A Note of Romans 8: 28-31 and Predestination
by Lane Rogers
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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
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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. |
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.
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πρό-θεσις
(pro-thesis, 4286), -εως, ἡ, (προτίθημι); |
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.
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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."
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προγινώσκω
(proginōskō 4267) |
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."
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προορίζω
(proorizō 4309) |
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.
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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