Friday, December 21, 2018

The Golden Chain of Salvation: A Study on Romans 8:28-30 (Part One)

Introduction

Having grown up in a church that that has its roots in the theological system known as “Calvinism,” I was first introduced to distinctively Calvinistic doctrines in elementary school. By middle school, I had become a full-fledged, “five-point Calvinist,” and remained so until my early twenties. During my time as a Calvinist, I remember Romans 8:28-30 as being one of the main proof-texts that I understood as supporting my theological position. Although I no longer see Calvinism as a scripturally tenable (or God-honoring) position, I do think that the Calvinistic understanding of Romans 8:28-30 is, generally speaking, sound, and that Calvinists have been correct in claiming that Romans 8:28-30 completely undermines the more common Christian view (which places an emphasis on the role of the human will in salvation).

According to what most Christians believe, every human being – through the exercise of his or her “free will” – plays an ultimately decisive role in determining whether or not they will be saved. Among Protestant Christians, this is sometimes referred to as the “Arminian” position (usually to distinguish it from the Calvinist view). However, it should be noted that the “Arminian” view of man’s role in salvation is not distinct to non-Calvinist Protestant Christians; the soteriological positions of the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Church predate Jacobus Arminius and the development of his theological position by hundreds of years, and I can see no essential difference between these positions in regard to what is affirmed (and denied) concerning the involvement of God and human beings in the salvation process. Each view places an emphasis on the alleged “free will” of human beings, and each view affirms that humans play an essential and ultimately decisive role in their salvation.

In contrast with the position which sees man’s will as being essential and ultimately decisive in his salvation, I believe that Paul’s words in Romans 8:28-30 support the following position: there are a definite number of individuals whom God has unconditionally chosen and pre-designated for a salvation that the rest of humanity will not enjoy (and by “unconditionally” I simply mean that their selection by God was not based on any conditions that God foreknew would be met by them, or on anything that they would or wouldn’t do). Having unconditionally chosen them beforehand for this special salvation, God later enables these people - and none others - to meet the conditions necessary to receiving it (i.e., by granting them faith in the truth). It is this position that I’ll be defending in this study.

An awareness of God’s sovereignty

In Romans 8:28-30 (Concordant Literal New Testament) we read the following:

28 Now we are aware that God is working all together for the good of those who are loving God, who are called according to the purpose
29 that, whom He foreknew, He designates beforehand, also, to be conformed to the image of His Son, for Him to be Firstborn among many brethren.
30 Now whom He designates beforehand, these He calls also, and whom He calls, these He justifies also; now whom He justifies, these He glorifies also.

Although I’ve written in greater depth on the subject of the sovereignty of God elsewhere (here’s a link to the article), I didn’t focus on Romans 8:28-30 in that article. However, in retrospect, I definitely think I should have. God’s sovereignty (i.e., God’s complete control over, and ultimate responsibility for, all that takes place in the universe) shines brilliantly throughout this remarkable passage.

In verse 28 we find Paul affirming the fact that the circumstances of this life are being coordinated by God for the benefit of “those who are loving God.” There is no contextual reason why the “all” of this verse should be understood as being anything less than absolutely comprehensive. Although it’s far easier to be thankful for the reality of God’s sovereignty when we’re not suffering (and when tragedy is mercifully kept at bay), God is just as much in control over the painful circumstances of life as he is over life’s many blessings. Irrespective of what we’re going through at any given moment, God is ultimately responsible for the circumstances in which we find ourselves.

This fact is in accord with the truth expressed in Ephesians 1:11, where we’re told that God is “operating all in accord with the counsel of his will.” Relatively few Christians seem to actually believe and fully appreciate the truth of God’s sovereignty. Even Calvinists - despite all of their talk and emphasis on God’s sovereignty - can be quite inconsistent on this matter (with some Calvinists retreating to a view that is virtually indistinguishable from the Arminian position, on occasion). Scripture, however, is quite clear that God is sovereign in an absolute and comprehensive sense.

According to scripture, whatever God intends to do, he does, and no one can successfully resist him when it’s his will that something occur: “He does according to his will in the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand!” (Dan. 4:25) “Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases” (Psalm 115:3). “I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted” (Job 42:2). Thus, if it’s God’s will that a certain person be saved at a certain time, then it’s inevitable that that person will be saved at that time.

