For whom He foreknew,
He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son,
that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.
Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called;
whom He called, these He also justified;
and whom He justified, these He also glorified.

Romans 8:29-30

The opening line of this passage does not say ‘certain ones whom He foreknew,’ as if it applied to a limited group of people which God foreknew. It speaks inclusively of the people whom God foreknew, that they were predestined. 

If we assume this is speaking of God’s foreknowledge from eternity past, then logic would demand one of two impossible conclusions. Either God foreknew all people and so all will be saved, or God only foreknew those whom He would save and did not foreknow those whom He would not save. The first conclusion is incorrect because we know all are not saved. The second conclusion is incorrect because God’s knowledge is not limited – He knows both the saved and the unsaved.

An alternate interpretation is that God foreknew who would believe in His Son and so predestined them. The problem here is that the Greek word ‘foreknow’ does not mean knowing facts about a person, but knowing a person with an intimate, relationship type knowledge. So the interpretation that God foreknew which people would believe doesn’t fit the meaning of the Greek word. 

The difficulty in identifying the correct interpretation is that Paul didn’t expound what he meant by ‘foreknew’ anywhere in this epistle. It’s like he expected that believers would be familiar with what he was talking about. As if he thought they had experienced God’s foreknowledge and predestining in their own lives.

In fact, we can show that Paul experienced God’s foreknowledge and predestination in his life. From his experience, we can see that almost every believer has had the same kind of experience as Paul.

Before we turn to Paul’s experience, we’ll need to clarify the meaning of ‘foreknowledge’ and ‘predestine’ so we can identify their occurrence.

Foreknowledge 

Foreknowledge is a compound word in Greek. The prefix simply means beforehand. It does not inherently imply eternity past, but simply references a time earlier than the present time. 

The root word, knowledge, is not factual type knowledge, but experiential-type knowledge. It speaks of something you know by experience. In the context of knowing people, it’s not knowing facts about a person, but knowing the person for who they are. It’s the kind of personal knowledge that comes through a close relationship.

Nathanael used this word for ‘knowledge’ in John 1, when he met Jesus for the first time. You remember that Phillip had invited Nathanael to come meet Jesus of Nazareth. Nathanael was skeptical that anything good could come from Nazareth, but went with Phillip anyhow.

Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward Him, and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!”
Nathanael said to Him, “How do You know me?”
John 1:47-48

Nathanael’s use of ‘know’ in his question was asking how Jesus knew him so personally when this was the first time they had met. He saw that Jesus was already intimately acquainted with him, and he used this word ‘knowledge’ in reference to Jesus’ intimate knowledge of him.

So combining the prefix with the root gives us a word that simply meant, “having a personal, intimate knowledge before the present time.” 

Paul used the compound Greek word during one of his trials when telling of how his fellow countrymen knew him from beforehand.

“My manner of life from my youth, which was spent from the beginning among my own nation at Jerusalem, all the Jews know. They knew me from the first, if they were willing to testify, that according to the strictest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee. Acts 26:4-5

He said that the Jews foreknew him from the early years of his youth. He obviously wasn’t saying they knew him from ‘eternity past’. He was merely saying that they personally knew him long before the present time, well before he was put on trial.

We’ll come back to Paul’s testimony in Acts 26 because it also shows us what he meant when he spoke of foreknowledge in Romans 8. But before we go there, let’s look at the meaning of predestined because Paul also included that concept in his testimony.

Predestined

Predestined is also a compound word made up of a prefix and a root word. The prefix is the same as with foreknowledge. It simply means beforehand, just as with foreknowledge.

The root means ‘to determine,’ in the sense of determining a boundary. This word was used for many types of boundaries, ranging from literal land boundaries to metaphorical life boundaries. An example of someone determining a metaphorical life boundary would be a person taking a vow, which is when a person promises to perform an action or take up a new habit in life. That person is basically determining a boundary in their life. 

It’s important to recognize that ‘determine’ is different than ‘decree.’ A decree requires people to comply regardless of their willingness. But ‘determine’ was generally used in contexts where the people involved were more or less agreeable to what was determined, even in situations that were determined by God. 

An example is in Acts 2 where Peter said that Jesus’ crucifixion by the Jews was according to God’s determined purpose. 

“Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know— Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death; Acts 2:22-23

It’s rather obvious that all parties involved with the crucifixion were agreeable with what God had determined. But notice that the Jews didn’t try to crucify Jesus the first day they met him in the Temple as a 12 year-old boy. They would have several encounters with Jesus before they were of a mind to do what God determined.

I make this point because it illustrates the difference between determine and decree. A decree demands immediate obedience. But God’s determining is different, in that He is willing to patiently wait until the people involved are fully on board with what He has determined.

Thus, ‘determine’ meant setting physical or metaphorical boundaries which defined the sphere of someone’s life. That means the full word, ‘predestine’, meant to determine beforehand, that is, to beforehand define the sphere of someone’s life. 

For the purposes of removing ambiguity, let’s go back to Paul’s testimony in Acts 26 to see God’s foreknowledge and predestining demonstrated in a living example.

