Sovereign Grace Baptist Church

Free Grace Media

Of Princeton, New Jersey

 

AuthorClay Curtis
TitleFor Whom He Did Foreknow
Bible TextRomans 8:29
Date21-Jun-2018
Article Type Article
PDF Format pdf
Word Format doc
 

FOR WHOM HE DID FOREKNOW

 

Romans 8: 29: 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.

 

“Foreknow” is translated from the Greek word “proginosko.” It is where we get the word “prognosis.” It is to know before.

 

     Most mistakenly think it means “what God did foresee” instead of “whom God did foreknow.”  The great lie many teach is that God foresaw some would believe therefore God chose them.  That is to make God’s election to be due to the sinner when scripture declares God’s election is due entirely to the grace of God. When the Spirit reveals to us how totally ruined we became in Adam, we certainly do not want God to choose or refuse us based on what God foresees in us.  Speaking of “what” God “foresaw” when he looked upon us from heaven, two places in scripture says, “God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for ALL flesh had CORRUPTED HIS WAY upon the earth”; “God looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, that did seek God. EVERY ONE of them is GONE BACK: they are ALTOGETHER BECOME FILTY; there is NONE THAT DOETH GOOD, NO, NOT ONE.” (Gen 6: 12; Ps 53: 12)  Besides that, if God foresaw some would believe then there would have been no need for God to predestinate anyone to be conformed to the image of his Son.

 

     When it says “whom God did foreknow” it means God knew his people in Christ before the world was made, everlastingly loved them particularly in Christ, accepted them in Christ and ordained them to eternal life in Christ. Therefore, it says “whom God did foreknow, he also did predestinate [to be] conformed to the image of his Son…”  That is why Jeremiah said, “The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.” (Jer 31: 3) It is why when the apostle Paul preached the gospel to the Gentiles, we read, “…as many as were ordained to eternal life, believed.”

 

     Thankfully, all God’s eternal blessings toward his people come from God alone in Christ according to his free and sovereign grace and not because of anything in his people or done by his people.