In chapter nine of Romans, Paul defends the idea that God is in absolute control over the destiny of human beings (Rom. 9:9-18). In response to his affirmation of God’s sovereignty, Paul has a hypothetical objector ask the following questions: “Why, then, is He still blaming? For who has withstood His intention?” It should be noted that this hypothetical objector takes seriously everything that Paul wrote in verses 14-18. The objector doesn’t try to “explain away” the clear implication of Paul’s argument, but rather takes for granted the inability of humans to thwart God’s intention to be merciful to some and to harden others.

In verses 20-21, Paul answers his objector as follows: “Who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, ‘Why have you made me like this?’ Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use?” Notice that Paul doesn’t dispute the premise inherent in the objection (which is that humans can’t “withstand God’s intention” to show mercy to some and to harden others). Instead, Paul simply argues that God - by virtue of being God - has the right to do what he wants with his creatures, in the same way that a potter has the right to do what he wants with his clay. And – as Paul goes on to explain - this means making some people into “vessels for honor” and “vessels of mercy,” and making other people into “vessels for dishonor” and “vessels of indignation” (Rom. 9:21-24).

Since God is “working all together for the good of those who are loving him,” does this mean that all of the evil we experience during this lifetime is actually good? By no means. Paul was not saying that everything that God is “working together” is, in fact, “good.” The “all” that God is working together for the good of those Paul had in view includes both good and evil (i.e., suffering and pain), and evil is obviously not the same as “good.” Much of what takes place in this lifetime is not intrinsically “good” in the sense of directly benefiting anyone, or promoting their wellbeing and flourishing in this life. And Paul, of course, knew this. He elsewhere referred to the age or “eon” in which we’re living as “wicked” (Gal. 1:4), and as consisting of “evil days” in which believers can, and do, suffer (Eph. 5:16; Rom. 8:18). Paul himself suffered a great deal throughout his life as an apostle of Jesus Christ (see, for example, 2 Cor. 11:21-33).

Thus, contrary to the message of Joel Osteen and other modern-day “prosperity preachers,” Paul knew full well that, as long as we remain on this earth in these mortal bodies (and until we undergo the radical change that is referred to in 1 Cor. 15:51-57), our “best life” will never be “now.” It will remain a thing of expectation, being “reserved for [us] in the heavens” (Col. 1:5; 2 Cor. 5:1-9). While the events of this life are preparatory for the “good” that Paul had in mind in Romans 8:28, this “good” is not something that will be fully realized or enjoyed in this mortal lifetime.

The good of some?

Paul elsewhere made it clear that God is the “Savior of all mankind,” and that God’s intention is that “all mankind be saved and come into a realization of the truth” (1 Tim. 2:4-6 and 4:10). And as I argued in my article series ”A Ransom for All,” Christ - by laying down his life in obedience to God - procured the salvation of all humanity from the condemnation of which our sins have made us deserving (which is what it means for Christ to have “died for our sins”). Because of Christ’s sacrificial death on our behalf, all humanity will ultimately be vivified and placed beyond the reach of death, and will one day live in perfect relational harmony with God (1 Cor. 15:24-28).

Given the fact that God’s sovereign plan clearly involves the salvation of all humanity, in what sense can it be said that God is working all together for the good of some but not all? To better understand how God can be said to be working all together for the good of some - but not all - individuals, we need an adequate understanding of what scripture reveals concerning the “ages” or “eons.” In Ephesians 3:11, Paul referred to God’s “purpose of the eons.” Most Bible versions erroneously use the adjective “eternal” in this verse, despite the fact that Paul used the plural form of the Greek noun aión” here (the noun aión simply meaning “age” or “eon”). Paul elsewhere revealed that there have been past eons (Col. 1:26), that there is a present eon in which we’re now living (Gal. 1:4), and that there will be future eons (Eph. 2:7). We also know that there was a time before the eons began (2 Tim. 1:9; Titus 1:2), which means that time has not always been measured by “eons.”

