The Journey

(Audio version; Music--"You Are More" by: Tenth Avenue North and "Lead Me To The Cross" by: Hillsong)

Introduction

            In case you don’t know me well, I’m sort of a sports nut—ok not “sort of,” I’m a sports nut. Last week I heard an interview with Dr. Rick Perea who is a sports psychologist and professor and Metropolitan State College in Denver. He was also a successful college and professional football player. The interviewer asked him a question about the stress and anxiety associated with the relentless expectation of winning and being the best. I thought his response was really informative and applicable to all areas of life. While there’s nothing wrong with wanting to win or be the best, Dr. Perea explained that wanting to win and be the best is outcome-based thinking. It focuses on the end result that can only have one of two outcomes—we are either the best or not the best or we are either winners or losers. And that creates a significant amount of anxiety and stress even if it is completely true. Consequently, even though the goal is to be the best and to win, we should focus our efforts on the process—what do we do; how do we train; how do we prepare to achieve those goals. Perea called it process-based thinking—if our process has the proper trajectory, then the outcome of winning or being the best has the greatest likelihood of becoming a reality.

            I got to thinking about this in terms of our lives as followers of Christ. A significant amount of our attention is focused on the life to come; who we will be in the next life. And there’s certainly nothing wrong with that when you consider that heaven awaits those of us who have put our faith in Jesus as our Savior. However, not much time is spent focusing on the process of getting there. In other words, focusing exclusively on heaven is outcome-based thinking while most of us are probably decades away from experiencing that outcome. That means there is much life to be lived before that day comes. Don’t misunderstand what I’m saying here. I’m not saying that there is something we must “do” in order to be saved and experience that final outcome. Once we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, our outcome is secure. Nevertheless, many of us live with significant anxiety because our lives today are inconsistent with that future outcome. Let me explain: In the next life, we will be sinless. Today we still struggle with sin. In the next life, we will always be healthy. Today our minds and bodies are broken in one way or another. In the next life, there will be no more tears. Today we often feel like we’re drowning in our tears. In the next life, there will be no more death. Today we are constantly reminded that death is waiting on the doorstep. Who we are today and what we experience today is inconsistent with who we will become and what we will experience in the life to come and so we can become anxious. So how do we overcome that anxiousness? By focusing on the process as opposed to the outcome. And the process is now and always has been the process of being in relationship with Jesus. If you think about it, God is completely process oriented. Israel went through a process in order to be and become the people of God in the Old Testament and the Church is going through a process in order to be and become the people of God in the New Testament. For all of us who are believers, being and becoming the man or woman of God is about the process that God is accomplishing in and through us. Knowing that our future; the outcome, is certain, we are free to focus on the process; free to focus on The Journey.

Subject Text

Romans 8:28-30

²⁸And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. ²⁹For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. ³⁰And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.

Context

In the immediately preceding pericope to our Subject Text, Paul is telling his readers about the hope of future glory that awaits the believer. Paul explains that the long awaited redemption of all of creation has arrived through Jesus Christ and that they can look forward to the day when the natural world would be liberated from its bondage to decay and their own physical bodies would one day be redeemed to reflect the redemption of their spiritual bodies (the soul). In the pericope that follows our Subject Text, Paul is teaching that since they have been promised complete redemption one day, both physically and spiritually, they can live now as conquerors in the face of any and all hardships they might have to endure in this life. However, the hope called for in the text preceding our Subject Text could be fleeting in light of the hardships and persecutions described in the text succeeding our Subject Text. Therefore, what is needed is a promise; an assurance that what is hoped for will be worth the trouble of The Journey.

Theological Terms & Concepts

Before we move on to analyzing our text, I’d like to identify a few theological concepts and terms you may not be familiar with that could help you better understand this lesson. Most of the terms are defined elsewhere on the website under the heading of: Significant Theological Terms. However, I’ll be using a few of them in this lesson so I would like them to be fresh in your mind.

Election—This is God’s choice of a person, in the case of the prophets of the Old Testament of individual believers of the New Testament, or a group of people, in the case of Israel or the Church, for a specific purpose or destiny. This term can be synonymous with to concept of being “called.” Although the basic idea of “called” necessarily implies that the one being called can reject the call, the theological idea of “calling” carries with it the compulsion to respond positively to that call by the person or people being called. Although “Calling” is often interchanged with “Invitation,” “‘Calling’ in Paul never means ‘invitation’; it is always ‘effectual calling’.”[1]

Predestination—For God, past, present and future are all the same. God simply “is.” Predestination is something that has been established by God before it has occurred. However, it is only “pre—” from our perspective because time is linear for us. For God, predestination and destination contain the same degree of certainty because God sees past, present and future all at once. For example, you may believe your child is predestined to become a doctor because of their science acumen or other indicators and you can orient that child along every step of their life toward becoming a doctor. Nevertheless, there is absolutely no guarantee that they will become a doctor because you cannot know the future with absolute certainty. However, if God predestines your child to become a doctor, you can be certain that the child will become a doctor because God already knows the future outcome for that child.

