Predestined: Fair or unfair, is that the right question?
Romans 8:29 and 30 can sometimes spark a question of the fairness of God. In our human minds this seems to be the right question. I pose a different question, If you were chosen by your king or president to be honored with a great reward, of which you didn’t earn or deserve, but that they were so sure he should receive it would you turn around and say, yeah but why? Don’t give this to me, I don’t deserve it. If so, your faith has not gotten to the point where you truly trust God gave and won’t take back, or that he made a mistake. There’s no condemnation in my statement about your faith. That is a great point where you can focus your devotion and petitionary prayers asking for your faith in that particular spot.
Today I wanted to talk about being chosen by the Almighty though. Paul reinforces this through much of Romans. Since that’s the case, and the Holy Spirit picks every word and every topic and inspires exactly when and where to use it, then we know it is important. Verses 29 and 30 coming on the heels of being told God is working out our lives just as he planned. But when did he plan it? Was it after I made that horrible mistake buying this one things, acting in a shameful manner, consuming something I knew would hurt me? Most certainly it wasn’t, for we know he is omniscient, so he sees everything from the past to the future. This is why he could bring prophetic messages to his people throughout history. That must mean he planned out our lives, who would be in them, places in which encouragement could come, and ultimately when the Holy Spirit would open our eyes and ears. Well then what was left for us? All the poor choices in the middle. That is a little jest inserted. Seriously though, he planned everything out, knowing the choices we would make (our free will). And the encouragement lies in the fact that if you have accepted Christ he chose you!!! But what’s even more encouraging, He chose you before you were ever born, and before you made any of the poor choices or sinned. So revisiting the first statement, I don’t deserve this reward. You are completely right, but that doesn’t mean the Lord isn’t 100% sure he is giving you the reward regardless!
”29 For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; 30 and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.” Romans 8:29,30.
Paul makes another point on this later, in chapter 9. Remember how God brought the promise which would come from Sarah’s son. Then we saw Rebekah later with Isaac, having twins. “… when she had conceived twins by one man, our father Isaac, 11 for though the twins were not yet born and had not done anything food or bad, so that God’s purpose according to His choice would stand, not because of works but because of Him who calls, 12 it was said to her, “The older will serve the younger.” Paul tells us that there is no injustice in it. He even quotes Exodus 33:19, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” He continues, “So then it does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy.” So is it fair? Well, coming from a God who could just as easily not provide mercy for any of us since none of us deserve it, no it is not fair. It isn’t fair I was predestined and chosen. Nor for you, but we were. So the God of everything chose you and me before we screwed up or before we were even born to be justified, to be made right with him as if we had NEVER SINNED. I’m going to focus on that, instead of whether I deserved it or why he chose me. Truth is, I don’t care why he chose me, I am thankful he did.
Now let those words from Romans 8, and 9 settle on you. Ask the Holy Spirit to bring about the truth of that point, to settle on you, to identify you, to give you meaning, purpose, and hope. Allow his word to transform you through and through. Then live out the praise knowing that he just did a work in you! Be blessed and abide in Him as you walk in his word.
