Throughout history many U.S. Presidents have tried various plans for national revitalization or to save us all. Some have even had famous names like Johnson’s “Great Society,” and Roosevelt’s “New Deal.” And then there was Kennedy’s statement: “Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what can you do for your country.” But most of those things are now just glitches in time – comments in American History books. And even though this $700 billion chafes me considerably, we have survived all the earlier attempts to save our society, and we may survive this one as well. And “survive” might be the perfect word to use in this case. Because, it doesn’t matter what any man, any government, any international organization, or any religious organization might attempt, they will never come up with a solution to the real problems of human society. There is only one way for this world to be set aright – Romans 8:19 – “The earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.”
Or as verse 29 puts it – “For whom God did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His son.” Paul describes here the absolute greatest program for human re-development – in fact the only one that can ever work. It begins with God’s foreknowledge and it ends with divine perfection and glorification. Many people would like to say that it begins with man’s faith and man’s repentance, which precedes God’s foreknowledge, but the idea is both illogical and theologically incorrect. This God-designed redevelopment began with God’s foreknowledge followed by His sovereign call. Then comes man’s faith and repentance. The other idea might be likened to Kennedy’s “Ask not what your country can do for you.” But this is not about what you can do for God or for yourself. It is absolutely dependent upon what God does for us. “Yes, do ask what your God can do for you, and don’t over-emphasize what you think that you can do for God.”
Each link in the chain that we have described in these verses is made of finest gold of Opher. And each link has a volume of stories to tell. For example, we have had at least a dozen messages already on the subject of “justification.” There is contained in there the life and death of the incarnate Son of God. Through Him ONLY could God be both just and the justifier of those who believe. And as John said, “There are so many things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written.” How much is contained in the word “glory” as we find it in Romans 8? These 5 things listed here make up a most beautiful gold chain. And what is their point and purpose?
Some have no trouble remembering, but others might have to dig deeply into their past: But do you remember the old multiple choice tests you used to take? The instructions said: “Mark the statement which BEST answers the question:” Now apply that to this new theological test: The question is: “Why did God formulate and implement this plan of Romans 8:29-30?” First possible answer: “This is the only way that sinners could ever be forgiven of sin” Remember we are to select the best possible answer. Answer number 2 – “If it was not for God’s glorification no one would ever go to Heaven.” Both those first answers are correct. Number 3 – “Because God loved me.” Number 4 – Why did God create this chain in Romans 8:29-30? “So Christ could be the first born among many brethren.” Number 5 – “None of the above.” The correct answer is: “God predestinated this plan, and saved some of us, in order that Christ might be first born among many brethren.”
Don’t let salvation’s true purpose ever slip from your mind. Don’t let it take a secondary reason overcome the first. God didn’t save you primarily to be a blessing to you. He did it for Himself.
Let’s consider three things in the light of verse 29: This verse speaks of a proper CONFIGURATION: of being properly CONFORMED. And it implies a process of proper CONFORMATION.
Remember that when God created man, Adam was made in the image of God. What precisely that image was, it is difficult to be dogmatic. As I have said several times, I think that it involves his tricotomy – man is a three part being: He is body, soul and spirit. And that is in a fashion like to the God-head. But I think that also contained in that image must be a fair bit more. It probably included such things as holiness and an untested separation from sin. But obviously when Adam chose to sin, corruption entered the equation, and the spirit of man instantly died. The image of God was marred almost to the point of unrecognizability. At that point, our race – everyone in it – bore the image of Satan, our new father of choice. But then eventually came the Saviour, in the fulness of time, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem them that were under the judgment of God’s law. Christ was and is the “monogenes,” the only begotten of the Father. And He is the “prototokos,” the first born of God the Father. “God sending His own son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh.” What He did was to take the broken image and re-create it in all those who repent and rely upon Him.