Justification—This is a legal term when used in Scripture that renders those who put their faith in God according to the Old Testament and subsequently put their faith in God incarnate in the person of Jesus Christ according to the New Testament as “Not guilty.” Regardless of our sins, when we put our faith in Christ, we are in Christ and He is in us. Therefore, when we stand before the God as the perfect Judge, he only sees Christ who is sinless and therefore must render a “Not guilty” verdict.

Propitiation—It would be nice if the story would just end with our justification through Christ but it doesn’t. You see, God can’t pretend that sin doesn’t exist; He must deal with it. If God is perfect and just, and we certainly hope he is, then someone must pay the consequences for sin—either each of us pays for our own sins or there must be some means of payment (propitiation). Propitiation is the satisfaction of our sentence (death) for our sins through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ’s death on the Cross; Christ’s death in exchange for our death.

Redemption—When we sin, we are indebted to God to pay for that sin. Unfortunately for us, Scripture makes it clear that the wages (cost) of sin is death (Rom 6:23). And, as previously stated, God can’t just turn a blind eye to sin if we are going to trust Him to be perfectly just. Look at it this way, if you borrow money from a bank, they expect to get their money back and they don’t care whether you can afford to pay it back or not. How long do you suppose they would stay in business if, whenever someone said to them that they couldn’t pay the loan back, they say: “Oh don’t worry about it; Let’s just forget all about it.”? Not very long I would guess. However, they also don’t care if you pay it back or someone else pays it for you as long as it gets paid. This is the concept of redemption as it relates to our salvation. Jesus has paid the debt resulting from our sin (death) so we don’t have to.

Righteousness—Where “justification” was a legal term, “righteousness” is a relational term. English translations for both the Hebrew and the Greek can muddy the waters a bit because justice and righteousness are often interchangeable. And while the distinction might be subtle, there is, nevertheless, a distinction since both words are at times used within the same pericope (cf. Ps 89:14). Therefore, we should be mindful that “The Hebrew usage, which influences that of the NT writers, tends to be relational and concrete; one is ‘righteous’ with respect to another human being or to God, in a particular kind of conduct, or in a particular ‘contention’ which has arisen.”[2]

Sanctification—This is the process of being continually transformed by the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives to reflect the character of Christ in our words and our actions. It is a long process that is never fully complete during this lifetime. For some, the sanctification process is more obvious outwardly than it is in others. However, we can never assume that the process of transformation is not taking place simply because we can’t see it. In fact, the biggest transformation, the transformation of the heart, is necessarily invisible to us. Outward transformations are lasting and sincere only after there has been an inward transformation of the heart.

Glorification—This is a state of being that occurs for believers after we die; a time when our sanctification is completed. It is in this state that our entire being will be an accurate reflection of what it means to be a Christ follower because it is only in that state that our spiritual and physical nature will be a perfect reflection of Christ. “Glorification is multidimensional. It involves both individual and collective eschatology [relating to end-times]. It involves the perfecting of the spiritual nature of the individual believer, which takes place at death, when the Christian passes into the presence of the Lord. It also involves the perfecting of the bodies of all believers, which will occur at the time of the resurrection in connection with the second coming of Christ. It even involves transformation of the entire creation.”[3]

I know there is much to digest already and we haven’t even begun to analyze our Subject Text yet. However, I think the terms will make more sense when we begin to analyze the text and I’m certain the text will make more sense now that we’ve identified the relevant terms.