Paul’s Experience

Paul testified to king Agrippa about how he had been active in persecuting the followers of Jesus, even pursuing them to cities outside the land of Israel. He told of his journey to Damascus and how he was confronted by a bright light.

At midday, O king, along the road I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around me and those who journeyed with me. And when we all had fallen to the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me and saying in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ Acts 26:13-14 

Notice the last phrase: “It is hard for you to kick against the goads.” This comment must have shocked Saul. 

A goad is a sharp stick that they used to drive cattle with. If a cow was being stubborn, they would jab it with the goad to get it moving the right direction. 

Evidently, even as Saul zealously hunted down the followers of Jesus, he felt something like a sharp stick inside, prodding him to stop. Probably, no one in Saul’s life would have ever guessed that he experienced internal conflict about persecuting the Lord’s people. But the Lord knew all about it. 

Thus, when Saul first met the Lord, he found the Lord beforehand knew him. 

Isn’t that, by definition, foreknowledge? We could say, ‘the Lord foreknew Saul,’ just like He foreknew Nathanael. 

I think that most believers had a similar experience when they first met the Lord. Having turmoil in their soul, they cried out to God, and found that the Lord knew their hearts and their inner unrest. 

This would explain why Paul might have felt he didn’t need to explain what he meant by ‘foreknew,’ because we all know what it is to experience the burden of inner turmoil, meet the Lord, and find that He beforehand knew us. 

Continuing on with Paul’s testimony, we find he next told king Agrippa how the Lord said He would make Saul a minister and witness of what he had seen, and send him to the Gentiles to turn them from darkness to salvation.

But rise and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you. I will deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the Gentiles, to whom I now send you, to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.’ Acts 26:16-18

Do you see what the Lord did there? He pre-determined the sphere of Saul’s life, saying He would send Saul as a witness to the Gentiles.

Now, notice how the Lord’s purpose came about, that Saul didn’t immediately go to the Gentiles.

“Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, but declared first to those in Damascus and in Jerusalem, and throughout all the region of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent, turn to God, and do works befitting repentance. Acts 26:19-20

Notice that Saul first proclaimed the gospel in Damascus, then in Jerusalem, then in Judea, and finally to the Gentiles. In other words, he didn’t immediately enter the sphere of being a witness to Gentiles. But in the last chapter of Acts, we see him acknowledging that the gospel was going to the Gentiles. 

“Therefore let it be known to you that the salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will hear it!” And when he had said these words, the Jews departed and had a great dispute among themselves. Acts 28:28-29

Thus, he reached a point where he fully turned from the Jews to the Gentiles. And in so doing, he fully entered the sphere of the Lord’s purpose which was determined beforehand, before he was saved.

In the same way, God has a purpose for every believer which He determined beforehand, that is, before they believed. His stated purpose is to transform each believer into the image of His Son. 

Think for a second on what that means. God determined to take sinful, corrupted people whom He knew beforehand and bring them into the sphere of being righteous in the likeness of His Son. It is incredible.

He doesn’t accomplish this by forcing His purpose upon us but works patiently, doing His work as we are willing to enter the sphere He has determined.

Romans 8:29

In summary, ‘Whom God foreknew’ is speaking of that intimate knowledge which God has of a person before they meet Him. He knew our inner turmoil from sin before we met Him. And while we were yet in our sin, He determined He would bring us from our sinfulness into the image of His Son. Having made that determination, He called us.

This Greek word for calling is different than the word in verse 28. This word is an invitation type call and is referring to God’s invitation to repent and believe in His Son. 

So God, knowing the unrest in our hearts, called us to rest in His Son. And when we believed, He justified us. Having justified us, He has glorified us with the glory which Paul wrote about earlier in this chapter. 

…and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. Romans 8:17

God has made us heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ. It’s a glory that is greater than that of the angels, who are not heirs but ministers.

Context

In conclusion, let’s place these verses in their context and enjoy the thoughtflow of the passage. I’m going to paraphrase the passage, so feel free to compare with the text to verify that I’m not misrepresenting what Paul wrote. 

Romans 8:23-25. We, who have the Holy Spirit inside us, who are burdened by our sinful flesh, eagerly anticipate the day when we are delivered from all our sinful desires and are brought into the hope of righteousness. It’s a hope we wait for with perseverance.
Romans 8:26-27. We are not alone, but the Spirit helps us and presents our need before God so that He will work according to His will.
Romans 8:28. And we know that God uses all events to produce the good of righteousness in the lives of those who love Him (because He first loved them when they were still sinners), and who embraced His calling to holiness. 
Romans 8:29-30. We know that all things work together for good because God didn’t save us at random. From before we were saved, He knew us and our struggles intimately. Knowing us inside and out, He determined He would make us righteous and good like the Lord Jesus. With this purpose in mind, He invited us to believe in His Son as our savior. When we believed, He declared us righteous and made us His heirs, and joint heirs with His Son.
Romans 8:31-37. Clearly, God is committed to us for good. And if He is for us, who can be against us? 
Romans 8:38-39 This is why Paul was persuaded that nothing could separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus.

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