Again we go back to Romans 5:15-19 – “But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification. For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.) Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.” Christ came with His intrinsic righteousness as well as His perfect obedience to the plan of God. Then He met the law face to face and surrendered to its demands against sinners. He became our Brother, in likeness of sinful flesh, that we might be brothers in the likeness of His glory. God’s glorious program results in our very special brotherhood with Christ.
But please notice that Christ is the “first born” among many brethren. This is the very special Greek word “prototokos.” It refers to a special relationship which has nothing to do with first “in time.” For example, Jesus is said to “the firstborn from the dead” (Colossians 1:18). Was Christ the first ever to return to life after He died? No. But He was the foremost to ever return from death. Jesus is called the “firstborn of all Creation.” That means that Christ is not only prior to creation in time, but above it in power and authority. In fact, Christ Jesus is the Creator, and not a product of creation.
Sinners are being saved by God’s grace today that they might be confirmed to the image of God’s Son so that He might be first born among many brethren. The configuration of this passage is that Christians are the brethren of Lord Jesus. But Christ stands above and beyond them in every possible way. He is first, we are only tag-alongs. We are like the dogs licking up the crumbs that fall from the Master’s Table. Our salvation glorifies the Son of God, and that is what salvation is all about. God’s elect shall be in glory, giving glory to the Son of God.
The configuration is: Christ first, saints second.
And how shall we be like our Savior? There will be, and in part there already is, the restoration to our original created form. That means that sin will be utterly WASHED from us, body, soul and spirit. One of these days we shall be completely HOLY; absolutely sanctified and separated from sin. And I think that we will mirror the Saviour in His LOVE. It will be absolutely pure and unfeigned; unstained by any special or personal motive. We will bear in ourselves a BEAUTY that is unseen upon earth. I’m not thinking exactly of a beauty of body, but a comeliness of the soul. We will bear all the perfections of Christ which are not absolutely and uniquely divine. So there will be perfect humility, patience, graciousness and generosity. We’d have to include obedience and devotion in there as well; and hatred of all sinfulness. These are the sorts of things which shall be found in us.
And how will these things be accomplished in us? Will they come about if we practice really hard from now until the time that we die? Will they automatically appear in us as we are changed to meet Christ in air? Will angels sprinkle magic dust on us when we shower, shave and are given our new robes at the gates of glory? No, this conformity will come about by the power of God because it has been predestinated – decreed of God. It will be by the grace of God that this perfection is found in us. Where will boasting be in that day? “It will be excluded. By what law? The Law of works? Nay, but by the law of grace.” “We SHALL BE CHANGED, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye.” The scripture does not say that we will CHANGE OURSELVES. This conformity to Christ is a part of our salvation, which is entirely the work God.
What a glorious day that will be.
Some people have funny ideas about being like Christ. But it’s not supposed to be like the stamp of a coin. It’s not a personality-less cloning of Christ in us. And it’s not like a statue, as we try to make our face look like the face of the Lord Jesus. Nor is it simply an imitation of Jesus’ deeds. Wear a beard, wear sandals and ride on the foal of an ass. As far as life today is concerned conforming to the Saviour is duplicating His heart. It’s loving the things that He loves. It’s hating the thing that He hates.
Can you name a characteristic of the Saviour that we shall possess in Heaven which we should not strive to display today? Is there something found in heaven that would be sin on earth? None. How about graciousness and compassion? Are these good things for Heaven but not good things for earth? Will you some day be more consecrated and dedicated to God than you are today? Should that be the case? How about the characteristics of diligence and prayerfulness? And what about absolute surrender and dependence upon the Spirit?
These things will be found us someday by the miracle of transfiguration. But if they are good enough for Heaven, then they are certainly things to be striven towards today. In Philippians 2 Paul said, “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.” Let the heart of Christ transform you today, as you know that it will in that perfect day. Let the mind and heart of Christ be in you. This is the predestinated will of God, and guaranteed plan for eternity, but it shouldn’t be something we ignore today.