Text Analysis

²⁸And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

I’m guessing that when you read v. 28 you might have stopped and thought to yourself, “That sounds familiar.” Well it is and I’ll tell you shortly of a similar text from the Old Testament. Like many biblical texts, this is one of the more popular verses to be taken out of context and it has served to hurt those who are struggling instead of encouraging them. Specifically at issue is the idea of what is “good” for us. We somehow think that the “good” that God has planned for us will make life smooth and easy and all we have to do is love Him. I mean, that’s what it says doesn’t it—God works for the good of those who love him? Yes that’s what it says. However, nowhere does it say, either implicitly or explicitly, that it will be easy. Nor does it say that all the things that happen in our lives will be good. In fact, the very next verse will give us an idea of just how hard the “good” will be for us. What it means is that God will use all things, good and bad, for his purposes and for our benefit. We must begin to understand what “good” is from God’s perspective especially with respect to our salvation. God has a specific purpose for your salvation. “Present tribulation and trials do not make Christian hope less sure according to Paul. He even turns them into a positive component in God’s plan of realizing salvation. Through God’s direction ‘all things’—Paul means adversaries in particular—‘work together for good,’ the supreme good of eschatological salvation.”[4] Have you figured out why this verse sounds familiar? Its companion verse can be found in the Book of Jeremiah: “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future’” (Jer 29:11). We often forget the context of this promise in Jeremiah just like we misuse v. 28 from our Subject Text. We love these words of encouragement from Jeremiah and they were intended to be words of encouragement for Judah as well. However, by the end of Jeremiah’s ministry, Jerusalem was a pile of rubble and Judah was conquered by the Babylonians. Much needed to be accomplished before God’s promise could be realized. Israel had to first embrace The Journey. Nevertheless, God’s promise was certain even if appearances try to convince us otherwise.

²⁹For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.

V. 29 has caused more division within Christianity than necessary, all because of the word “predestined.” Proponents of John Calvin’s theological perspective (Calvinism) believe this means that God has only predestined some to be conformed to the likeness of Jesus and be saved while others are left to perish. Proponents of Joseph Arminius’ theological perspective (Arminianism) believe that God knows beforehand who will accept his offer of salvation and it is those who are predestined to be conformed to the likeness of Jesus and be saved. While I recognize the there is some implicit biblical support (albeit limited support) for the former, there is significantly more explicit biblical support for the latter and I can demonstrate it with one famous verse: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (Jn 3:16). And there are countless other, less famous, verses that affirm the same thing—“And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Acts 2:21). Therefore, “Predestination is not God’s predetermining from past ages who should and should not be saved. Scripture does not teach this view. What it does teach is that this doctrine of predestination concerns the future of believers. Predestination is the divine determining the glorious consummation of all who through faith, and surrender become the Lord’s…It has been determined beforehand that all who are truly Christ’s shall be conformed to His image.”[5]

When the text says that we will be conformed to the likeness of Christ so that He (Christ) can be the “firstborn” among many believers, “firstborn” is not an ontological reference but a positional reference. God has predestined our conformity to the likeness of His Son “In order that His only-begotten Son might not be alone in enjoying the privileges of sonship, but might be the Head of a multitude of brothers [and sisters], of the company of those who in, and through, Him have been made sons [and daughters] of God. It is as their conformity to Christ is perfected in glory that believers finally enter into the full enjoyment of the privileges of their adoption in fellowship with Him. The Greek word, prototokos [“firstborn”], from where we get our English word “prototype,” expresses here at the same time both the unique pre-eminence of Christ and also the fact that He shares His privileges with His brethren [and sistren—Ok so I made up that word but you get my point—Christ shares the privileges that come with His position as the Son with all believers; men and women].”[6]

³⁰And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.

In v. 30 Paul provides us with a very rough trajectory of salvation. God calls those He knows in advance are destined to be saved by believing in his Son, upon answering that call for salvation, believers are then justified—deemed “Not guilty”—through Jesus Christ and believers are therefore set on a path to be glorified, physically and spiritually. Paul’s reference to our glorification in v. 30 can be seen as one bookend with the complimentary bookend found in Rom 8:17. What began as Adam’s failure to glorify God, resulting in humanity’s condemnation, ends with our glorification through Jesus Christ’s redeeming work on the cross; the glory that was always intended for humanity before Adam’s sin. Unfortunately, English grammar can only translate the Greek aorist tense as a past tense act which is why it is translated as “Glorified.” And some have tried to explain this away by claiming that we have been made new through baptism or through some other means. However, “The aorist should not be required to yield the idea of a glorification already accomplished now, in baptism or wherever: if the process of glorification is at all in view here, it is the process seen from its end point and completion (aorist; ‘the certainty of completed salvation’)…Paul deliberately sets the whole process of cosmic and human history between its two poles, pretemporal purpose and final glorification as the completion of that purpose…Paul is not inviting reflection on the classic problems of determinism (Calvinism/exclusivism) and free will (Arminianism/inclusivism), or thinking in terms of a decree which excludes as well as one which includes. His thought is simply that from the perspective of the end it will be evident that history has been the stage for the unfolding of God’s purpose, the purpose of the Creator fulfilling his original intention in creating.”[7]

