 |  |
C
22 -28
Spirit Itself intercedes.
sonship (huiothesia).
This brings us to the centre of the structure:
D
17 -21
Suffering and Glory.
Manifestation of sons (huios).
Until the reign of sin and death actually ceases, until creation itself
emerges into the liberty of the glory of the children of God, the day of
complete emancipation for the believer must be future. For the present, it
is enough that we have passed from Adam to Christ, that there is now no
condemnation, that during this pilgrimage we have the witness and the
intercession of the Spirit, and that with all our ignorance of what to pray
for, we know that all things work together for good to them that love God.
We commend this outline to the prayerful interest of the reader,
believing that, as it is based upon the occurrence of words used by the Holy
Spirit and not upon headings of our own devising, it does `divide aright'
this precious portion of truth. It shows us the seven great sections into
which the subject matter falls, and provides us with well -defined bounds for
our subsequent studies.
Turning to the section that speaks of predestination we read:
`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. Moreover, whom He did predestinate, them He also called: and
whom He called, them He also justified: and whom He justified, them He
also glorified' (Rom. 8:29,30).
The analysis of the passage is simple, and is as follows:
A
predestination -- Conformity. Steps leading to.
B
purpose -- Christ. Firstborn among many brethren.
A
predestination -- Glory. Steps leading to.
But before we can appreciate its magnificence we shall have to arrive,
with some certainty, at the meaning of several of the words used.
Foreknowledge. How are we to understand this word? The word
proginosko, to foreknow, occurs five times in the New Testament, and the
noun, prognosis, twice, making seven references in all. The passages are as
follows:
`Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of
God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain' (Acts
2:23).
`My manner of life from my youth, which was at the first among mine own
nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews; which knew me from the
beginning' (Acts 26:4,5).
`For whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate'
(Rom. 8:29).
`God hath not cast away His people which He foreknew'
(Rom. 11:2).