people being predestined to go to heaven or hell. Those are ideas brought in from outside that are foreign to the writers intent. The only thing predestined here is the "behavioral change." (some would conform to the image of His son).
   C.  Now read the entire verse in context. Those who were predestined to conform were only those who God foreknew would respond to the call or the Gospel.
   D.  God predestined the "plan" and not the "people." Read carefully the definition of "Predestined."

προορίζω (proorizō 4309)
1. predestinate -ed
to set bounds before, determine, decree or ordain beforehand. [In Rom 8:30, it is simply a formal conception, and not (like προγινώσκω (proginōskō 4267) in verse 29) an independent conception, complete in itself. When προορίζω (proorizō 4309) is used, the question is not who are its objects, but what they are predestined to do. προορίζω (proorizō 4309) precedes history, and those who, in history, God “foreknows”. (προγίνωσκω (proginōskō 4267)) are the subjects of what He has before all history prepared and counselled for them.]Reference(s)

2. determine before
to mark out beforehand, to make or set a bound before. Reference(s)

3. ordain -ed
(ὁρίζω (horizō 3724) with πρό (pro 4253) before, prefixed) to mark out before, predetermine.

  1.  So now we have it. God predestined that some people would obey the gospel of Jesus Christ on the basis of His foreknowledge and those who obeyed would conform to the image of Jesus.

 so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; 30and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified. 31What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?


The Original Letter by Augustine to Hilary 428/429 A.D

A Rebuttal of the Augustine (Catholic) Theory of Predestinaion 

Presbyterians Confess the Doctrine in its original form not from Calvin or the bible But from 

from Augustine and the Roman Catholic Church.

  Later I will write my own rebuttal but for now we need to examine the actual text and notice, that there is not a single word in this text about heaven or hell. Lane

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