Application

I know this lesson contains a number of theological terms and concepts and not a few controversial ones at that. Nevertheless, there is no disputing that God has invited us to be in relationship with Him through Jesus Christ. The varied differences in the interpretation of what awaits the believer who accepts God’s invitation will no doubt continue to be debated for years to come in the same way it has been debated throughout centuries past. However, we can all agree and be confident about the certainty of a few things with respect to those who have accepted His invitation to believe:

1. God already knew in advance that you would accept His invitation.
2. God has set a plan in motion for your life so that your life is destined to conform to the likeness of Jesus Christ according to God’s perfect plan.
3. You will share in all the rights and privileges enjoyed by the Son of God, Jesus Christ.
4. Since you are already destined to be transformed and to be conformed to the likeness of Christ, God has called you to fulfill the purpose he has established for your life.
5. Standing before God when it comes our turn for God to render his verdict with respect to whether or not our lives met God’s standard of holiness, we can be confident that with Christ by our side the verdict will be “Not guilty!”
6. Finally, we have a certain and guaranteed future to look forward to. That certain future means we will no longer have to struggle with any remaining sins that wound us and others and offend God. We will no longer struggle with weak faith, doubt, and never-ending questions about the purpose of trials. Furthermore, we will never again suffer through sick and broken bodies. We will no longer constantly live in death’s shadow. We will achieve the spiritual and physical state that awaits all of us in the life to come when our glory reflects the glory God intended for us from the very beginning; the glory we will enjoy for eternity with God.

How would you define those six items? I would define them as the ultimate outcome of an intentional process by God directed toward us and by us directed toward God. It is the process of being in relationship with God as revealed in the person of Jesus. Before we can enjoy the outcome of our faith at the end of our lives, we have to go through the process of living out our faith every day of our lives now. Before we can experience the goal of our faith we need to experience The Journey that leads to that goal. And Jesus tells us exactly how we do that:

            ¹“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. ²He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. ³You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. ⁴Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. ⁵I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. ⁶If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. ⁷If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. ⁸This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. ⁹As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. ¹⁰If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love. ¹¹I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. ¹²My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. ¹³Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. ¹⁴You are my friends if you do what I command. ¹⁵I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. ¹⁶You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. ¹⁷This is my command: Love each other (John 15:1-17).”

            Jesus is expecting that when we faithfully embark on The Journey of our faith—to always stay connected to Him like a branch is connected to a vine in all areas of our lives—personal, professional, public, private, secular and sacred. The outcome is that our lives will bear fruit but only if we remain connected to Him. “Fruit,” in this context, means the success of the disciples in spreading the gospel message. But ministry success isn’t the only fruit that results from remaining connected to Jesus. Paul tells us that by the power of the Holy Spirit when we remain connected to Jesus, we can expect to bear the fruits of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, and faithfulness. However, these are all outcomes that are the result of being and remaining connected to Jesus. They are all the result of the process of being in relationship with Jesus.

Because God already knew we would accept His invitation to go on The Journey of following Jesus, He predestined us to be conformed to be like Jesus. Because God called us to embark on The Journey of being in relationship with Jesus, He will also made it possible for us to be justified for answering the call to go on The Journey. Eventually, a day will come when we will be able to enjoy the ultimate goal of our faith—being glorified. However, for now, our primary focus shouldn’t be on the goal of our faith but on being faithful during The Journey of our faith.

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[1] W. Robertson Nicoll, ed., The Expositor’s Greek Testament, Vol. 2, (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1983), p. 652.

[2] T. Desmond Alexander, Brian S. Rosner, D. A. Carson, Graeme Goldsworthy, eds., New Dictionary of Biblical Theology, (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2000), p. 740.

[3] Millard J. Erickson, Introducing Christian Doctrine, (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2001), p. 334.

[4] Gerald F. Hawthorne, Ralph P. Martin, Daniel G. Reid, eds., Dictionary of Paul and his Letters, (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1993), p. 41.

[5] Herbert Lockyer, All the Doctrines of the Bible, (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1973), p. 153.

[6] C. E. B. Cranfield, Romans—International Critical Commentary, Vol. 1, (New York, NY: T & T Clark, 1975), p. 432.

[7] James D. G. Dunn, Romans 1-8, Word Biblical Commentary, (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 1988), pp. 485-486.