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Sermon Notes

The Predestination of Believers

Sunday 10 December 2023 Pastor Craig Ledbetter Romans 8:29-30
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I. Introduction (Romans 8:29,30)

A. We are almost finished with studying the first HALF of the Letter of Paul to Romans!

  1. We are finishing the last bits of Scripture in chapter 8 - one of THE greatest chapters in one of THE greatest Books in the Bible for the Christian!
  2. In January we will pick up in Chapter 9 of Romans, and by the end of 2024, we will prayerfully finish the remaining 8 chapters of this marvellous Book of the Bible!

B. But for NOW, we have two verses to look at and ponder (Romans 8:29,30)

  1. Romans 8:29,30 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.

C. They are why a Christian can believe and trust verse 28 to be true!

  1. You ought to know Romans 8:28…
  2. Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
  3. Memorise it, ponder it, and thoroughly believe it!

D. Because of God doing FIVE big things in the life of a believer…

  1. Foreknowledge
  2. Predestination
  3. Calling
  4. Justification
  5. And glorification

E. Big, Biblical words that Christians need to fully understand and rest on!

F. They are the reasons we have confidence, and they describe the unfailing journey that every Christian is on, thanks to Jesus Christ

II. Message

A. #1 God’s Foreknowledge

  1. Romans 8:29,30 For whom he did foreknow, …

  2. This is one of the characteristics of God - omniscience - all knowing

    • He knows everything all at once - seriously!
    • And God knows the entirety of time - all at once
    • Because He is outside of time, looking in!

  3. He literally sees the end of everything before anything ever starts

    “Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure.” - Isaiah 46:9,10

  4. He Knows The Future

    • In the first 12 chapters of Genesis God lays out the entire future of mankind
    • God actually describes 2,500 years of future world kingdoms and rulers and battles and empires to a pagan king named Nebuchadnezzar - all in a small book by Daniel!
    • Daniel describes future world events with such precision that many atheists become believers after they discover what the Bible has predicted!
    • Do you realise that:
      1. Jesus knew who would betray Him
      2. He knew Peter would deny Him
      3. He knew the Jewish leaders, and the Roman rulers would crucify Him
      4. He knew He would rise up again three days later
      5. God tells us about a mark, number, name going into everyone’s forehead or right hand to control people’s ability to buy or sell
      6. God describes a coming world leader who will be absolutely loved and worshipped as if HE is the Messiah - only he will be the antichrist!
      7. God knows the future! The future is laid out like a roadmap to Him
      8. To God, everything is heading towards an end - God’s conclusion
      9. THAT is why I can trust Him to tell me what to do every day!

  5. He knows you!

    • Jeremiah 1:5 Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.
    • He knows where you have been, what you’ve gone through and where you are headed
    • He knows what you can be if you would trust Him and do things His way
    • Thankfully, NOTHING anyone does surprises Him
      1. He knew you would mess up before He ever saved you
      2. He can handle any failures, weaknesses, disasters, because He already has allowed for everything we could possibly do wrong, when Jesus took our place in death!
      3. And He is committed to working everything that is off course, back on course!
      4. He is called the Captain of our salvation for good reason! He is not only in control of the ship of our life, but also all the storms!

  6. That’s why we are able to say, God knows what He is doing, and that we can TRUST Him - Because He knows how to work everything together for good

  7. So, Foreknowledge means:

    • God ALREADY KNOWS the future
    • God guides world events towards His perfect will
    • Works with the free will and the sinfulness of men
    • He knows who will choose to be saved, and who will walk away!
    • And He chooses to work on and with those that follow His Son - predestination!

B. #2 Predestination

  1. Romans 8:29,30 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…

  2. For some people ‘predestination’ is a scary word

    • People have argued forever that it means some people are chosen to go to hell, and some are chosen to be with God in heaven
    • Predestination is a word for Christians only, not for unbelievers
    • It doesn’t kick in until a person believes the Gospel
    • It is God’s reaction to our choice to trust Jesus Christ

  3. Predestination means:

    • Pre-determined, pre-ordained… God’s choice for a Christian
    • You and I are NOT going to remain the same now!
    • God has predetermined that every believer will be CHANGED / TRANSFORMED into the likeness of Jesus
    • Hey… This world is not our home anymore - we are headed, destined for heaven
    • But God has chosen to change not only our destination, but is committed to changing our nature - to become just like Jesus Christ!
    • Psalm 138:8 The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O LORD, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands.
    • And for most of us, God needs to do a LOT of perfecting!

  4. The facts:

    a. God wants all men saved (1 Timothy 2:3-6)

    • Doesn’t force anyone to believe
    • But His WILL is that all men, women and children would be saved!
    • 1 Timothy 2:3-6 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.

    b. Not willing that any one perish in hell (2 Peter 3:9)

    • 2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

    c. God gave His only begotten Son to save the entire world! (John 3:16)

    • Not just some elect, special people that God liked
    • No! The WHOLE WORLD!
    • John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

C. #3 Calling

  1. Romans 8:30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called…
  2. God calls people to Himself
    • Through the preaching of the Gospel
    • Through the conviction of the Holy Spirit
    • Through circumstances of life
  3. The call of God is for all people
    • Matthew 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
  4. But only those who respond are saved

D. #4 Justification

  1. Romans 8:30 …and whom he called, them he also justified…
  2. Justification means: declared righteous before God
    • Not because of anything we have done
    • But because of what Christ has done for us
  3. Romans 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

E. #5 Glorification

  1. Romans 8:30 …and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
  2. This is our final destination - to be glorified with Christ
  3. Our bodies will be transformed
  4. We will be made perfect
  5. We will be with Him forever

III. Conclusion

A. These five things are certain for every believer

  1. God foreknew you
  2. God predestinated you to be conformed to the image of His Son
  3. God called you
  4. God justified you
  5. God will glorify you

B. This is why Romans 8:28 is true

All things work together for good because God is working out His eternal purpose in your life.

C. Rest in these truths

You are on a journey that God Himself has designed, and He will see it through to completion.

“Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.” - Philippians 1:6

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