Now, the Greek word that is most often translated as “eternal” in most Bible versions (such as in the expression “eternal life”) is the adjective aiónion.” As I’ve argued in greater depth elsewhere (click here for part one of my seven-part study on this subject), the word aiónion should be understood as the adjectival form of the noun, aión. As the adjectival form of aión (“age” or “eon”), the word aiónion should be understood as meaning “lasting for, or belonging to, an eon or eons,” and would be better translated as “eonian” or “age-abiding.”[1] The English adjective “eternal,” on the other hand, corresponds to the noun “eternity” rather than the noun “age” or “eon.” And based on how the word aión is used in scripture, eternality is not an idea that is inherent in, or expressed by, the word. Consequently, “eternal” (or “everlasting”) is simply not a good translation of a word which essentially pertains to one or more temporary periods of time.

At this point, many Christians (both those of the Calvinist and the Arminian persuasion) would object that the future “age” or “eon” - i.e., the one that we’re told in scripture is still “to come” - is not going to be a temporary period of time. Rather, it is believed that this future “age” or “eon” is going to be endless in duration. However, that’s not what scripture reveals. In Ephesians 2:7, Paul stated that God will be “displaying the transcendent riches of his grace in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus,” and that this display would be taking place in the oncoming eons.” Paul used the plural form of the noun aión in this verse (aiósin), and in nearly every English version I’ve checked, this fact is reflected by the use of the plural word “ages” or “eons” to translate it. Since an unending eon cannot precede another eon, we must conclude that the eon to come will - like the eons preceding it - have both a beginning and an end (and based on what is said in 1 Corinthians 10:11 and Hebrews 9:26 - in addition to other scripturally-informed considerations - we can further conclude that the entire series of eons will eventually end).

In Romans 6, Paul referred to the gift that God graciously gives to those who believe the gospel that he was heralding among the nations as “eonian life” (Rom. 6:22-23). “Eonian life” is not life that is limited to the eons, or life that will continue only as long as the eons continue. God is referred to as the “eonian God” and as the “King of the eons” (Rom. 16:26; 1 Tim. 1:17). But of course, God will continue to exist even after the eons over which he reigns (and during which he is carrying out his “purpose of the eons”) have run their course. God’s life is no way affected by the passing of the eons that he created, and neither will ours be after we’ve been given the same “power of an indestructible life” which enables Christ to be living for the eons to come (Heb. 7:16-17, 23-25; Rev. 1:18).

Eonian life is simply life that will be enjoyed during the future eons of Christ’s reign (which are the “oncoming eons” referred to in Ephesians 2:7). It will be a tremendous blessing and privilege to live as God’s “vessels of mercy” during this future time (a privilege that relatively few humans will enjoy). The emphasis on these future eons that is inherent in the expression “eonian life” doesn’t mean or imply that, after the blessing-filled eons of Christ’s reign end (and Christ’s reign will end, according to 1 Cor. 15:24-28), the life of those living during these eons will end as well. Once we’ve been made immortal, our life will always continue (that’s what it means to be immortal, after all). As will be the case for God himself, our life will simply cease to have the quality of being “eonian” after the eons have ended.

Those who are loving God?

In light of what’s been said above, I think we can reasonably conclude that the “good” that Paul had in view in v. 28 is the good that believers will be enjoying during the eons to come (which, again, are the eons of Christ’s reign, which will end when "the last enemy, death" is abolished). And insofar as Paul had this good in view, it would be accurate to say that God is not, at this present time, “working all together” for the good of all. Rather, he is working all together for the good of “those who are loving God.”

The words “those who are loving God” have led some believers to wonder whether they’re, in fact, included within the category of people that Paul had in mind here. However, Paul could not have had in mind a state of continual and perfect obedience in which one is loving God with all of one’s heart, soul mind and strength (in accord with what Christ said is the “greatest commandment” in Mark 12:29-30). Had this been the case, no human except Christ himself could possibly be said to “love God.” It must be emphasized that Paul was not exhorting those to whom he wrote to love God so that they could be included among those for whom God was working all together for the good. Rather, Paul was giving a description of what was already true of those to whom he wrote.

By the words “those who are loving God,” Paul was referring to the saints to whom he was writing, and – by extension – everyone who, through faith in Paul’s evangel, has been justified through the faith of Christ and become a member of that spiritually-united company of saints that Paul referred to in his letters as “the body of Christ.” It is those in the body of Christ who, through faith in Paul’s gospel, have received “the spirit of son ship” (Rom. 8:15) and “the firstfruit of the spirit” (v. 23), and who consequently will be “enjoyers of an allotment from God” (v. 17).

