“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.” (Romans 8:30)
People get confused with that word predestinate. They begin to think that God picks and chooses who will and who will not receive salvation. If that were the case, there would be no need for evangelism, missionary work or even preaching of the Word. Jesus would not have had to bear all the sins of the world, merely of those who were predestined. Now the meaning of the original word does mean to limit in advance or predetermine. And that causes the confusion.
When the children of Israel worshipped the calf and God told Moses He would not go with them, Moses interceded. So, the LORD chose to show mercy to them. “And He said, I will make all My goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before Thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy.” (Exodus 33:19) Many take this statement as proof that God chooses who will be saved. It only means that He chose to be merciful to the people in spite of their sin, worshipping the golden calf.
There is also the most controversial Scripture to consider. Paul reiterates what the prophet Malachi wrote in Malachi 1:2-3. “As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.” (Romans 9:13) Paul tackles this confusing statement. He states that there is no unrighteousness in God. But God chooses on whom to pour out His mercy. And it doesn’t depend on us. “So, then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.” (Romans 9:16) This does not mean we can throw our hand up in the air and think that salvation is a done deal for some and not for others. God is still choosing to show mercy.
In the Covenant which Jesus bought for us, there is mercy for all who believe. This is the Good News. God choses to be merciful on all because of Jesus. God has predetermined that those who believe in Jesus will be saved. And this was predetermined before the foundation of the world. “According as He hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love:” (Ephesians 1:4)
And it follows that His mercy justifies us because of the Blood of the Lamb. We are clean and righteous before God. “Much more then, being now justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.” (Romans 5:9) And being saved from His wrath, we are glorified with Jesus.
“When Christ, Who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory.” (Colossians 3:4) We will not be in our natural bodies. “In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.” (1Corinthians 15:52-53) Both those who have died before and those taken up at His appearance, will be in our heavenly bodies and as the Bible calls it, glorified bodies. They are bodies that can live in God’s Presence. “For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto His glorious body, according to the working whereby He is able even to subdue all things unto Himself.” (Philippians 3:20-21)
At His appearing, Jesus is glorified as Lord and God. And we along with Him are glorified. We will be with Him in our heavenly bodies wearing a crown. “And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.” (1Peter 5:4) Although the Bible declares it, it’s hard to imagine just how it’ll be. God has “predestined” all this from the foundation of the world; to show mercy on believers and to glorify them with Jesus.
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