Romans 8:28-30 [SUP]
28 [/SUP]And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good,[SUP]
[a][/SUP] for those who are called according to his purpose. [SUP]
29 [/SUP]For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. [SUP]
30 [/SUP]And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.
Notice these points:
1. God is sovereign and works all things to his will.
2. Salvation is about God's purpose, and the focus is not on the benefit to mankind.
3. Predestination is based on foreknowledge. In Reformed theology, foreknowledge is about God fore-loving the person.
Arminians claim that foreknowledge is based on God's knowledge of man's choice, but this is not coherent. Notice
that the object of foreknowledge is people, and not foreknowledge of events.
4. Notice that salvation is spoken about in past tense. It is as good as accomplished in God's mind, from foreknowledge to
glorification (the resurrection).
5. Notice that the goal is to conform the redeemed to the image of Christ, so sanctification is implicitly referenced here and
is not missing.
6. Notice that "all things" work to the good of those who love God. Many deny that bad things work to the good of those who
love God, but this is not Scriptural. Even things we perceive as bad are good, such as illnesses, deaths, and sufferings.