Later in chapter 8, Paul referred to this category of people as “God’s chosen ones”: ”What then, shall we declare to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? Surely, He Who spares not His own Son, but gives Him up for us all, how shall He not, together with Him, also, be graciously granting us all? Who will be indicting God's chosen ones? God, the Justifier? Who is the Condemner? Christ Jesus, the One dying, yet rather, being roused, Who is also at God’s right hand, Who is pleading also for our sakes?” (Rom. 8:31-33) “Those who are loving God” are, therefore, God’s chosen ones. They are justified in the blood of Christ (Rom. 5:9), and cannot come under condemnation (8:1). And, as we’ll see shortly, the “chosen” status of those whom Paul had in view was fixed by God long before they were born (and thus before they did anything good or evil), and is not something that can be lost or forfeited. Thus, the people whom Paul referred to as “loving God” are not saved or chosen because they are “loving God”; rather, their love for God is simply one of the ways that their “chosen” status is manifested.

Thus, whatever Paul meant by the words “loving God” should be understood as characterizing all who are in the body of Christ. And this fact suggests to me that “loving God” consists of having a certain attitude or disposition toward God that is the result of our having come to a realization of the grace of God in truth (as revealed in Paul’s evangel), and which involves our awareness of God’s love for us in Christ. As I understand it, the kind of love that Paul had in view here – that is, agape love - involves ascribing intrinsic worth or value to someone (or to something, such as money). Thus, “those who are loving God” can be understood as those who, out of an awareness of God’s love for them, are esteeming God and regarding him as a being of supreme intrinsic worth/value.

This love for God will, of course, express itself in different ways depending on the individual believer and the circumstances in which they’re in. And I think it goes without saying that the degree to which this love will find complete and consistent expression in our lives will always be deficient (at least, during this lifetime). However, I don’t believe there is a single member of the body of Christ who cannot be said to be “loving God” in the sense that Paul had in mind when he wrote these words.

Excursion: The teaching of Paul and Christ concerning why some believe and others don’t

Before moving on to the first link in the “golden chain” of Romans 8:29, I think it would be helpful to consider the following question: Why do some believe in Christ, while others don’t? Most Christians see their faith as an expression of their own “free will.” Both faith and unbelief are viewed as a choice (or the result of a choice) that some make and others don’t. According to this understanding of faith and unbelief, the only needed explanation for why some believe and others don’t is to be found in the people themselves. Thus, when confronted with the reality of people dying in unbelief, many Christians would simply say (or at least think in their hearts), “Well, as tragic as an unbeliever’s death is, their remaining in unbelief was their free choice. When all’s said and done, those who die in unbelief have no one to blame but themselves. If they hadn’t chosen to be so proud and self-reliant - or if they hadn’t chosen the things of this world over what really matters - they might’ve been able to recognize and admit their need for a Savior. Then they probably would’ve made the better (and wiser) decision to believe in Christ, like I did.”

In contrast with the above view, scripture does not present human beings (or their supposed “free will”) as being the ultimate explanation for why some believe and others don’t. Instead, scripture takes us “behind the scenes,” so to speak, and shows us what’s really going on when some believe and others remain in unbelief. According to scripture’s “behind the scenes” explanation, it is God himself who is truly responsible for the faith of some and the unbelief of others. For example, we read that, during Christ’s earthly ministry, no one could become truly acquainted with (and “see”) God except those to whom Christ has chosen to reveal him (Mt. 11:25-27), and no one could understand the “mysteries of the kingdom” or could receive Christ’s teaching except those to whom it had been granted (Matthew 13:11). In fact, Christ declared that no one could receive even one thing unless it had been given to them from God (John 3:27). This would necessarily include the faith needed to believe that Jesus is the Son of God, or that Jesus died for our sins.

