Some plain observations on Romans 8:29-30 (1)

"For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate
to be conformed to the image of his Son,
that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called:
and whom he called, them he also justified:
and whom he justified, them he also glorified.”
Romans 8:29-30

Let us observe some basic truths asserted here in this passage.

1. All the divine activities mentioned are wholly monergistic, i.e. without the cooperation or assistance of those acted upon.

2. All the divine activities mentioned are SOLELY AND COMPLETELY by free and sovereign divine grace - of pure and unadulterated divine grace in our eternal salvation, not conditioned on anything outside of God.

3. All the divine activities embrace and apply to every single elect in Christ.

The first basic point to note concerning Romans 8:29-30 is that the people embraced here include every single elect. This simple fact should inform us how we understand the wonderful declaration... The exact number predestinated is exactly the same number effectually called unto eternal life through free grace justification based solely on the righteousness and blood of Jesus Christ. Every single elect predestinated to be conformed to the image of God’s Son, God called... God justified... and God glorified… all by God’s free grace, without any human co-operation. Not a single elect of God missed this effectual call to grace and salvation.

So, what is this call? Is it the gospel call to faith, or the effectual call unto eternal life? This call cannot be the gospel call to conversion - because the gospel call to conversion does not reach every single elect who is effectually called unto eternal life, see 1689.10.3. The call here is the divine effectual call unto eternal life - and this is true of every single elect, with no exception whatsoever, 1689.10.1.

Every elect is called unto eternal life by the direct, immediate and efficacious call of God through His Word (life-giving Christ) and Spirit. This He did by justifying them, i.e. He removed the just condemnation upon them, and applied to them personally the righteousness of Christ, all by pure free grace, not on condition of faith. One is gravely mistaken in understanding the call in Romans 8:30 has anything to do with the gospel call. It is classic eisegesis by very many - the free-willer as well as the so-called 'reformed' folks.

The justification spoken here is the justification applied to an elect at effectual calling unto eternal life, spoken of in 1689.11.1. This is the justification applied to every single elect personally. This is not the justification experienced by faith through the gospel call - because not all the elect will receive the gospel call and experience justification by their faith. The justification spoken of here is justification prior to faith; i.e. justification applied when an elect was a condemned, dead child of wrath, dead in trespasses and sins: incapable of faith. 

This passage does not support the view of gospel call leading to justification by a believer's faith. There is no gospel call here. There is no justification by a believer's faith here. There is the effectual call unto life... effectual call unto life requires the removal of the condemnation of death, i.e. it requires the justification secured by Christ to be applied to the elect personally. There is justification by divine free grace through the righteousness of Christ applied to an elect personally. When condemnation is removed, eternal life is bestowed; yes, eternal life is bestowed... thus guaranteeing glorification. Effectual call unto eternal life guarantees glorification regardless of the degree or amount of salvation blessings one will experience through the ministry of the word.

There is no gospel call here. Apostle Paul did not say, “whom the preacher called God justified.” The preacher issues a gospel call to conversion. But what did Christ say about the call to life? John 5:25 “Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.” Please note, this does not say the ministry of the preached word, nor the preached words of Christ, it is not the voice of the preacher, but the ‘voice of the Son of God’. How easy it is to usurp Christ in the effectual calling of the spiritually dead elect to eternal life with the preachers’ gospel call of the regenerated elect to believe in the truth.

Those that God has predestinated to eternal salvation, God himself will bring them to eternal salvation, without any assistance or cooperation from any finite man.

Where then is the place of the ministry of the word? Good question. It is very necessary for God's children - elect already regenerated by God - to hear the word of truth, the gospel of their salvation (Eph 1:13). They need to hear and to know the truth of their glorious salvation by grace. God has appointed the ministry of the word to bring temporal blessings to His children here on earth.

The ministry of the word is MOST NECESSARY - but only for the purpose it is ordained by God, not what man has VAINLY imagined. Preachers have been called to feed the lambs... but many have vainly and foolishly thought that God called them and commissioned them to HELP God birth His children. The command is, "Go, and make disciples..." Too many think it is, "Go and make children of God." God's children must be discipled, i.e. instructed and taught the truth of their eternal salvation by God's free grace, taught to observe all the commands of Christ - this will bring them temporal salvation in this life. The command is, "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations..." Only those whom God has already effectually called to eternal life, eternally saved, are capable of receiving teaching from God-sent preachers. Too many foolishly think, "Go ye, therefore, and assist God to bring forth His children."

