Video Notes:

•  This further explains what is meant by working good for those who were called according to God’s purpose. It tells us both who this is and what the ultimate goal of the “working good” is.
• There are five verbs and all are connected by also so they cannot be separated. It’s all one continuous action and purpose.
• Foreknew (knew beforehand)
  • At times, when used in conjunction with people as the subject, this can mean “to be aware of beforehand.”
  • However, the Bible often uses the word, “know”, in a deeper, more intimate, relational way.
  • It is this relational concept that is in mind here.
  • God is omniscient and is aware of all things before they happen, so there’s no need to include that in the sequence unless it somehow then refers to some aspect of the person that distinguishes them from God having been aware of everyone else beforehand. People have often tried to take that leap here.
    • God was aware of who would be worthy of salvation.
    • God was aware of who would believe.
    • Neither of these are actually expressed in the text here. Additionally, the concepts put the cart before the horse and they go against the passivity we see on man’s part in every aspect of salvation.
  • God entered into a relationship with us before we did anything.
• Predestined (appointed beforehand)
  • For God, love is an action. Having entered into the relationship with us, God then appoints us to be conformed to the image of His Son. The relationship and the appointment go hand in hand and happen together beforehand.
    • Ephesians 1:3-6
      • “Beforehand” – This happened before the foundations of the world, before creation. God chose us (entered into a relationship with us) and appointed us.
      • We also see “to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers,” echoed here. We are “in Christ”, “holy and blameless” like Christ, and we are “adopted through Christ”, making us brothers and sisters with Christ.
      • The firstborn reference also points to Christ’s resurrected form and the resurrection and new body we will also receive.
• Called
  • Here we shift in time from beforehand to what has happened to us in time in our lives.
  • God calls us by His Word.
  • This can be resisted (Acts 7:51, John 3:18, Matthew 10:14, Matthew 23:37)
• Justified (declared righteous)
  • God has made you righteous not by anything you have done. His pronouncement makes it so.
  • This has already been done at your baptism.
• Glorified
  • Heaven, no more suffering, no more sin, etc.
  • New immortal bodies
  • The new life and righteousness you already have and being reconciled to God.
  • Isn’t this in the future, why in past tense? This has already been accomplished, even though we don’t experience it yet. 
• We need to recognize a few other things in regards to election and predestination. 
  • Election and Predestination are always spoken of in these kinds of praise-statements. They are always related to salvation and never condemnation.
  • Election and Predestination are always spoken of in concrete, personal, historical, and knowable ways, not as an intellectual concept.
  • Election and predestination are spoken of for your benefit and assurance, not for doubt.