FOR WHOM HE DID
FOREKNOW
Romans 8: 29: 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.
“Foreknow”
is translated from the Greek word “proginosko.” It is where we get the word
“prognosis.” It is to know before.
Most mistakenly think it means “what God
did foresee” instead of “whom God did foreknow.” The great lie many teach is that God foresaw
some would believe therefore God chose them.
That is to make God’s election to be due to the sinner when scripture
declares God’s election is due entirely to the grace of God. When the Spirit
reveals to us how totally ruined we became in Adam, we certainly do not want
God to choose or refuse us based on what God foresees in us. Speaking of “what” God “foresaw” when he
looked upon us from heaven, two places in scripture says, “God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for ALL flesh
had CORRUPTED HIS WAY upon the earth”; “God looked down from heaven upon the
children of men, to see if there were any
that did understand, that did seek God. EVERY ONE of them is GONE BACK: they
are ALTOGETHER BECOME FILTY; there is
NONE THAT DOETH GOOD, NO, NOT ONE.” (Gen 6: 12; Ps 53: 12) Besides that, if God foresaw some would
believe then there would have been no need for God to predestinate anyone to be
conformed to the image of his Son.
When it says “whom God did foreknow” it means God knew his people in Christ
before the world was made, everlastingly loved them particularly in Christ,
accepted them in Christ and ordained them to eternal life in Christ. Therefore,
it says “whom God did foreknow, he also
did predestinate [to be] conformed to the image of his Son…” That is why Jeremiah said, “The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with
an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.” (Jer
31: 3) It is why when the apostle Paul preached the gospel to the Gentiles, we
read, “…as many as were ordained to
eternal life, believed.”
Thankfully, all God’s eternal blessings
toward his people come from God alone in Christ according to his free and
sovereign grace and not because of anything in his people or done by his
people.