Weekly Devotional 2-20-17
The Foreknowledge of God Concerning Those Who Are To Be Saved
Romans 8:28-30 (NKJV) “28And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. 29For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.”
Many have interpreted God’s foreknowing those He calls to mean that He called them because He knew how they would respond to His call. That is, He foreknew that they would believe the Gospel and accept His provision (Jesus Christ) as payment for their sin(s). He did and does foreknow how one will respond, but is this the correct understanding of God’s foreknowing, or is something else meant?
The following passages emphatically state that before one can believe, and respond positively to the message of the Gospel, he or she must be born again.
John 3:1-7 ( NKJV ) “1There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.” 3Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 4Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” 5Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.”
Before one can see (understand) anything about heaven and eventually enter into it, one must be born again (vv 3&5), and that being born again is a work of the Holy Spirit (vv 5 & 6).
Ephesians 2:1-10 ( NKJV ) “1And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, 2in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, 3among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others. 4But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”
Paul declares, by inspiration of the Holy Spirit, that at the time of spiritual rebirth those who believe the Gospel, who come to faith, are dead toward God. Being dead toward God implies that before spiritual rebirth one does not have a desire to come to God or have fellowship with Him. If we were to continue reading from John chapter 3 we would read, “18He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. 21But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God” (John 3:18-21 NKJV). Verse twenty-one states that the deeds of the one who responds positively, which includes believing and committing to following Christ, were and are done in God (wrought by God).
The writer of Hebrews informs us that Jesus is “the author (the originator) and finisher of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2 NKJV).
These passages teach that before a man can believe, accept, or commit to Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit must do the work of regeneration in his or her heart. God certainly knew and knows beforehand who will respond to Him in faith, because He is the One that creates in the heart of the responder such a desire. This is affirmed by the apostle John in chapter one of His gospel. He wrote; “10He [Jesus] was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. 11He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. 12But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: 13who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God” (John 1:10-13 NKJV).
This passage teaches that Jesus was rejected nationally by His own people, the Jews, but as many individuals of that nation that did receive Him were given the authority to become children of God. However, John didn’t end there. He went on to say that these individuals weren’t given this authority because of heritage (not of blood), nor of self-decision (the will of the flesh), nor of the will of another (the will of man), but by the will of God.
The foreknowing, therefore, of Romans 8:28-30 has a different meaning than God knowing beforehand who would respond in faith; though He does know. The word knowing has to do with relationship. It is the belief of this writer that foreknowing means that God considered them being in relationship with Him even before they existed, and then brought it to pass. He had called them by an efficacious call, He justified them, and He glorified them (made them one with Himself) by His own works apart from man’s decision or commitment.
I pray this is an encouragement to you.
stevelampman@comcast.net stevelampman.com
Transforming Power; The Work of God on Behalf of Man
Christian National Church