Paul
the apostle told the people in Rome,
“we
know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to
them who are the called according to his
purpose”,
and in
chapter eight and verse twenty-nine of Romans,
Paul told his readers about people God, “did
foreknow” and
“did
predestinate”,
where
we read:
For
whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to
be
conformed to the image of his Son,
that
he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
The
verse begins, “For
whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to
be
conformed to the image of his Son, ...”
Paul
began with the words, “for
whom”
which means “because and since the people whether male or female”
“he
did foreknow”
or “God had knowledge of beforehand and foresaw”,
“he also did predestinate”
which means “God even so and indeed predetermined, decided
beforehand, appointed and decreed from eternity” “to
be conformed”
or “to have the same form as another and be similar” “to
the image”
which means “to the figure and likeness” “of
his Son”
which refers to “God's Son Jesus”. Paul told his readers how God
“saw in advance” those who would “love” Him, and He “decreed
from eternity” they would “have the same form” as His Son
Jesus.
The
verse continues, “...
that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. ”
Paul
added the words, “that
he might be”
or “so that Jesus would exist and happen as” “the
firstborn”
which means “the first-begotten of all creation” “among”
which means “with” “many
brethren”
or “many and a large group of fellow believer in Jesus who are
united to another by the bond of affection”. Paul shared how God
“knew in advance” those who would “love” Him and be made like
Jesus who was the “first begotten” among many “brothers and
sisters”.
When
we consider these words of Paul, we see how God planned for a
“family”. He knew, because He knows all things, who would put
their faith and trust in His Son Jesus, and He purposed to have them
be in “likeness to Him”. When a person receives Jesus Christ as
their personal “Savior and Lord”, they become God's “children”,
and God begins to change them to be like His Son. Those who are wise
shall believe these things, and God already knows in advance they
are.
Next
time Paul told his readers what God did with, “whom
he did predestinate”,
so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until
tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
No comments:
Post a Comment