The ministry of the word is MOST UN-NECESSARY for the BEING of God's children.

The ministry of the word is MOST NECESSARY for the WELL-BEING of God's children.

It was never ordained for that purpose. A deluded man has perverted it. I have not heard of a father who ever claimed that diapers and baby clothing have anything to do with the BEING, the conception and birth of a child. But there are too many deluded preachers and believers who believe that the ministry of the word and man's faith has something to do with their BEING as children of God.

Without the ministry of the word, not one jot of the eternal salvation of one elect is ever lost. Without the ministry of the word, a child of God is deprived of the temporal salvation which comes from the ministry of the word. The ministry of the word instructs God's children in the truth of their redemption in Christ Jesus, and teaches them to deny ungodliness and worldly lust, but as God's children to live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world. That explains the urgency of 'preach the word, be instant in season, and out of season...' That explains the command, 'Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou BOTH SAVE THYSELF, AND THEM that hear thee.'

Would the eternally wise God risk the eternal salvation of His elect by conditioning it upon something finite man must cooperate and assist? God forbids.

That's about all I know - and it is a fraction of a drop in the South China Sea.

God is sovereign, and I am an optimist.
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Take a look here
https://things-new-and-old.blogspot.com/2012/09/some-plain-observations-from-romans-829.html

When Was Paul Saved? When were you saved?

Here is one of the most important and enlightening article on the doctrine of salvation. It will go along way in helping you to rightly divide the word of truth. I first read it in Jan 2004. Visit the web site, and discover the treasure there.

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When Was Paul Saved? Let's ask him.

Questions Your Pastor Hopes You Won't Ask
http://www.letgodbetrue.com/Questions/WhenWasPaulSaved.htm

One of the most common questions unlearned Christians like to ask is: "When were you saved?" This question assumes a person's eternal salvation is dependent on a personal decision to accept Jesus Christ as Saviour at some specific point in time.

However, the Bible knows nothing about this kind of salvation. The Apostle Paul never once mentioned such a personal decision to accept Jesus Christ as saviour in order to obtain eternal salvation.

However, Paul many times wrote of his salvation from sin. If we were to ask him the same question, "When were you saved?" he would tell us his salvation from sin occurred at five different times. Yes, that's right; Paul was delivered from sin in five different ways and at five different times. How do we know this? Simply by reading what the Apostle wrote in his epistles. By comparing the epistles of Paul, we see five different phases or aspects of God's glorious salvation from sin through our Lord Jesus Christ.

First, Paul would tell us that he was saved from sin before the world began. This is salvation from the PLAN of sin.
"Who [God] hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began." II Tim.1:9

Second, Paul would tell us that he was saved from sin when Christ Jesus died on the cross of Calvary. This is salvation from the PENALTY of sin.
"This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief." I Tim.1:15

Third, Paul would tell us that he was saved from sin when the Holy Spirit regenerated him and gave him a new nature. This is salvation from the POWER of sin.
"Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost." Titus 3:5

Fourth, Paul would tell us that he was saved from sin whenever he kept in memory the gospel that he had preached. This is salvation from the PRACTICE of sin.
"Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel by which also ye are saved if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain." I Cor. 15:1-2

Finally, Paul would tell us that he wasn't saved yet, but that he would be completely saved from sin some day in the future. This is salvation from the PRESENCE of sin.
"And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed." Romans 13:11

These five passages from the epistles of Paul illustrate the work of salvation from five different perspectives. These are the five phases of God's glorious salvation from sin through Jesus Christ our Lord.
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When Were You Saved?

The Five Phases of Salvation

This common question tries to pin eternal life down to some act at some point in time. Is this Biblical? Did the apostles ever ask this question? How would they answer such a question? Weren't we all saved at the cross?

Let's ask Paul the question.

Paul said he was saved before the world began (II Tim 1:9), when Jesus came into the world (I Tim 1:15), when the Spirit regenerated him (Titus 3:5), when he took heed to himself and the doctrine (I Tim 4:16), and would be saved sometime in the future (Rom 13:11).

