Covenant of Redemption #4
Before proceeding to notice how and why the five things in Rom. 8:29, 30 in the covenant of redemption work together for good to them that love God, let us notice that the five things listed in those verses are all listed in the past tense ‑ foreknew, predestinated, called, justified, glorified. Now we know that from a timely standpoint we were not all called at the time this was written, nor are we yet conformed to the image of Christ as we will be, nor are we completely glorified in the sense that we will be according to this covenant. How then can we explain how the past tense verbs can be used? The answer is found for us in Rom. 4:17, “(As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickened the dead, and calleth those things that be not as though they were.” God can call things that be not as though they were because what God purposes to do must be done! Since the covenant of redemption shows us God’s eternal purpose, He is justified in using the past tense though to us some of those things are yet future. Remember, what God purposes to do is as good as done.
Next, we want to consider the good that those five things work together. The end result of those five things are all eternal good for those whom God foreknew. Now there is much timely good that comes to us during our lifetime, such as providential blessings, growth in spiritual knowledge, fellowship with God and his people, true worship of God, etc. These and many more are timely blessings and certainly can be classified as good to us and for us. However, the good in the covenant of redemption transcends timely blessings and speaks to us of eternal good. First, we will be conformed to the image of Christ and that conformation is for an eternity. Second, the result of God’s calling is that we are born again, and that spiritual birth gives us eternal life in the spirit. Third, our justification from sins places us in a righteous position with God that can never be altered. Fourth, our glorification in body, soul, and spirit is eternal.
Now let us proceed to consider how those five things ‑ foreknew, predestinated, called, justified, glorified ‑ work together for that eternal good to those that love God. Please note the unity of effect that those five things have. This is noted thru the use of the pronouns, whom and them. For when the scripture says, “whom he did foreknow he also did predestinate…and whom he did predestinate, them he also called…,” we note the absolute unity of action and effect upon the ones being acted upon. In other words, the same ones that God foreknew are the exact same ones that he predestinated, and the exact same ones that he called, and the exact same ones that he justified, and the exact same ones that he glorified. There are not more or less that he foreknew than he predestinated or more or less that he predestinated than he called, etc. Thus, he foreknew the same number of people that he also predestinated, called, justified and glorified. The effect upon us individually is that once he foreknew us, he also predestinates us, calls us, justifies us, and glorifies us. Thus, if I am the beneficiary of one of the actions of God in this covenant then I am a beneficiary of all five of the actions in this covenant. Thus, they all work together for our eternal good.
However, why is it that they all work together? The answer is because the action is all of God. None of the things listed in this covenant requires any action on man’s part. The covenant speaks of whom God foreknew and of whom God predestinated, and of whom God called, and of whom God justified, and of whom God glorified. This is the reason why those five things work together. It is all in keeping with God’s eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord. This is why there can be no failure in this covenant. It is an unconditional covenant, that is, there is no conditions placed on man to perform in order for the provisions of this covenant to be carried out. All of the provisions will be carried out by God. No wonder the writer could say in verse 31, “what shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?” One might be tempted to say, “Well the devil and all the fallen angels are against us, as well as the messengers of Satan, and a wicked world.” However, it does not matter who might attempt to oppose us, for God is for us and he has all power in heaven and in earth and none can stay his hand or say unto him, what doest thou. God is greater than all the combined forces of all creation and God will bring to pass what he purposes to do. God cannot fail or be discouraged. We can rejoice in the knowledge that those five things in his covenant of redemption work together for our eternal good, because God is the one who is working the covenant.
In our next essay, we will begin looking at what the scriptures have to say about each of the five things listed in the covenant of redemption beginning with those whom God foreknew.