“Death & Taxes” are not the only two things that are for certain for Christians. There’s a third & it is found in Ro 8:29, “For those whom He foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son…” Focus on: TO BE CONFORMED TO THE IMAGE OF HIS SON. This message is about our sanctification… holiness… Christ likeness, and the way GOD accomplishes it.
This is a God intense verse. GTF (God the Father) is mentioned three times by the word “He.” It is all about God… like everything else! So let’s settle something: God can do whatever He desires because He is God. Paul knows people don’t like this idea because he wrote in Ro 9 the following…
Is there injustice on God’s part? By no means! 15 For He says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, & I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” 18 He has mercy on whomever He wills, & He hardens whomever He wills. 19 For who can resist His will?” 20 But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? 21 Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honored use & another for dishonorable use?
Since Adam, man has resented God’s sovereignty… His GODHOOD. We demand our rights, but with God we have no “rights.” 1 Cor 6:19, “You are not your own, 20 for you were bought with a price.” Thus Ro 6:22, “You’ve been set free from sin & have become slaves of God…”
SINCE Christians have been bought by the blood of Jesus… & thus “free from sin” & “slaves” of God… it follows that God (THE Potter) can do whatever He desires with those who are His & NO ONE can question Him.
Before we rebel, remember He did it with His own Son! Of all people, Jesus submitted to God’s will to His own destruction. Remember the Garden prayer, “Let this cup pass from me. Never the less, not My will be done but Yours!” (Mt 26:39). Then we find in Jn 12:27-28
Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour?’ But for this purpose I have come to this hour. 28 Father, glorify Your name. Then a voice came from heaven: “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.”
God’s will IS to glorify His name! Those He uses & rewards are those who seek HIS glory and not their own, no matter the call or cost! God is THE master, we are His slaves. And that is good.
God is the PERFECT Slave Master. Those who are His (Christians) only & always receive from the Ultimate Master what is for their BEST & GOOD. Because God (Our master) is love, He only & always does perfectly what is best, good, AND loving for His own (Christians).
With that being the case, why would anyone ever have a problem with God’s sovereign control over every believer & everything that happens to them? Why would they ever resent One reigning over them who only & always does good? Ro 8:31…
If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him graciously give us ALL things?
God wills only good for His own (Ro 8:28). He is the ultimate good. Therefore He does not leave the Christian’s conformity to Christ to chance (Which is THE ultimate good), He makes it happen. There is no chance of our sanctification not happening because God predestines it. Ro 8:29…
Those whom He foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son…
Get that! Read it again! God does NOT leave His children’s sanctification to chance. He wills it. He MAKES it happen. There is absolutely NO possibility of a genuine Christian NOT becoming more like Christ. NONE! I can’t overemphasize this truth from God. He WILL (!!) cause and make every Christian into the image of His Son Jesus! He WILL do whatever and everything it takes to accomplish it!! Because that is their ULTIMATE ETERNAL GOOD!
THE question to consider is HOW God makes SURE our sanctification. God will transform your perspective on life if you will understand & embrace it from what we find in Heb 12:4-6 and following. Let’s look at this passage for a moment…
In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. 5 And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by Him. 6 For the Lord disciplines the one He loves, & chastises every son whom He receives.”
First, there is sin in our life that grips us… that we can’t escape on our own! As with our salvation, GOD has to act to deliver us! Thus the concept of discipline (12:4-6).
Two kinds of discipline, formative & corrective. Formative prevents. Corrective corrects. God uses both, & they feel the same to us. God’s motivation for discipline is LOVE (12:6). Get that! Embrace it! It is because God LOVES that He disciplines!! If there is no discipline, then what is implied? (Pause)
Consider what God’s discipline reveals in Hebrews 12:7-11…
It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? 8 If you are… without discipline… then you are illegitimate children & not sons. 9 …Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits & live?
Formative & corrective discipline from God proves you’re saved! And because God is good, He makes sure (“Predestines” Ro 8:29) our good… which is HIM. Look at Heb 12:10-11…
For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, that we may share His holiness. 11 For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
Here we slow down. Why does God discipline? For our good! OUR GOOD! Now, look at 12:10. WHAT is our good? His holiness! Conformity to Christ! Our sanctification! Godliness! God disciplines all His children BECAUSE He loves them SO THAT the greatest blessing ever, happens! 2 Peter 1:4
He has granted to us His precious & very great promises, so that thru them you may become partakers of the divine nature… (Wrap your arms around that!)
What are God’s promises? “Discipline us for our good,” “All things to work together for our good,” & we’re “Predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son,” & “The peaceful fruit of righteousness.” (Just for a beginning)
LISTEN! As a Christian, God is sovereignly determined to bless you. He will bless you as HE knows best (As God). The result is always the ultimate good… Himself… the divine nature IN you!
The “Divine nature” is described as “Jesus’ peace” (Jn 14:27). “Christ’s joy” (Jn 17:13). Contentment (Phil 4:11; 1 Tim 6:6). No fear (1 Jn 4:18). Holiness… righteousness… godliness… Christ likeness. Patience. Kindness. Not arrogant or rude, not irritable or resentful or demanding, not keeping a record of wrongs.[i] Turning the other cheek. Forgiving others as you’ve been forgiven.
How many of us did I just describe? NONE! ALL of us have massive room for improvement. But none of us either can… or will… become those things ON OUR OWN. THUS…
None of us have struggled against sin to the point of shedding your blood (Heb 12:4). THAT is why God lovingly disciplines us. To destroy the idols in our life that hinder our ultimate good (Godliness, Conformity to Christ). But because we love our idols, we don’t want to let them go. So God rips them from our heart in such a way that we abhor them & the destruction they would have brought into our lives. DISCIPLINE…
Consider this thought. The pain in your life (Whatever it is) is GOD working for you to share more each day in “His divine nature.” He doesn’t leave it to chance because He loves you so much. His loving discipline is so you will “share in His holiness.” And that is ALWAYS good.
When you embrace that, THEN you will “Count it all JOY when you encounter various trials” because you know God is working for your good… to rid you of idols… to conform you to His Son’s image… so that you are blessed in this life AND the one to come!
If you’re saved, God IS at work in your life. EVERY event is God calling you to His side… & there is NO PLAN B. As in Ro 8:29, Christians are “Predestined to be conformed to the image of (God’s) Son!”
CLICK HERE to read Part 2.