In John 6 we find that Christ also taught that no one could come to him (which, in the context, meant believing on him) unless God had previously drawn them to himself (vv. 36-40, 44). In v. 45 Christ explained this “drawing” by God to mean being “taught of God” - i.e., hearing from the Father and learning the truth. All who were being drawn by God at this time came to Christ (believed on him), and it is these whom Christ said he would “raise up on the last day,” and who will thus “have life eonian.” It must be emphasized that, in the context of this chapter, Christ was explaining why those to whom he was speaking had not believed on him (v. 36). Christ attributes the unbelief of these people to the fact that God had not given them to him, by means of drawing them. Had they been drawn by God, they would’ve come to Christ (i.e., believed on him). Since they didn’t believe, it’s evident that they hadn’t been drawn by God, and weren’t among those whom God was giving to Christ for him to “raise up on the last day.”

Christ gave the same explanation for unbelief later on in this chapter, when speaking concerning Judas. In John 6:64-65, we read, “There are some of you who do not believe.” (For Jesus knew from the beginning who those were who did not believe, and who it was who would betray him.) And he said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father.” The words, ”…no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father” refer back to Christ’s words in v. 44 (”No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him”), and were understood by Christ as being the explanation for why Judas did not believe. According to Christ, then, all who were coming to him (believing on him) during his earthly ministry were doing so because it had been granted them by the Father to come to Christ (i.e., believe on him). It is these whom Christ will be raising up on the last to enjoy eonian life. Since not all Israelites will be raised up by Christ on the last day, it follows that God was only drawing, and giving faith to, some.

In accord with the above, the apostle Paul clearly believed that both repentance and faith were gifts from God, and that those who have repented and come to believe the truth have done so only because it was God’s will that they - and not others - do so. In 2 Timothy 2:24-25, Paul wrote, “Now a slave of the Lord must not be fighting, but be gentle toward all, apt to teach, bearing with evil, with meekness training those who are antagonizing, seeing whether God may be giving them repentance to come into a realization of the truth…” Notice that it was not merely an opportunity to repent that Paul believed had to be given by God. Rather, it was repentance itself (with the implication being that those to whom God gave repentance would, in fact, repent and “come into a realization of the truth”).

As with repentance, Paul also understood that a person’s faith was also a gift from God. God has assigned a “measure of faith” to every member of the body of Christ (Rom 12:3), and those who believe on Christ do so because it was “graciously granted” to them by God to believe (Phil 1:29). So, it is not just that salvation is a gift from God (although it is). More than this, the very requirements for salvation (e.g., repentance and faith) are gifts of God as well. Hence, Paul could rhetorically ask the saints in Corinth: “For who is making you to discriminate? Now what have you which you did not obtain?” (1 Cor. 4:7). Everything we have – including the “measure of faith” by which we believe – was given to us by God (Acts 17:25). Nothing we have originates with us.

In accord with this view, Paul understood that it was God’s grace - not his own innate goodness, desire or willingness - that was the source of his faith and love (1 Tim 1:13-14). When a person believes and becomes a “new creation in Christ,” this is no less the sovereign work of God than was the original creation; it is all God’s doing (2 Cor. 5:17-18). Apart from God’s spirit at work in our mind and heart, we would have no interest in spiritual things (1 Cor. 2:14). Our hearts must be opened by God just so that we will pay attention to what is being said when the gospel is heralded to us (Acts 16:14), and those who hear and believe the truth do so only because they were appointed, or set, by God for this (Acts 13:48). No one becomes a believer or remains an unbeliever apart from the divinely-controlled circumstances that God is using to accomplish his redemptive purpose in the world.





[1] There are a number of contemporary, evangelical Christian scholars who’ve acknowledged that the expression commonly translated as “eternal life” should best be understood to mean “the life of the age to come.” See, for example, C.H. Dodd, The Interpretation of the First Gospel, pp. 144-50; George Eldon Ladd, A Theology of the New Testament, pp. 290-292; J.I. Packer, "The Problem of Eternal Punishment," Crux XXVI.3, September 1990, 23; "Evangelical Annihilationism in Review," Reformation & Revival, Volume 6, Number 2 - Spring 1997; John Painter, 1, 2 and 3 John (Sacra Pagina), p. 195; Alan Richardson, An Introduction to the Theology of the New Testament, pp.73-74; John G. Stackhouse, Jr. "Jesus Christ," The Oxford Handbook of Evangelical Theology, p. 151; N.T. Wright, Romans, p. 530. 

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