Toward the close of Romans 8 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' (Rom. 8:29).

`He is not ashamed to call them brethren' Sanctification (Heb. 2:11).

`The Firstborn among many brethren' Justification (Rom. 8:29,30).

It will be seen that Justification is in view by the wording of verse 30. The key word of Hebrews 2 and of

Romans 8 is `sonship'. The chapter divisions of our Bible, while most useful to facilitate reference and the use of

Concordance and Lexicon, sometimes veil truth that would otherwise be seen.

The word `Son' Greek huios occurs 24 times in Hebrews and 12 times in Romans, to which must be added three

occurrences of huiothesia in Romans 8:

Huios and huiothesia in Romans 8

A 1-4

No condemnation His Own Son sent

B 5-15-

Led now Sons

C -15-17-

Spirit Itself Sonship (Adoption)

D -17-21

Suffering and Glory Sons manifested

Spirit Itself Sonship (Adoption)

Conformed then Son

No condemnation His Own Son Delivered up

`For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God (has done by) sending His own Son in

the ... flesh' (Rom. 8:3).

Two most important items must here be considered:

The flesh, in man, by reason of the Fall, is sinful and under a law of sin and death.

To be our Redeemer, the Saviour came

In true flesh and blood, but

Only in the `likeness' of `sinful' flesh.

Hebrews 2:14 shows that He `took part of the same' but 2 Corinthians 5:21 tells us that:

`He hath made Him to be sin for us, Who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him'.

He was indeed, the `Second Man' and `the last Adam', but unlike the first man, He was `Holy, harmless,

undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens' (Heb. 7:26). So Romans 8:29 tells us that we

shall one day be `one with Him'.

1 Corinthians 15

The conformity to the Image of His Son to which the redeemed have been predestinated, awaits the Resurrection,

and in 1 Corinthians 15 this feature is developed.

`As we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly' (1 Cor. 15:49).

This passage is a reference back to Adam (1 Cor. 15:45-48). Adam has been mentioned earlier in 1 Corinthians 15,

and care must be exercised in interpreting this important passage:

`As in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive' (1 Cor. 15:22).