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Scripture Reading:
Romans 8:28-30
To Be Conformed to His Image
There are several theological thoughts that come from these
verses. Books and sermons have been written that we could spend
years on these verses alone.
Romans 8:29 has two common views.
The
first is that we are predestined by God’s choosing. This thought
is usually backed up by verses such as Eph 1 which says that He
chose us in Him before the foundation of the world and
predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to
Himself.
Another verse that is commonly used in support of this thought
is John 15:16 which says that You did not chose me but I chose
you and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit.
A
second viewpoint of Romans 8:29 is that those that those who God
foreknew He predestined, resting heavily on the foreknowledge of
God. Some verses to support this view is 1 Peter 1:2 which says
the elect through the foreknowledge of God and Acts 2:23 which
also uses this same word and speaks about Jesus being handed
over and the plan based on the foreknowledge of God.
If
we focused on either of these views I think we would miss out on
a greater part of this verse. It is almost if Paul knew that
this statement would cause controversy that he wrote to explain
this one word of predestined even more. This is the only word in
29-30 that he does this for.
What is the purpose? That we would become conformed to the image
of His Son and so that He (His Son) would be the firstborn of
many brethren.
Image is a big deal throughout the Bible.
We
can see in Genesis 1:26 the Trinity having a meeting to make us,
that is man, in God’s image and likeness. If we only had stayed
that way!
Not
even a few chapters later in Gen 3:5 Satan promises Eve that if
we ate from the tree that we will be like God, knowing good and
evil. We were already like God! That made the deception and fall
even worse!
Ever after that we are born in the position of trying to become
like God. And believe it or not God wants that, but on His terms
and not ours!
We
can see that mankind went and put a tower to reach the heavens
in Gen 11 that they make a name for themselves. We see Pharaoh’s
calling themselves a god. Nebuchadnezzar built for himself a
huge statue and had people bow down to it as if he were a god.
Even in the New Testament we see people like Simon in Acts 8
desiring the Holy Spirit’s powers to do those works.
We
are not any different! We may try for education (look how smart
I am). We may work out and buy all kinds of expensive clothes
(look how good I look). We may get the trophy spouse or the
expensive car or big house or whatever to say “Hey look at me!”
Without God we try to become gods. Even those in the church try
to become gods. Look at me how I give my money away. Or look at
how righteous I am.
And
all the time we create God how we want Him to look as well. The
Israelites made Him into a golden cow. We may make Him into a
God who is so merciful and loving that we get our way all the
time. We make Him so that He blesses us and ironically makes us
to look like gods. How many times have I put God in a little
wagon pulling Him around and then pulling Him out when I needed
something. No may He always be leading me!
If
you want an image of what we are without God then we have God’s
opinion seen several times in the Bible. Our good deeds are as
filthy rags says Isaiah 64:6 for all of us are like the one who
becomes unclean, we all wither, and all our iniquities, like the
wind will sweep us away. Romans 3:23 says that all have sinned
and fell short of the glory of God. These are not self-esteem
boosters but a fact of reality.
So
then what do we do? How then can we live?
We
be conformed to the image of His Son. Psalm 66:10 mentions that
God refines us as silver is refined. There is a story of a woman
went to see how this was done and saw that the silver was burned
and the impurities rose to the top and were swept away until the
silversmith could only see his image in the silver.
This must include an aspect of sacrifice, laying down your own
life that Christ can live in you. Galatians 2:20 says it is no
longer I who live but Christ who lives within me and the life
which I now live I live for the one who loved me and gave
Himself for me.
Romans 12:1-2 Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of
God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice,
acceptable to God which is your spiritual (or reasonable)
service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world but be
transformed by the renewing of your mind so that you may prove
what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and
perfect.
Matthew 6:33 seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness
Psalm 119 speaks very highly of letting God speak and teach us
His law and statues that we may observe it to the end.
Why
should we do this?
Because Christ did it for us! While we were enemies of God He
laid down His life for us and allowed us to be reconciled back
unto Him. (Romans 5:10) We were unable to be holy or righteous
but Christ did it for us.
As
a lover pursuing His love, so Christ also pursued us!
So
where is the good news of all this?
Well a few verses after in Romans 8:35 asks who will separate us
from the love of Christ? Will tribulations or distress or
persecution or famine or nakedness or peril or sword?
He
doesn’t promise to deliver us out of these things yet in 8:38-39
For I am convinced neither death nor life nor angels nor
principalities nor things present nor things to come nor powers
nor height not depth nor any other created thing will be able to
separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our
Lord.
Within the scope of these verses Romans 8:28 now makes more
sense as well. God causes all things good or bad to work for the
good of those who love Him who are called according to His
purposes so that we are becoming conformed to His image!
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