Can you believe it? Paul clearly mentions five different stages or phases of salvation. And this is the key to understanding our wonderful salvation in Jesus Christ.

Since God saves sinners in stages, or phases, we must not limit salvation to just one idea or one event at one time. Paul saw his own salvation occurring in five phases.

It used to be called the Ordo Salutis of salvation, which means the order of salvation; but it is not studied or preached much any more. We live in the perilous times of the last days, when men no longer want sound doctrine preached to them (II Tim 3:1 - 4:4). They prefer fables instead truth, so the true doctrine of salvation has been almost lost from the earth.

Everyone talks about "getting saved," but no one can explain it from the Bible. There are "invitations" and "decisions" and "methods" for salvation, but none of these words or ideas are from the Bible.

Paul clearly taught five phases of salvation. Let us learn the five phases briefly, and then study two charts with the Bible proof and explanation. If you love understanding, you will love the charts.

The ETERNAL PHASE is God's plan and choice from eternity to allow sin into the world and to save His elect from it. Since He is eternal and sovereign, God planned in eternity all that He does in time. There are no surprises to God. He planned to allow sin, so that He could display His glorious grace in saving His elect from it and displaying His power and wrath on the rest.

The LEGAL PHASE is God's work to satisfy His holy nature and perfect justice for the salvation of His elect. Because every sin must be punished, He sent a Substitute to die for their sins. His perfect holiness and justice cannot overlook sins and acquit wicked men. He must punish their sins in Another, even Jesus Christ. And this He did at the crucifixion of Jesus Christ 2000 years ago.

The VITAL PHASE is God's application of these benefits to us personally and individually. Though He planned to save us from eternity and legally did so with Christ's death on the cross, we still have a depraved and wicked nature at enmity with Him. So He regenerates us into a new life by His Spirit and gives us a new heart that loves Him and righteousness. This is being born again, and it is done entirely by the power of God sometime during our lives.

The PRACTICAL PHASE is our response to His salvation. He sends His Spirit into our hearts, and we cry "Abba, Father." With new hearts from regeneration, we seek the truth and love it when we hear it. We hear the gospel, and we believe it. We want to be baptized to show Him our love. We want to know more of what we can do to please Him, and we gratefully cherish all His promises, which give us comfort and peace now.

The FINAL PHASE is that great day in the future when we shall be declared the sons of God to the whole universe and enter heaven for eternity. Our bodies will be raised from graves and glorified into new spiritual bodies, and we will be thoroughly purged from all sin to be perfectly holy in His presence forever. This great conclusion to the plan of salvation is yet in the future.

With this brief explanation, look at Chart #1, which divides the work of God into five phases. You will see that God operates in five phases, and even sin and condemnation occur in these five different stages. Please read the descriptions and see the many Bible proofs and explanations for these phases of salvation.

If you will study this chart and search the Scripture references to prove each phase, you will find an explanation and description of your salvation that will bless your heart. God has intended to save you from the very beginning, and He is faithfully working all the operations of grace to bring you to your predestinated end.

God has also chosen several different words to describe our salvation, like justification, sanctification, and adoption among others. By looking at Chart #2, you will see that the various components of salvation are also easily understood by these five phases.

For example, sanctification means to be made holy for the use of God. We are sanctified, or made holy, in five stages. First, God chose us to be holy before the world began. Second, Jesus died to make us holy legally, or positionally. Third, the Spirit gives us a new holy nature that loves holiness. Fourth, we obey the gospel to live active holy lives. And fifth, we shall be made wholly holy, even with holy bodies, in the last day.

By reading chart #2 for the line called sanctification, you will know more about sanctification than 99% of Christians today. What should you do? Thank the Lord with your whole heart and live a holy life for Him.

Now, when someone asks you, "When were you saved?" you should ask him which phase he is asking about! You were saved before creation in God's elective plan; you were saved at the cross in His legal provision; you were saved at an unknown time in your life by the Spirit's regeneration; you were saved to knowledge and assurance of the truth by the gospel; and you will yet be saved at our Lord's coming. Glory!

If you love this glorious plan of salvation, then it is your duty to find a church where this wonderful doctrine is taught, cherished, and obeyed; for the Father is seeking worshippers who will worship Him in spirit and in truth.